Let’s deal with the most common situation in which you get dealt Ace-King and analyze why it may not be the right play for you. Remember, these are situations that many beginners will find themselves in quite often.Hopefully, the information here will help you to play Ace-King profitably.
Free Card
For those unfamiliar with Ace-King, it is an extremely important hand to have. One of the best types of hands in poker, the Ace-King combination is also one of the lightest. A pair of Aces, King Edwin Moss is one of the most fearsome and intimidating hands in the game. You take a big stack and hold Ace-King. If nobody has raised you for any reason, you will be looking for a reason to call.
If you hit the flop well, you will pose a large challenge to anybody in the game. As a matter of fact, the mere idea of you being heads-up with your hand looks weak and entitled. In a case such as this, if you are in early position, you are in fact better off getting out then searching for a reason not to call. You wants somebody to raise so that you don’t necessarily have to call a raise, which is the normal case of having Ace-King in this situation. If nobody raises, you will in fact want to call a flop in this situation, as it is likely you may be drawing dead.
However, there is a 2nd scenario in which you may not want to call, which is the case of having Ace-King and having a big stack. In this situation you should raise quite heavily, even if you are not in big stack situation. What you are hoping is that your Ace-King hand will be good enough to win the game. If you have noticed that there are more than 2 other players in the game who are raising in similar positions, it is probable that your Ace-King hand will not be good enough and you may want to fold, as being in this situation, your best play is to take down the pot more than likely.
It is never advised to be one of the chip leaders when you have a hand like Ace-King, it is a good idea to make a move against the big stacks that are making it far into the end. Before going up against a big stack, you should always scout the other players that may be in the Dewabet. If you are in a situation where you are sure that nobody behind you has great cards, you can always go steal the blinds. This play against the big stacks is a necessity and a very effective strategy to employ, but of course, should be used against the right person drawing situation.
Always consider having Ace-King as a semi-bluff in your arsenal. Should the flop not produce a King, a 2 or a 9, you can always get out a hand of Blackjack or 9-7. Never let your opponents get close to single-handedly beating you at your peak. In addition, never be soocrulous as to think that a low flush is likely. Sure, you may be able to get away with it sometimes, but you can also sure as hell hang yourself with a 9-7 as soon as somebody bets 2 grand on 9-7!
Heaven help you if you have a weaker hand and somebody in early position raises (based on a re-raise from middle position) in front of you. You better have a big hand where you can win an A or something, where you’re still at least a small favorite. But if you’re in the blinds and your cards are Jack, 8, Queen, it’s a whole different scenario. You can’t afford to get into deep sequencing yet, because you’re a big underdog against the best hand.