 The big if
It is a drawing hand period. Yes it is a better starting hand then most but, because hole card cams have become the norm and PokerTV only shows you highlights most new players play it like it is Aces. I cant count the number of times just this week alone in Low Limit ring games, NOT TOURNAMENTS, that players have gotten it all in at my table and sometimes against me with AK.
AK suited can be played to a raise or calling a decent bet. If you are looking at a 5x BB raise what do you do with it. 5xBB indicates some extreme strength. You are more than likely up against AA KK QQ. 2 of theses hands have you drawing dead to nothing less than a straight if an A hits or a K hits the flop you are looking at a set and then what do you do? Even hitting 2 pair you are all but dead to most hands that call this preflop with the exception of small pairs 9's and below.
This hand is probably the single biggest bankroll killer after a wife that cant stop shopping. It will drain you if you play weak and break you if you over estimate it. A good example was on FullTiltPoker this week. Phil I. and Pharlad F. were playing $50/ $100 NL with about $35K on the table. PF gets it all in preflop against PI and they turn it up and it is AK v. 88 for all the money. 8's held and PI had $35k in front. The very next hand after PF reloaded to $10k they got it in again and this time it was the exact same hands except PF had 88 and PI had AK and an A spike the turn and he took back to back coin flips. Now these guys are both worth more than all of us combined but it was a good example of the risk you take when you over play the hand.
If you dont play it right you lose it all and if you do play it right at best you are a coin flip away.  |