I gotta say, I have done this a rare couple of times in poker tournaments, only because I'm so close to being paid in the tournament that I don't want to risk losing to a subpar hand. Anyone else done this? Or if you haven't, what was the toughest fold you made in a game pre-flop?

Would depend on circumstances, position, chip stack and table dynamics. Going play the hand strong in later position, especially around the bubble where people may be incline to fold. Deep stack might change a big raise in front of me.

Should be an easy hand to fold if it makes sense to do so. Not riding the hand to the rail, in later stages of tournaments.

It's rare, but there are some spots in which folding AK is 100% mandatory.

For instance in a satellite 1 from the money, you're folding just about every hand pre-flop (in some cases even aces) because the payout is the same.

It was hard to learn, but meanwhile I can fold AK. I just lost with it too many times against pairs or even weaker aces. Let's see a flop....

Depends on what the expected value of me winning the hand is compared to me losing the hand..

I find it gets a lot easier to fold AK when you lose to 2s on the river.

Originally Posted by wsopgirl217

I gotta say, I have done this a rare couple of times in poker tournaments, only because I'm so close to being paid in the tournament that I don't want to risk losing to a subpar hand. Anyone else done this? Or if you haven't, what was the toughest fold you made in a game pre-flop?

For me personally, 4 bets from a tight player is an easy fold!

A very tuff fold it depends on positioning and the amount of other players bet

Why fold if you can call, as long as it not all-in

Only sometimes. Most times I am not folding this hand preflop.

In a freeroll, I am probably getting it in, and if its a buyin and I have notes that the villan has the capability of getting it in with AJ etc then I am getting it in.

AK is a monster hand I love to get dealt, but I've folded AK preflop many times before. If the action gets too hot quickly then you can be pretty sure someone likely has AA or KK etc. or even QQ we are flipping with.

Another problem with AK is that ANY pocket pair actually has better equity if both players are All In, so I don't even want to really see 22 from Villain if I have AK; I need to hit an Ace or King to win and even then they might hit a set as well.

Other than that, AK is still a powerful hand and worth calling a bet or two preflop Just don't want to be calling too many All in shoves from players who cover you or being in multiway pots against players who are aggressive enough to force you off of the hand.

btw here is a funny clip of comedy gold here for AK lol

p.s. there is language in the video, so don't watch if you are sensitive to that - but chances are you've heard at least one or two people venting before if you play poker xD

You Tube

As always, everything depends on the situation at the table.It is worth playing such hands in most cases.well, or wait for the hand 82).Analyze the table of players behind it and make the right decisions.Many years of playing poker gives you the right thoughts and emotions.everything is in your hands!

Let's imagine the following situation, you are on the button and before you two players are all-in.

Using the Oldds calculator here on the cardchat considering that the opponents will have random cards we will have a probability of victory between 55% ~~ 79% In most cases (we must remember that we don't know the opponent's hand). If the opponent has AA we still have a chance to win 17% of the time.

So in my opinion a KK should be played most of the time, do I leave some reference questions here:
Is it worth falling into the bubble of a tournament 20% of the time with KK?
Is my stack healthy enough to call two all-in with KK?
If I lose my tournament, will I feel good about knowing that I lost with KK?


Remembering that this is my personal opinion !!!

Of course there are times I would fold AK preflop.

I can even think of situations I would fold AA preflop.

Originally Posted by wsopgirl217

I gotta say, I have done this a rare couple of times in poker tournaments, only because I'm so close to being paid in the tournament that I don't want to risk losing to a subpar hand. Anyone else done this? Or if you haven't, what was the toughest fold you made in a game pre-flop?

Absolutely and with ease, totally depends on the situation and for me its a very overrated and inflexible hand to play.

if you are very deep on a tournament or a cash game ( more than 200 bb) and 2 players go all in most certainly one of those players will have at least queens, kings or aces so folding in that spot is the right choice. also in satellites you can even fold aces if you have enough chipstack ( more than average) to quality for the target tournament. another spot where you might consider folding ace king preflop ( not that you should) is the final table of a tournament if you are the 2nd biggest stack with 50bb and the biggest stack who has 80bb shove all in preflop and there are players with less than 15-10bb. ICM is very important and you might have to adjust your ranges in order to be profitable in MTT in the long run.

Originally Posted by wsopgirl217

I gotta say, I have done this a rare couple of times in poker tournaments, only because I'm so close to being paid in the tournament that I don't want to risk losing to a subpar hand. Anyone else done this? Or if you haven't, what was the toughest fold you made in a game pre-flop?

Of course. On very, very rare occasions, I would fold AA pre-flop, so there would be a few more occasions where I would fold AK.

Yes, i fold my AK sometimes when i'm near in the money in MTT and someone else with a bigger stake goes all in.
I would like to first secure the prizes and after I take some risk of losing my whole stake.

Originally Posted by wsopgirl217

..only because I'm so close to being paid in the tournament ..

That's a good fold and I would do that 7/10 times if it's a tough field, who and how many are in the hand ... . Cards are only part of your toolkit as are pure bluffs, timing out etc.. your strategy is always to make the most money with the least risk relative to what you can afford to lose.

yes there is a circumstance that i find myself sheltered to fold! even if you don't want to.

In multiple way maybe, depends on the tournament and situation

Of course yes if the timing is right. At the bubble or in a satellite for example.

Compare the power of the AK with any pocket pair in the odds calculator and you will see that the chances are always slightly higher on the side of the pocket pair. Have you ever folded pocket deuces before the flop (they are statistically stronger than AK)? Why risk being eliminated from the tournament after we have patiently built our position for a couple of hours, and why possibly get into some coin flip situation or the danger of someone hitting a favorable card on the pot and eliminating us.
Of course I folded AK before the flop.

It depends on the situation, but I would not have any issues folding AK.

Here is an example in today's Cardschat Poker League. With two all-ins and the big stack also calling preflop, fairly early on in the game. I would have been no help to the team, if I got eliminated at this stage.

Even though I was a clear favorite preflop, the AK lived up to it's usual tricks (with me anyway).

if I am in the satellite and in the prizes, I will also drop AA)))

Too many times get smashed.. not a good idea preflop going all in.. need at least a pair

My biggest AKo fold came at a FT in an $11 Poker Stars tournament. Six or seven folks left. Early position raise followed by an allin caused me to fold. That's the only hand I remember from the FT. After 18 hours, I shipped the tournament. My finest tournament win. Who knows what would have happened if I had called.

I fold with AK,QQ pre flop. To fold with premium hands depends from a lot of factors, how many players went all in pre flop, tourneys buy in, how deep you are in torney, stack etc. So to fold with AK actually is not a big deal.

Sometimes I fold AKo, especially when we get close to the bubble and my stack size is just high enough to pass the cut.
It can seem too shy but in the past I experienced a lot of fatal bad beats happening exactly in this situation

AK for me it is a good hand all depending on the position on the tournament. all in is always:-)

Yes, it's supposed to be folded in certain scenarios - due to action, stack sizes and ICM.

I have no problem folding AK preflop if the action is indicating someone has a kings or aces.. I do like to open with AK more often then not

It’s all situational. I have done it but very rarely.

I folded AK preflop to an all in and call with 9 people left at a final table today when I was 9th in chips. I then proceeded to block the view of the screen so I wouldn’t tilt if victorious, and laddered up to 5th place.

Originally Posted by wsopgirl217

I gotta say, I have done this a rare couple of times in poker tournaments, only because I'm so close to being paid in the tournament that I don't want to risk losing to a subpar hand. Anyone else done this? Or if you haven't, what was the toughest fold you made in a game pre-flop?

I would fold, only in one situation, namely triple or more all-in.

There are situations when I would fold them preflop , if many players are in the pot and I see a lot of interrest by all of them , if I suspect AA or KK to be one of their hole cards . It depends on my stack size and the stack sizes of the other players . AK is still a drawing hand even vs one player . I want to play it carefully . But in freerolls I am ready to play them preflop , don't careso much , i have seen in freerolls players play very light game , all cr** all in preflop