how do you play AK

let's say you are UTG, and you raise with AK, in a typical game, and get 4 callers.....or so.....


now the flop completely hits rags.....or the highest card on the board is a 9.....


How do you play it?

Do you bet, do you check and call if there is a bet, or do you check and fold if there is a bet.


I personally like to bet it out 1/3 of the time if it hits rags, and if I get called, i'm usually done with it....


I see many people push AK very very far, calling raises with it on the flop or even reraising, when flop completely misses them, the way I look at it, is why would you play a hand this far when you have absolutely nothing?

If you have 4 callers and you completely miss the flop I would just fold.

In the games I play the other players will sense that I raised with AK or AQs and reraise and it's not worth two or three more bets to see the turn card which will probably be a blank as well. I just check and fold at this point.

Before the flop with 4 callers it is very profitable to raise because you have some 40% chance of making top pair with top kicker. If you don't even flop a draw and the pot is multiway it's best to get out. If you're absolutely sure it will only cost one bet to see the turn card then it maybe correct to stay if the board is not too threatening.

Mikey- My question is : why the heck do you have 4 callers when you raise UTG? YIKES! Work on your image first and ditch those callers! Ok, so let's say you can't ditch 'em and the flop misses you completely. In the scenario you described, you have terrible position, you have too many opponents and on the flop you have no draw, no pair, nada? When in doubt, check and if someone (or two or three) bets, just FOLD. I would not play A-K in early position too aggressively unless you are heads up with someone who is likely to be doing the same type of dance. I often see players "take one off" to try to force AK to work, and many people will bet it till the end with undercards just because "it seems like the best hand before the flop". Don't marry this hand- just consider it as you would any other. When you do not have a reason to be in a pot, just bow out gracefully. Babe

You maximize your EV with AK if you fold it before the flop both in early position and in middle position. If you are first in on the button or in the cutoff, call.

mike- yes- I would fold it if nothing hits. big deal, forget it and move to the next one.

why the heck do you have 4 callers when you raise UTG? YIKES! Work on your image first and ditch those callers!


Don't you want people to call your raises when you have the best hand? I love it.

"I would not play A-K in early position too aggressively"


It's rarely possible to play it "too aggressively early," you need two tight raisers in front of you.