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How To Play Ace-King (a.k.a. The Big Slick)
A-K or The Big Slick as it's more commonly referred to, is considered the fourth best starting hand, but also one of the hardest hands to play in texas hold 'em poker. If an Ace or King comes on the flop you have top pair with top kicker, the problem that most players face is what to do if neither comes? You committed a large percentage of your stack by raising before the flop so you're reluctant to lay it down, but at the same time you're also reluctant to bet out without even a draw.
Here's a quick rundown of how the big slick stacks up in certain situations.
Heads Up
A♦-K♦ (suited) 67.0%
A♦-K♠ (off-suit) 65.4%
Against 9 Players
A-K (suited) 20.7%
A♦-K♠ (off-suit) 17.2%
A♦-K♦ vs. Q-Q 46.02% vs. 53.59%
A♦-K♠ vs. Q-Q 42.66% vs. 56.99%
Playing A-K Pre-Flop
Because of the volatility of A-K the best strategy before the flop is to raise regardless of your position. If there has already been a raise before you don't be afraid to re-raise and even move all-in. If you find yourself all-in with A-K you are still in great shape against most pocket pairs and you have 5 cards to hit an Ace or a King.
The key to playing A-K pre-flop is to best just the right amount so you can build the pot but not have more than 2 players to the flop. The exact amount will depend on the type of players at the table but generally 3-4 times the big blind will do the trick.
Playing A-K Post-Flop If You Hit
If you hit an Ace or a King on the flop you'll most likely be ahead and now you'll want to slow play to extract the most chips from your opponents as possible. Without going into too much detail about how to slow play, there is more to it than just check raising or calling especially if you're playing with more advanced players.
Your hand A♦-K♦
Blinds $50/$100
You raised pre-flop in the small blind and two players called
The flop
5♣ 3♣ A♦
You raised 4 times the big blind pre-flop so players obviously put you on a strong hand. The standard move if you'd missed the flop would be to make a continuation bet which is why checking the flop would appear suspicious and any poker player worth their salt would see right through it. Instead do exactly what they expect you to do if you'd missed; bet.
You bet $600 which is half the pot, and it appears like a value bet. If any of your opponents have an Ace they're getting the right odds to call,
One player calls and the other folds.
The turn
10♦
Now's the perfect time for a check-raise. Check to make it seem you were on a club flush draw. Your opponent will pick up on this. He bets the pot, you re-raise all in and he calls with A♣-J♦.
Playing A-K Post-Flop If You Miss The Flop
This is where most players have trouble with the A-K. If you are in early position make a continuation bet of the same size as your pre-flop raise. This will give you an idea of what your opponent is holding. If he insta-calls he's most likely connected with the flop or he's holding a pocket pair. If he raises fold your hand immediately, there's no sense in trying to bully an opponent with a hand when you have nothing yourself. You could always re-raise him but you should only do this sparingly because in the long run you'll be up against the best possible hand.
If you're in late position and your opponent checks, check right back and see what the turn brings. If he checks again on the turn bet and if he calls be ready to fold on the river, if he raises fold immediately. If he bets on the flop, you can allow yourself to call the minimum or twice the BB and wait for the turn.
Don't get hung up on the odds that A-K is the fourth best hand pre-flop or that it's a ~45% favorite against pocket pairs. Just like you shouldn't follow a straight or flush draw to the turn and river in a raised and re-raised pot, you shouldn't chase that Ace or King. You'll find it more profitable in the long run to fold when you miss and you're faced with opposition.
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