I get that you have straight possiblitites (.32% to flop it and 11.2% chance to flop a gut shot) and I get that you have nut flushes sometimes (.84% chance to flop it and 10.9% to flop a draw).

But they're also super easily dominated by higher aces. You can't be sure that hitting an ace on the flop is safe.

So my question is why do people include them in their hand ranges (and even in their tight hand ranges) and why do people raise aggressively with them? What is the purpose? Is it for value or a bluff? Are people hoping to flop a flush draw?

Thank you/

i had them as a part of my bluff 3bet range.

The idea is that is too weak to 3bet for value and too weak to cold call them when in position, but at the same time when you actually get called you still have a hand that can connect nice and also that can bluff catch....

If you are in position, 3betting puts opponent in their heels and could possibly induce a fold right then and there. A standard opening raise puts you in position for the flop if someone calls and your range is wide so it’s hard for someone to play you out of position. If you raise a limper and he calls, he’s in a hand he wasn’t comfortable enough to raise in so you’d be in the drivers seat post flop if he calls or win his BB if he folds.

If you get to a flop, you have a chance for a nut flush and a straight draw on the flop too. If you pair your ace on a rainbow you can also play this like a top pair, high kicker and make it hard for villain to figure out what you have. Position is key though which is why it’s typically in a hand range in late position but not early position.

If you have late position, you can represent many more hands than if you do so in early position. Personally, I hate playing hands like this out of position.

But this is why I don’t mind playing hands like this aggressively in late position. But this all hinges on what I perceive to be the players I’m playing against based on observations of the table up until that point.

Originally Posted by MungBeans

I get that you have straight possiblitites (.32% to flop it and 11.2% chance to flop a gut shot) and I get that you have nut flushes sometimes (.84% chance to flop it and 10.9% to flop a draw).

But they're also super easily dominated by higher aces. You can't be sure that hitting an ace on the flop is safe.

So my question is why do people include them in their hand ranges (and even in their tight hand ranges) and why do people raise aggressively with them? What is the purpose? Is it for value or a bluff? Are people hoping to flop a flush draw?

Thank you/

there are a few Things that make A5s-A2s a better Hand than A6-A8 and Overall worth a raise/call.


1) Like you said, straight and nut flush possibilities
2) You get a lot of weaker Aces to fold
3) Blockers: We hold an Ace, Flop has an Ace so we block our opponents A and it is less likely that they have one of the two remaining Aces.
4) tricky two pair which our Opponent won't see
5) Sure we have a kicker Problem vs AT+, but we are fine vs A6-A8 because the chances are higher that it is a split pot than his kicker holds



Like others said, Position is key. I would not raise UTG with those Hands or call and UTG raise, but in LP they are good Holdings to raise or fine to defend your blinds.
It is also a good Hand to mix up your Play

Originally Posted by MungBeans

I get that you have straight possiblitites (.32% to flop it and 11.2% chance to flop a gut shot) and I get that you have nut flushes sometimes (.84% chance to flop it and 10.9% to flop a draw). /

Thank you for posting


As many posters have pointed out, this is an advanced strategy that is used vs villains that fold vs 3 bets preflop and make reads post flop and act on those reads.
Without these actions the added equity playing these hands does not occur often enough to warrant regular use of these strategies.

So if you are playing vs villains that never fold any ace or never fold top pair or there are always at least 3 players to every pot you have to be very careful with these hands.

Hope this helps

If they are suited than the added flush/straight opportunities makes these hands stronger than A6 -> A9 off. So in case you get called by a premium hand you still have at least a somewhat reasonable chance of getting lucky. If you get called by A6 - A9 the pot will split in 50% to 30% of the time and you dont lose chips...
The poblem is that these hands require good postflop skills to be able to lose just a little with them, but take down a huge pot when you hit 2 pair, flush or straight with them.

Many times I just limp in position hoping for a cheap enter to the flop with many limpers and get paid for my flush or 2pair maybe , but no , I believe I don't do it right , the odds preflop ain't right , the successions postflop are not satisfying for me . In the blinds it's better for me ,but still overplaying them or not playing them correctly/carefully (cbet on the right board texture , right bet , right opponent to try bluff or semibluff , ) can lead me to disaster if I don't find the fold button personally

All sound reasonable. But the truth is online ace rag often hits. I loose to yahoos like that all the time. My favorite is when my a.k goes against a.8 and the flop is a.8.k. then my turn is 2 and their all in. and the river is a 8 to get my chips. Happen like that all the time.