I hate AK.....

[stjimmy]

I posted a similar thread a couple of months ago about this, but in the last 2 days i have seen AK come up about 20 times, but only won 3 or 4 times. thats about a 20% sucsess rate...
anyone else seen this???

[T_B_H]

it's a pig of a hand,i now play it in various ways depending on the circumstances.
cant remember last time i hit a straight or flush with it (if suited) usually loose to pair of 4's or simular.

kev

[SternSwiss]

Well got killed on the final table of my last tourny with my AK (against KK).

It is a tricky hand, but I also made some big wins with it.

It is basicall a drawing hand, the best there is, but nevertheless a drawing hand: you don't have anything yet.

Imho basically you have to raise more preflop than with top pairs to clear the field as much as possible from average hands or simply pick up right away the blinds and eventual limpers before you, which is ok by me.

Alternative is to slowplay it. If you hit a massive flop you can do great damage because usually others don't put you up on AK (they expect a raise preflop). But If you don't hit and there was enough limpers, your hand is probably good to throw away. You need to mix up your game so calling sometimes instead of mechanically raising can be legit, though you might often not make it.

[stjimmy]

Originally Posted by SternSwiss

Well got killed on the final table of my last tourny with my AK (against KK).

It is a tricky hand, but I also made some big wins with it.

It is basicall a drawing hand, the best there is, but nevertheless a drawing hand: you don't have anything yet.

Imho basically you have to raise more preflop than with top pairs to clear the field as much as possible from average hands or simply pick up right away the blinds and eventual limpers before you, which is ok by me.

Alternative is to slowplay it. If you hit a massive flop you can do great damage because usually others don't put you up on AK (they expect a raise preflop). But If you don't hit and there was enough limpers, your hand is probably good to throw away. You need to mix up your game so calling sometimes instead of mechanically raising can be legit, though you might often not make it.

i am aware of all you`re points swiss, i am just saying the comunity cards, in my experience, don`t favour AK, more often than not...

[SternSwiss]

Originally Posted by stjimmy

i am aware of all you`re points swiss, i am just saying the comunity cards, in my experience, don`t favour AK, more often than not...

Yeah. And you have to be ready for it.

I think the disrepancy (or hate) of the big slick comes form the fact that it is a premium hand (arguably the 4th best you can be dealt preflop) but can loose easily post flop.

So the gap bewteen the expectations, or the "joy" of (finally) being dealt a good hand, and the post flop statistical realities creates this particualr discomfort (imho that is).

[stjimmy]

Originally Posted by SternSwiss

Yeah. And you have to be ready for it.

I think the disrepancy (or hate) of the big slick comes form the fact that it is a premium hand (arguably the 4th best you can be dealt preflop) but can loose easily post flop.

So the gap bewteen the expectations, or the "joy" of (finally) being dealt a good hand, and the post flop statistical realities creates this particualr discomfort (imho that is).

thats a very good point, well put swiss...

[djoh]

it amazing the amount of times it loses i h8 it but still bet on it

[ilovekerry]

it int a gd hand it dnt often win

[OP66fozzy]

Give me AK any time. I'd much rather have that in the hole than 89suited, a small pair, 72offsuit etc.

OK you don't win with it all the time, but what hand can you win with all the time ? At least it is a hand that gives you choices, unlike the majority which should just be folded.