OVERRATING AK

[IoutplayedYou]

in this case 22 is the same of QQ men, AK is a very good hand but only if you hit the flop, if not you can call the turn (easy bet) or fold if they make you a a big one

If your range is balanced enough pre flop to include AA, KK, QQ, JJ, and AK etc. then you will be playing accordingly post flop, thus not necessarily always needing to hit the flop. QQ has a lot more equity then 22 pre flop in my opinion and they are both rarely combined in a single hand range. Even specifically against AK

 

[skiptomyloot]

Even when Ak hits BB and opponent shoves preflop with pairs like QQ with a smaller stack that can chop you good if no ace or king hits. I had that happen yesterday. Usually if there is 2 raises in front I would say ok fold, but I called and lost with AK. Not mad about it because at the time i felt it was the right play to call. Next time ill just think twice on the upside and downside to folding and calling.

 

[bluejay2220]

I think they push cause they have a good chance of hitting a card with two to come, or cause they also have a good chance of holding better air then their opponent.

 

[Martinosky11]

A general advice that a give to new in poker about AK is not to stack with it early in tournaments pref, i.e. 50bb+, this hand plays pretty well in mid stage with around 30bb, so keep the variance in your side laying down it.

 

[Tgen]

When you miss with ak you basically have a bluff , sometimes it may have shodown value but its usually a bluff , bluffing or not depends on villains , the size of the bluff also depends on villains.

 

[Aces2w1n]

You gotta understand why your raising with AK and cbetting with it...

It's a balancing your range type of hand, so you get called when you have AA or KK...

You cbet in position and take down pots cuz ppl who just call behind are normally marginal and will fold easier. Ak is a strong hand as well when you have the tempo and on low boards we gotta feel we can still beat most ...

On a board like J73 ... we gotta feel like we still got a decent chance and we are bluffing if our opponent has hit the board, but we can represent AA or KK even QQ ... we just need to make our story look good

 

[Frontiere]

You gotta understand why your raising with AK and cbetting with it...

It's a balancing your range type of hand, so you get called when you have AA or KK...

You cbet in position and take down pots cuz ppl who just call behind are normally marginal and will fold easier. Ak is a strong hand as well when you have the tempo and on low boards we gotta feel we can still beat most ...

On a board like J73 ... we gotta feel like we still got a decent chance and we are bluffing if our opponent has hit the board, but we can represent AA or KK even QQ ... we just need to make our story look good

You got a point , but like im said before when you overrating AK , you will be busred , you must know when to fold AK

 

[alittlepoker]

for me it depends on the betting if it dont cost to much i would see another card but im wont put a lot of chips in with a bad flop considering my luck.

 

[RodrigoCL]

I tend to agree with the statement that AK is overrated. Many players play them as if they're the nuts when they usually are dominated. AK is usually an underdog in multiway pots and they play better when heads-up only. Also, many other factors matter, such as effective stacks, position, reads on the villain, etc. It is a powerful starting holding but otherwise you need to improve postflop (hit another ace or king in the board) or bluff your way to the river to take down the pot.

 

[mrgiggitygoo]

Sometimes I can't get away from it....lol

Have feeling that lots of players overrating AK in tournament games ,specialy in preflop. If flop isnt good ( example - 3 7 J ) they still push with AK. I find it easy to fold here , but play with lots of players who cant fold AK nomatter what flop is.I play AK preflop all in only if Im shortctacked or have more then double chips of oponents.In the end of the day , pocket pair could kill AK easy.

what about early in mtt pre-flop, particularly first hand, when you inevitably get the all in push, especially in frerolls, seeking a first hand/ early chip advantage....personally, it all depends how I'm feeling. I have to admit, there are times when I just can't get away from it....

 

[mrgiggitygoo]

Always?

ak should all ways b played strong

Always? One thing it usually ends up in, is a race....not healthy for longevity which is what we all crave in EVERY tourney....i do admit, I can't get away from it more than I can...but to date don't use software for analysis....maybe I should, and let the math do the talking?

 

[Martinez]

I did a small count last week on the amount of times I got dealt AK and the amont of times I won with it. Out of nines times dealt to me, I lost the first 8 in a row. It's the strongest none paired hand pre flop, nut not nearly as strong post flop or at least that is what I find.

 

[Frontiere]

I tend to agree with the statement that AK is overrated. Many players play them as if they're the nuts when they usually are dominated. AK is usually an underdog in multiway pots and they play better when heads-up only. Also, many other factors matter, such as effective stacks, position, reads on the villain, etc. It is a powerful starting holding but otherwise you need to improve postflop (hit another ace or king in the board) or bluff your way to the river to take down the pot.

TOTALY AGREE

 

[rock0001]

Have feeling that lots of players overrating AK in tournament games ,specialy in preflop. If flop isnt good ( example - 3 7 J ) they still push with AK. I find it easy to fold here , but play with lots of players who cant fold AK nomatter what flop is.I play AK preflop all in only if Im shortctacked or have more then double chips of oponents.In the end of the day , pocket pair could kill AK easy.

Yes lots of players fail to understand that AK hasnt got the great value its has preflop. on the flop AK suit is only 60% against 67 suit so the strengh of ace king depends Exclusively on the board cards. for example a 367 rainbow flop is a terrible board for AK because villain may have A7 A6 or even a set so even if AK seems to be a monster preflop hand they might not be a great hand in multiway pots.
Most important thing with AK is to play these hand aggresively preflop to isolate players and increase the odds of winning the hand.

 

[Michael Paler]

IMHO, the trick in any MTT is not getting married to ANY unimproved hand, especially Ace high. Period.

Problem with AK is that any monkey with any two cards can pair his crappy hand. If you find yourself on the river with only Ace high losing to someone's garbage one pair hand, you have the problem, not them.

Sure, they might be a weak donk-fish, but what does that say about the person losing to the weak donk-fish?

 

[Poker Orifice]

IMHO, the trick in any MTT is not getting married to ANY unimproved hand, especially Ace high. Period.

Problem with AK is that any monkey with any two cards can pair his crappy hand. If you find yourself on the river with only Ace high losing to someone's garbage one pair hand, you have the problem, not them.

Sure, they might be a weak donk-fish, but what does that say about the person losing to the weak donk-fish?

idk 'uber' weak'er' donk-fish

 

[bremensha]

to win in a MTT you need to generate chips as early as possible and use every fair chance to double up.
Holding AK you are only in big trouble vs KK or AA
As you are holding 2 of the key cards preflop the odds are 3/50 * 2/49 *2 for running against kings or aces (0,48 % in heads up and about 4,5 % at a full table)
Having QQ the odds are 8/50 * 3/49 =(0,96 % in heads up or about 9 % at a full table)
Therfor you should fold QQ in a 3 to 5 bet more often than w/ AK.
Not hitting on the flop it is difficult to play AK therefor I would like to make it a near all in preflop.

 

[theRaven68]

i lost to many preflop allins with AK to small pairs and if you dont hit something on flop it may become a problem
so i am not full of confidence in that hand

 

[theRaven68]

my monster AK hand lost to 99 today again
"i will become frightened" of holding AK

 

[jimmy62]

I have found that it doesnt really matter what preflop percentages are to 70% of the people who play micro n mid stakes.It does matter to someone who plays in hi stakes.I have no problem folding AK or even KK at certain points of play,especially in MTTs when tourny outcome is on line.

 

[eidikos]

hi!
2 overcards there have almost 1/4 chance to win
very important there is the position you have.if he checks to you,you have to c-bet and very often you are commited later
now if you are out of position im not sure what is the best way to play it there...shoving is not a very bad idea

 

[Frontiere]

ak should all ways b played strong

NO WAY MAN , thats totaly wrong. Example - you raise 4 BB and you get reraise(pot) . You could call , and after flop 3 5 8 rainbow oponent push all in, you will be colling that ??? Im not

 

[VGShaa]

I also have no problem with folding AK, dry board, raising strong and easy pass. If 10bb stack or less and the blinds are more likely to push it s top hand before the flop, although often see as the AK play limp - there is not a monster hand

 

[Poker Orifice]

NO WAY MAN , thats totaly wrong. Example - you raise 4 BB and you get reraise(pot) . You could call , and after flop 3 5 8 rainbow oponent push all in, you will be colling that ??? Im not

Is calling in that ^ spot 'playing it strong'??? I would think not & am fairly certain that isn't what that other poster is suggesting at all.

ALso, your example here is way too vague & is also far from playing AK 'strongly'.
How deep are we? (what format?) Why do we raise 4x? We get re-raised and we just 'call' (< how is that 'strong'?). So we do call (even though I'd suggest that's passive/weak) we flop crap and now villain shoves?? What's the size of the pot? Why is villain shoving? If villain only has a pot-sized bet there (or if pot-sized effective stacks), then why in the ___ (< bleep) are we just 'calling' the 3bet preflop in that spot? (hint: that would be the FARTHEST thing from 'playing AK strongly').

 

[Frontiere]

If I have enought chip, then its ok to play strong, but after mine raise and reraise, just call is good move. All in in that moment is OVERRATING AK like I said.They can bust you from tournament with any pocket pair. I realy go in all in preflop with pocket pair rather then AK, but thats me.