04 Feb
Do you often find yourself sitting at the poker table, looking down at Ace-King, and not being sure exactly what to do with it?
If you have, you are not alone, as Ace-King is probably one of the poker hands that give people the most trouble across the streets.
On the one hand, Ace-King is one of the strongest hands in Texas Hold’em, as most poker coaches and players consider it either the third or fourth-best hand in the game. On the other hand, it is “just a drawing hand,” and it often ends up unimproved on the flop, putting players in some difficult spots.
If you find yourself often having trouble with AK, you have come to the right place, as we have prepared our top tips for playing Ace-King in different situations you may encounter. Let’s get into it!
Tip #1 – Don’t Trap with AK
Ace-King may be one of the best hands in poker, but it is not one that you will want to set traps with too often, as you may do with pocket Aces.
For example, on a 30 big blind stack in a tournament, Aces may be a perfect hand to just call a 3-bet with and allow your opponent to stack off post-flop with hands they might let go if you were to 4-bet.
On the other hand, doing the same with AK will often put you in a tough spot post-flop, as you miss the board and allow yourself to get bluffed out or outdrawn by a hand that would have folded preflop.
While you don’t mind getting action with Ace-King before the flop, using it as a trapping hand will backfire more often than you would like it to.
If you are first into the pot with AK, raise! If you are facing a raise, re-raise! When facing a 3-bet, consider between a call and a 4-bet depending on position and stack sizes.
Typically, AK performs much better in position, and the suited variation plays much better post-flop than the off-suit variation.
Tip #2 – Don’t Get Tricky with Top Pair
One of the most common positive outcomes on the flop when you hold Ace-King is that you hit the top pair on a board where it is likely to be the best hand.
For instance, you may hold AdKd, and the flop comes Kc8d4c.
Whether this is a single raised pot or a 3-bet one, you are likely to have the best hand as the aggressor, barring your opponent having some combos of 88, 44, and K8s, K4s.
Yet, giving away free cards on this, and most other flops, is not a good idea at all, as there are so many hands you can start extracting value from right now.
Much of the strength of AK is that it often gets into pots with dominated hands like KQ, KJ, AQ, AJ, AT, etc. All of these hands will be happy to pay off one or more bets when they also hit a top pair.
What’s even more, people will call, and even raise, with a variety of draws, and you will be left with a fairly easy decision to continue with your top pair and top kicker.
If you check, on the other hand, you will often miss the chance to get money into the pot with the best hand and not get paid in full.
Tip #3 – Beware of Multiway Pots
Ace-King is a powerhouse in Texas Hold’em Poker, but it also has limitations, one of which concerns multiway pots.
AK, especially off-suit, does not perform very well in multiway pots, mostly for the same reason we mentioned in the last tip.
Most common cases of hitting big with AK include hitting top pair, and if your hand is not suited, you won’t have a flush draw to go with it too often.
When facing multiple opponents, especially on connected boards, you will often end up being up against one or multiple stronger hands right away.
However, since you have a top pair, you may find it hard to let go of AK on the flop.
Yet, even with a top pair, you should be prepared to let go of AK when facing too much aggression. People typically won’t make big bets in multiway pots unless they have it.
Every rule has its exceptions, and there are players against whom you will be happy to get it in even in a multiway pot, but also plenty of others whose bets and raises in multiway pots should raise the alarm.
Tip #4 – Bet Small in 3-Bet Pots
Unless you are playing extremely deep, there is no reason to bet too big with your AK in 3-bet pots once the flop hits.
If you hit your top pair on the flop, a small continuation bet will do the trick and set you on the exact course you want to be on.
For example, imagine facing a $15 raise in a $2/5 game ($500 effective stacks) in the big blind and 3-betting to $55. Your opponent calls the raise, and you go to a flop.
On a flop of Kc7d5h, there is now $112 in the pot, and many players would grab about $70 or $80 and throw it into the pot.
However, a bet of $35 is recommended in a spot like this, as it accomplishes multiple goals.
For one, you will receive calls from hands like Kx, 7x, and 5x that may be in there, including 87s, 76s, A5s, and more.
What’s even more, even weak draws like 9h8h will look to call or raise this flop, putting you in a great spot against an inferior hand.
On the other hand, if you go for the big bet, many of these hands might fold right away, leaving you up against only a few weaker hands like KQ and KJ, but also trapped against hands like sets.
Overall, a big bet causes many weaker hands to fold and many better ones to stay, resulting in a net negative compared to a smaller bet.
So, the next time you flop top pair with your AK in a 3-bet pot, start with a small bet and set yourself up for success on later streets.
Tip #5 – Go for a C-Bet on Dry Boards
Of course, you will only hit one pair or better with AK about a third of the time, while all the other times, you will be left with “just” Ace-high.
Yet, your hand is often very playable, as it gives you two overcards and some backdoor draws on many boards.
The ideal time to c-bet on the flop with your AK is when the board is dry and there aren’t too many hands your opponent might have hit with.
For instance, boards like Qh8d3s or Tc4d2h are prime candidates for firing out with your AK, and you can often win the pot without much contest.
On boards like these, a small c-bet will do the trick, especially in 3-bet pots where your opponents’ ranges will contain many hands that haven’t connected with the flop.
When you do get called on the flop, your opponent will often hold a middling pair, such as 77 or 66, with which they feel obligated to see another card.
In these spots, the turn gives you opportunities to keep barreling on cards that hit your range, as well as actually improve into the top pair.
What’s even more, if you are c-betting in position, you may get an opportunity to check back the turn and see a free river card or for the small price of a flop c-bet.
Tip #6 – Don’t Be Afraid to Flip
While AK can be a tricky hand in cash games when stacks get very deep, it is easy to play it in tournaments when facing aggression.
Amateur players will often be afraid to go for stacks with AK when they have over 20 big blinds, but this should not be the case.
In fact, as long as the stacks are not super deep and your opponent is not a massive nit, AK will do well against any 3-betting or 4-betting range out there.
Holding an Ace and a King yourself, you limit the number of AA and KK combos your opponents can have, and AA is really the only hand you are super worried about.
So, the next time you face a 4-bet shove with AK in a tournament, don’t hesitate too much, put your stack in, and let the dealer take care of the rest.
More often than not, you will be flipping up against the same hand or surprised to see your opponent was bluffing with a hand like KQs, A5s, or worse.
Tip #7 – Don’t Get Married to Ace-King
We have mentioned quite a few cases in which AK is a great hand and one you should hold on to, but there are also many in which you should not.
If you open the pot, get two callers, and completely miss the flop on a board like 9s8c6c, don’t be stubborn and focused on your hole cards.
You have nothing going for you. Multiple players are in the pot, and your hand is unlikely to be the best, so be ready to check and fold immediately.
If your opponents surprise you and give you a free card, which does improve your hand, things may change. However, if they decide to get aggressive, be willing to get away from it.
There is nothing worse than calling a bet on the flop with AK on a board like this, only to fold it on the turn without ever having a solid plan for how you were going to win the hand.