Everyone who bets in Texas Holdem knows that a-k is one of the greatest opening hands. But, it is simply that, an opening hand. It is only two cards of a 7-card formula. In nearly every situation, you want to jump out guns blaring with A-K as your hole cards. When the flop arrives, you need to reassess your cards and consider things through before you just assume your overcards are the greatest.
Like most other opportunities in hold’em, knowing your opponents will help you gauge your position when you have Ace-King and see a flop like 9-8-2. Since you wager preflop and were called, you presume your competitor is also holding great cards and the flop may have by-passed them as poorly as it by-passed you. Your assumption will frequently be correct. Also, do not forget that most poor players would not understand good cards if they tripped over them and could have called with Ace-Something and paired the board.
If your opposition checks, you might check and observe a free card or make a wager and try to pick the pot up right there. If they bet, you could raise to observe if they’re in or fold. What you wish to avoid is basically calling your competitor’s wager to observe what the turn brings. If any card other than and Ace or King is turned over, you won’t have any more info than you did after the flop. Let’s say the turn results in a four and your competitor wagers again, what should you do? To call a bet on the flop you had to think your hand was the greatest, so you must truly think it remains so. So, you call a wager on the turn and 1 more on the river to discover that your opponent has a hand of ten-eight and only had second pair following the flop. At that instance, it hits you that a raise the bet following the flop could have captured the money right there.
Ace-King is a gorgeous combination to find in your hole cards. Just be certain you bet on them astutely and they’ll achieve you amazing happiness at the poker table.
September 9th, 2012
Spencer
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