Playing AK with Aggression

Playing AK with Aggression

Playing AK with Aggression

Let's say you hold AsKh and the flop comes QdJhTs. Wow! You flopped the nut straight. "So, what's the problem," you ask. Well, in fact your hand, as strong as it is is actually quite vulnerable. Anyone holding QQ, JJ or TT has a 6 out draw to a full house if the board pairs. Anyone holding suited cards in diamonds, hearts or spades has a runner-runner draw to a flush. Both of these hands beat you. Anyone holding an Ax or Kx can draw a single card to either an Ace or King to tie your hand. In addition, hands like QJ, QT and JT will beat you if the board pairs one of their hole cards. And you thought the nut straight was so good.

With this many draws against you the correct strategy is to play this flop with aggression to eliminate as many opponents as possible. Your nut straight plays well against a single opponent (95% probability of winning), quite well against two opponents (85% probability) as it does against three opponents (81% probability of success), After that percentages for success go down rapidly. By raising and re-raising with the nuts on the flop you will eliminate weaker hands unless your table is so loose that it is full of maniacs. In that event I might question why you are still sitting at the table but, the nuts on the flop play slightly better against loose rather than tight, solid players. I would play this flop aggressively from any position on the table. No need to worry about position here. Your goal is to eliminate players and, if possible, to take down this pot with no opposition.

In another situation, say you hold AsKh and the flop came KdJh8c. You now have top pair with top kicker. A strong hand on the flop. It is likely that you hold the best hand at this point but the hand remains vulnerable. Someone holding KK, JJ or 88 has you beaten and if they hold KK you have only 3 outs Aces over Kings to win. You are also vulnerable to two pair if an opponent holds KJ, K8 or J8. In terms of hand equity, against one opponent you have, on average, about an 83% probability of winning against one opponent, a 70% probability against two, and a 59% probability against three. Over three opponents on this particular hand and your probability for winning drops below 50%.

Just calling in this situation allows your opponents to outdraw you for the minimum cost. Raising to eliminate opponents here is the correct strategy. If you are re-raised you might think about a big lay-down. Position here dictates whether or not to see the turn. If you are in early position and you are re-raised by someone in middle or late position, a call to see the turn is in order. If, however, you 3-bet from late position as first to act and someone in early or middle position has check-raised a big lay-down may be correct.

Playing big hands like AK with a favorable flop is not as simple as it looks. One must always consider the draws that possibly beat you and bet to eliminate those draws from consideration. Aggressive betting is the correct strategy.

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