Misplaying A-K

Without question, one of the trickiest hands to play in poker is big slick. Probably more people get busted out of no-limit hold'em tournaments with this hand than any other, and I've certainly done it my fair share of times. In this column, though, I'm going to focus on common mistakes I've seen made with A-K in limit hold'em live games.



Preflop Mistakes: We all know that A-K is a good starting hand in limit hold'em, one that is typically worthy of a raise. However, it is also quite clear that A-K is at least to some degree a drawing hand, one that needs help on the flop to win. So, when is it correct to push the hand, and when should you back off? In my opinion, players frequently aren't clear in their intentions for the hand, and as a result, they play the hand poorly before the flop.



One thing to ask yourself before sticking in a raise or reraise with A-K is: What will raising accomplish here, and is this what I want? Typically, you will raise for one of two reasons before the flop: to build a bigger pot or to limit the field. There are times to do each with A-K. Here are a few examples to clarify my point:



Example No. 1: A very tough, solid player raises from under the gun, and you are next with A-K (we're going to ignore whether or not you're suited for now). I often see players make it three bets with A-K here, and I think that is a mistake. In this case, the raiser probably has either a big pair or the same hand as you. Raising will, in all probability, drive out the remaining players, reducing the field to you and the best hand. Although your good position does count for something, it is offset by the times that other players behind you "jump the fence" and call your reraise, leaving you in between the original tough raiser and some unknown entity. Reraising sets yourself up to lose a big pot if you don't hit the flop, as you will have enough money invested to feel that you should linger in the hand.



In this situation, I prefer a smooth-call of the raise rather than a reraise. A couple of good things can result from this action. First, you may pick up an overcall from a hand you have dominated, such as A-Q or A-J, putting you in a very favorable position if an ace flops. Also, you are keeping your exposure down, enabling you to get away from your hand relatively cheaply if you miss the flop. Remember, the original raiser probably holds a better hand than you, so you need to improve to win.



Example No. 2: A loose player opens the pot for a raise from late position, and you are in the small blind with A-K. It is a big mistake to just call here. This is a time when you want to reraise to drive out other players (the big blind, in this case). In contrast to the previous example, the original raiser is unlikely to hold a big hand. So, you should reraise to try to isolate the other player in the pot and to build a bigger pot with the probable best hand. It is likely that you have the original raiser's hand dominated (that is, he holds either an ace or a king with a smaller kicker), so he is not drawing very live. However, if you just call, the big blind will often join the party, and he is likely to hold two random cards that can easily out-flop your big slick.



Mistakes made on the flop: The flop, particularly in multiway pots, is the defining moment of the hand. The main mistake I see people make with A-K at this point is seeing one more card when they are drawing slim or dead. Here are two examples of when to give up your A-K on the flop:



Example No. 1: A multiway raised pot with a flop of 10-9-5. You have completely missed this flop, and should give it up. There may be times to stay in, such as when you have only one opponent (the flop may not have helped him, either, and your A-K high may be the best hand), but a multiway pot is not one of them. The problem here is that it is very easy to hit your hand on the turn and still lose. If an ace comes, you may lose to A-10, A-9, or A-5. Or, someone may have flopped top two pair or a set. If a king hits, K-10 is a dangerous possibility, and so is Q-J. Although you may occasionally turn a pair and win the pot, you will typically draw a blank on the turn. There are only six cards in the deck that can pair you, and simply making a pair won't get the job done often enough. In fact, this will wind up proving to be quite costly at times.



Example No. 2: A multiway raised pot with a flop of Q-8-5. Again, you have missed, and it is dangerous to see a turn card. The main problem with this board is the presence of a queen. Queens are common cards in the hands of your opponents, and in a raised pot such as this, they are often accompanied by an ace or king kicker. So, you are once again in the unfavorable position of needing to hit your pair, and then hoping it is good. There is no worse card for an A-K than a queen, so try not to get stubborn on the flop if one appears.



Turn mistakes: The turn is a tricky spot for your A-K, particularly in heads-up or three-way pots in which you don't have a pair. If you have been the aggressor, you must decide whether to stay aggressive or to back off. If you are facing a bet, you must decide whether your ace high is likely to be the best hand. Here are a few mistakes I see players make:



Example No. 1: Failing to bet against a player who is just "taking one off." In pots that are contested shorthanded, you can often tell by studying your opponent when he calls you on the flop whether or not he is truly interested in the hand. Many players will call the small flop bet out of principle. You should be able to discern when that is the case, and keep the pressure on these players as the hand progresses. They typically will concede the pot on the turn if they haven't improved. By betting when you recognize this, you won't give them a valuable free draw to improve on the river.



Example No. 2: Continuing to play aggressively when the board is scary and you have met with resistance. Remember, we are talking limit poker here. You aren't going to blow your opponents out of the hand for one additional bet, so it is typically a futile move to keep betting A-K high into a board such as 10-9-8-X. There are times to bet ace high on the turn, but this surely isn't one of them.



River errors: At this point, the hand has been defined. Typically, there are two main mistakes that players make here with big slick:



Mistake No. 1: Betting with no pair as a bluff. In limit poker, your opponents will call you more often than not on the river if they stand any decent chance of winning. So, betting with ace high simply will not do any good. If they have a pair, they will call, and if your A-K is good, they will pass. So, there is no reason to bet if you think you may have the best hand anyway. A-K is perfectly capable of winning in a showdown unimproved when the pot is checked down, but it is difficult to win a bet on the river with the hand if it hasn't gotten better.



Mistake No. 2: Failing to bet for value. This typically occurs when a card that can beat you appears. It is important not to lose heart in these situations, as nearly all of your opponents will sacrifice one more bet to see your hand. Just because a flush or straight materializes on the river doesn't mean you shouldn't fire more chips into the pot. You will frequently get paid off by hands that you have out-kicked, and you will be costing yourself quite a bit of money to check every time the board gets scary. Your good judgment is significant here, of course, as there will be times that it should be obvious that an opponent is drawing at you. However, you are leaving a lot of money on the table if you automatically check when a possible draw comes in.



Conclusion: A-K is a difficult hand to get a firm grasp on. Ultimately, your results in limit hold'em will depend to a fairly large degree on how you play big slick. Hopefully, this column has highlighted a few things to watch for at each stage of the hand.

Please feel free to e-mail me with comments anytime at [email protected].