Playing Big Slick

A-K, referred to in hold'em parlance as "Big Slick," can be a problematic hand when the flop misses you. Typically, you will have raised preflop and now have a decision to make as to how to proceed. When should you bet or check? Should you call or fold if someone else bets? Should you ever raise? Here are some considerations that I believe come into play.

First, how many opponents do you have? The more opponents you have, the more difficult it will be for you to win the pot outright by betting. Having more opponents also increases the likelihood of your encountering a better hand. When this happens, you are the one chasing, and usually you should not want to pay any more than necessary to pursue your draw. In general, having one or two opponents is the most desirable, since your hand may well be good and, if not, you can frequently move one or two players off their hands. Having four or more opponents is bad. With this many players, a bet will hardly ever win the pot, and the likelihood of getting raised is increased. Having three opponents is borderline, and you usually have to consider other issues.

Second, what is the texture of the board? Flops containing cards in the "playing zone" (that is, cards in the upper half of the deck), two-flushes, and connecting cards make it more likely that the flop has connected with one or more of your opponents' hands. A flop of 10-5-2 rainbow is very different from a flop of 10-9-8 with a two-flush. The more disjointed the board, the more inclined you should be to play, since it is more likely that your hand will hold up when you hit.

Third, what was the betting action? Did you raise preflop, and your opponents cold-called? Or, did you raise after others limped in? Opponents who call raises cold will usually have better hands than those who limped in before you raised. Did someone reraise? A preflop three-bettor can easily have a better hand than yours or at least have cards that you need, thereby crippling your chances to improve. What is the current betting action? Are you being bet into or are your opponents checking to you?

Finally, there are other considerations, such as position, pot size, knowledge of the opposition, image, and so forth. Perhaps the following hands will help clarify how some of these considerations come into play.

Hand No. 1 ($20-$40 game): An early-position player limps in and you raise from middle position with the A K. The cutoff and button call, as do the big blind and the early-position limper. There is $210 in the pot and five players.

The flop is 7 6 3, leaving you with your two big overcards. The big blind bets and the early-position limper folds. What should you do?

Answer: Fold. It is not a good idea to try to take a card off when you are being bet into with two players behind you and a coordinated board. Furthermore, there is a two-flush on the table, which means that the A and the K may not be outs for your hand. If these cards fail to make someone a flush, they create a flush draw for anyone with a singleton club in his hand, which he may hit at the river. It is important to realize that when you call in these situations, you are building only one pair. The likelihood of one pair holding up as the best hand is greatly reduced when you have three or more opponents and a flop with a texture like this one. You could go on to lose some serious money when you hang around, improve, and lose anyway.

Hand No. 2 ($10-$20 game): You raise an early-position player with the A K. A middle-position player, the big blind, and the early-position limper call. There is $85 in the pot and four players.

The flop is 10 6 6, giving you a backdoor nut-flush draw in addition to your overcards. It is checked to you. What should you do?

Answer: Bet. The board pairing small reduces the likelihood that anyone has a better hand, since players who cold-call raises or who limp in early don't rate to have a 6 in their hand. The two-flush is a concern, but you have the ace of the flush suit, making a flush draw less likely. Finally, two of your three opponents have checked, which increases the probability of your having the best hand or being able to drive out a small pocket pair with a bet.

Hand No. 3 ($15-$30 game): You are in the big blind with the A K. Two early-position players, two middle-position players, the cutoff, the button, and the small blind limp in. You raise and everyone calls. There is $240 in the pot and eight players.

The flop is 7 4 2, missing you completely. Everyone checks to the button, who bets. The small blind folds. What should you do?

Answer: Call or check-raise. There is $255 in the pot and it costs you $15 right now to call. You are getting 17-to-1 pot odds to play six outs, which is a 7-to-1 shot. Even discounting the A and the K as outs because of the two-flush means you have four clean outs, which is an 11-to-1 shot. You have such a huge overlay that calling is right. Some players might even consider check-raising to eliminate players and increase their chances of winning the pot. The problem with this move is that it is costing you more money to do this, thereby reducing your pot odds, and it could get reraised. If a blank comes on the turn, what do you do for an encore after having check-raised the flop? Nevertheless, check-raising has definite merit and would not be wrong.

In the actual hand, the player called, as did two other players. The turn and river were checked around and the player won with his unimproved A-K. No one even made a pair among all those players.

Hand No. 4 ($10-$20 game): You are in middle position with the A K. You raise after two early-position players limp in. The cutoff, the big blind, and the limpers call. There is $105 in the pot and five players.

The flop is 10 7 3, giving you a backdoor nut-flush draw. The big blind and the limpers check. What should you do?

Answer: Check. Raising preflop does not obligate you to continue betting when you don't have anything against a large field like this after the flop misses you. With four opponents and a two-flush, your proper play is to check and hope to get a free card. Bet this kind of flop in heads-up and three-way pots when you are the preflop raiser. But against a crowd, don't try to run over the whole crew.

Hand No. 5 ($10-$20 game): You raise with the A K from middle position after an early-position player limps in. The cutoff reraises and the limper and you call. There is $105 in the pot and three players.

The flop is Q 7 4, giving you the nut-flush draw. The limper checks. What should you do?

Answer: Bet. You can consider going for a check-raise, especially if the cutoff is very aggressive. If the cutoff was reraising with jacks or tens that do not include a heart, he may fold when you bet. You have lots of outs when you get called.

Hand No. 6 ($10-$20 game): You are in the small blind with the A K. An early-position player limps in and the button raises. Everyone calls. There is $80 in the pot and four players.

The flop is Q J J, giving you a gutshot-straight draw. It is checked to the button, who bets. What should you do?

Answer: Fold. With two facecards on the flop, there is too great a chance someone is already full or has at least trip jacks. Furthermore, the 10 you need for your gutshot straight would give J-10 a full house, and J-10 is a common hand. You are getting 9-to-1 pot odds, but an ace or a king is not a clean out at all. If someone has trip jacks, your only out is a 10. An ace or a king could easily give someone a straight. Compact boards with touching cards all in the playing zone are dangerous, because they can so easily connect with the typical playing hands of your opponents.

Editor's note: Jim Brier has co-authored a new book with Bob Ciaffone entitled Middle Limit Hold'em Poker, and it is available through Card Player.