02.15
Competing in A-K in Texas Holdem
Each and every one who participates in holdem knows that Ace-King is one of the very best starting hands. But, it is simply that, a starting hand. It’s simply two cards of a seven-card equation. In just about every situation, you want to jump out firing with A-K as your hole cards. When the flop arrives, you have to reassess your hand and consider things through before you just deduce that your cards are the strongest.
Like most other opportunities in texas hold’em, understanding your competitors will assisting you in gauging your position when you have Ace-King and see a flop like 9-8-2. Since you wager preflop and were called, you assume your opponent is also holding good cards and the flop may have by-passed them as poorly as it missed you. Your assumption will often times be correct. Also, do not forget that many lousy players wouldn’t know great cards if they tripped over them and could have called with A-x and paired the community board.
If your opponent checks, you could check and observe a free card or place a bet and try to pick the pot up right then. If they bet, you can raise to see if they’re in or fold. What you wish to avert is basically calling your opponent’s wager to see what the turn results in. If any card other than and Ace or King hits, you will not have any more information than you did after the flop. Now let’s say the turn results in a four and your opposition bets one more time, what will you do? To call a bet on the flop you need to think your hand was the strongest, so you must truly think it still is. So, you call a bet on the turn and one more on the river to find out that your opponent was holding 10-8 and just a second pair after the flop. At that instance, it dawns on you that a raise the bet following the flop could have captured the money right there.
Ace-King is a wonderful combination to find in your hole cards. Just be certain you play them intelligently and they’ll bring you awesome cheerfulness at the poker table.