[Takethepot25]

AK is one of the biggest killers in poker. Everybody thinks this hand is bulletproof when really its not so great. Preflop a pair of dueces has a 2% advantage on it. Would you think a pair of 2s is so good. No. You have to know when to fold this hand. If you have someone bet someone raise and another reraise. Most people would get excited and push in with this hand. Then they see there opponents flip over AA KK and QQ. Bye bye to the sucker who pushed with AK. You play this hand with i decent raise preflop. if you hit something then your in business. But don;t think you have to bluff just because you missed the flop. Is it that hard of a fold. A high?

[beriac]

Actually that really depends on who you're playing with. If the % of players who will play pre-flop is high, you're a lot better with AK than 22. AK's odds actually get relatively better as you add players, while 22 gets worse because someone is bound to land a pair. So really you need to consider your company when you evaluate a hand like that.

I do agree, though, that either way, if you land nothing on the flop with AK, don't become too glued to it. Your odds of winning are way down at that point.

[BadAndy]

most people tend to agree with you, but i do not.

AK usually comes thru for me... i hardly ever lose with it.

But sometimes it can backfire on you for half your stack or maybe even all of it.

I'm just too good to let that happen.

[beriac]

Well, maybe if I were better, AK would do more for me.

For now, I settle for good odds going in, and getting out if I don't land what I need.

Now if only I could stop getting cracked on AA...!

[Texas72]

Remember that you're likely looking at a coin-flip when you call an all-in or push all-in yourself with it - and do you really want to risk your stack on a coin-flip? Most of the time you can find a better spot to get your money in. Sometimes you have enough of a stack that you can take a loss. As always in poker, it depends.

[AGreen]

I guess most people look at it like this, but with AK I usually try to get down to at least 1:1 if I can't take it down preflop. I don't make a ridiculous raise with it, but enough so that if I'm getting called its by a pocket pair or high suited connectors.

[foskin]

I see way too many guys fall in love with monster hands like that with flops like 269 rainbow, call all bets and all ins and then bitch about a bad beat.
Too many people forgot that folding doesnt cost a thing....

[dylan236]

I hate the way how most people over play AK. Most of the time they raise huge and if they hit nothing on the flop they just go all in immediately. I however play the hand differently. I try to raise to get the medium hands out but if i catch ill try to slow play or if i dont catch i will call according to how big the bet or lay it down if it affects my stack to much. Thats just me though... maybe im weird.

[BSgutshot]

I never like to play really strong with A-K. It often will lose to lower pocket pairs, or someone will simply out-draw you. I find, in most hands, it's good to wait until after the community cards are out to bet, especially in cash games.

You never know what could be coming on the flop, turn, or river. I have built my poker playing online on "anti-BS". That is trying to decrease the chances of others getting BS draws against me. I think this method works the best.

[iceberg]

I think that it is important, after the Flop, to consider the Pot Odds and your position when deciding on how to continue with the hand.

If you are in late position and the flop is a miss, but everyone check to you, then a pot sized bet should take it down. If someone calls you then the Caution flag should go up.

In early position you may want to take your time then put out a small bet to try and see where ev1 else is. You might get a cheap Turn card. If there is a big re-raise, then it's time to fold'em.

Iceberg