Everyone who competes in texas hold’em understands that a-k is one of the best starting hands. But, it’s simply that, an opening hand. It’s just 2 cards of a seven-card formula. In just about every situation, you’ll want to come out firing with Ace-King as your pocket cards. When the flop comes, you need to check out your hand and think things through before you just assume your overcards are best.
Like most other situations in texas hold’em, understanding your opponents will help you gauge your situation when you hold Ace-King and see a flop like 9-8-2. Since you bet preflop and were called, you presume your competitor is also holding great cards and the flop might have missed them as badly as it missed you. Your assuming will often times be correct. Also, do not overlook that many bad gamblers would not know excellent cards if they happen over them and might have called with Ace-x and paired the community board.
If your opposition checks, you could check and observe a free card or place a bet and attempt to pick the pot up right there. If they wager, you might raise to see if they’re in or fold. What you want to avoid is basically calling your competitor’s bet to see what the turn gives rise to. If any card instead of the Ace or King is turned over, you will not have any more information than you did after the flop. So let’s say the turn brings a four and your opponent wagers once again, what should you do? To call a wager on the flop you need to believe your hand was the greatest, so you have to truly believe it remains so. So, you call a bet on the turn and one more on the river to figure out that your opponent was holding ten-eight and just a second pair after the flop. At that instance, it hits you that a raise following the flop might have captured the money right there.
A-K is a gorgeous combination to see in your hole cards. Just be certain you participate in them carefully and they’ll bring you amazing cheerfulness at the poker table.