Everyone who bets in holdem knows that a-k is one of the greatest opening hands. But, it’s simply that, an opening hand. It’s only 2 cards of a seven-card equation. In just about each new situation, you’ll want to come out guns blaring with Ace-King as your pocket cards. When the flop comes, you have to analyze your cards and consider things completely before you just presume your cards are the greatest.
Like many other circumstances in Texas Holdem, understanding your competitors will help you gauge your situation when you hold Ace-King and see a flop like nine-eight-two. Since you bet preflop and were called, you presume your competitor is also holding good cards and the flop might have by-passed them as poorly as it by-passed you. Your assumption will often times be right. Also, do not omit that many lousy bettors wouldn’t understand excellent cards if they happen over them and could have called with Ace-Something and paired the community board.
If your opposing player checks, you could check and see a free card or place a wager and try to grab the pot up right then. If they wager, you could raise to observe if they’re in or fold. What you want to avoid is basically calling your competitor’s bet to observe what the turn brings. If any card instead of the Ace or King hits, you will not know any more information than you did after the flop. So let us say the turn brings a four and your competitor bets yet again, what will you do? To call a wager on the flop you must think your hand was the greatest, so you have to surely think it remains so. So, you call a bet on the turn and 1 more on the river to figure out that your opponent was holding 10-8 and just a second pair after the flop. At that point, it dawns on you that a raise following the flop could have captured the money right then.
Ace-King is a wonderful combination to see in your hole cards. Just be certain you wager on them carefully and they will bring you great happiness at the poker table.