One of the most fascinating features of poker is that things are seldom clear. Correct strategies often call for a mix of different maneuvers. Seemingly small changes in the situation (position, stack size, personality of opponents, or recent history) can also call for different plans. Even though there is rarely an absolute right answer to any difficult decision (otherwise, it wouldn't be difficult), there are generally correct plays that should usually be made in the absence of any strong contraindications.
You have A-K. It may be suited or offsuit. You can fold, call, or raise, and if someone has already raised, you can reraise. If you are playing no-limit hold'em, you can raise or reraise a small amount, a medium amount, or a large amount. What are small, medium, and large amounts?
Assume a first raise with the blinds at 50-100, with no antes. A small raise would be to a total of 200 (the minimum raise allowed) to 250. A normal or medium raise would be to more than 250 but not more than 350. A large raise would be more than 350, up to and including moving all in.
Now, here's a specific case: You have the A
K
in a ninehanded cash game with blinds of 50-100 and a stack of 3,000. Two people fold and you have to decide what to do. Make a normal raise. There is no reason to try anything tricky. You wouldn't mind winning the pot right there. You are making it expensive enough that a small pair, deuces through sixes, might fold. (The player with the small pair should figure that against two big cards, he is a small favorite, but against a bigger pair, he is a big dog. Therefore, it is correct to fold.) That is very good for you. You have not made it so expensive that a loose player won't call with hands like A-Q, K-Q, or A-J suited.
Here is a quick review of the chances of winning with A-K suited: You are even or a small underdog against the small pairs. You are about a 2.5-1 to 3-1 favorite against high card hands that have an ace or king. You can easily see how good it is to get the small pairs to fold without forcing out the big-card hands.
What is the rest of your plan when you make a normal raise and get one or two callers? You will generally bet all flops that aren't extremely coordinated. Thus, bet flops like the A
7
4
, Q
7
4
, or 9
3
3
. Check on a flop of Q
10
9
or 6
5
3
, unless you sense weakness, and then make your continuation-bet. Your typical bet will be between 60 percent and 80 percent of the pot. If you are called, plan to get all in on the turn if you make one pair or better, but check and probably fold if you miss.
What about the other preflop alternatives? I think the worst is the minimum raise. (I assume that folding isn't really an alternative.) It allows players to call you too cheaply. Remember, you don't really want a lot of players. You don't have a pair yet. You will be first to act, or after the blinds if they decide to call. The big raise has a little merit. You increase your chances of taking the pot right there. You can be pretty sure that anyone who calls has a real hand. Then, you can make your continuation-bet on the flop only when it hits you.
The best alternative, and one you should consider using about 10 percent of the time, is to call. I know a lot of players say that you must raise when you're the first one into the pot. This may work for them, but I find that I do much better by limping with hands like 6-6, the 10
9
, and the A
4
. If the game is very active with a lot of preflop raising, I would probably fold these hands, but if it is a passive game, limping works well. Limping with these hands means that I can limp with A-A and K-K without looking suspicious. Let's get back to our A
K
. If someone raises after you limped, plan to reraise all in. That player will often fold, fearing you have aces or kings. When he calls with A-K offsuit, you are a small favorite. If he calls with a hand like A-Q suited, you have hit a home run. When he calls with a pair of queens or lower, you are a small dog. When he has aces or kings - which is unlikely when you have A-K - but it does happen, you are in trouble. Even against kings, you'll still win about one-third of the time.
What happens when you get some callers? First of all, they will probably not put you on A-K. You have a reasonable chance of winning a good pot with one pair, against a player with the same pair and a worse kicker. You also have a small chance of winning a huge pot if one of the limpers has a hand like the 7
6
and the flush comes. Unfortunately, you have put yourself in a lot more jeopardy. Even with a good flop like the A
7
6
, you could be up against a low set, two pair (the A
7
or the 7
6
), or a straight draw. This is where the great players make great plays. They have "table feel." They manage to win big pots from a worse ace, call down straight draws, and escape cheaply against sets and two-pair hands.
In summary, as the first one into the pot with A-K suited, usually make a normal raise. On occasion, especially if you feel comfortable with your opponents, limp in with the intention of going all in if raised. Tend to avoid limping with A-K offsuit, for two reasons. If you get all in against another A-K, he may be suited and a small favorite. More importantly, you lose the opportunity of doubling up with a flush versus a flush.
Steve "Zee" Zolotow, aka The Bald Eagle, is a successful games player. He currently devotes most of his time to poker. He can be found at many major tournaments and playing on Full Tilt, as one of its pros. When escaping from poker, he hangs out in his bars on Avenue A - Nice Guy Eddie's on Houston and Doc Holliday's on 9th Street - in New York City.
