AK has been losing me money lately

[housenuts]

AK has been ravaging me lately. When do you want to bet AK when you miss the flop? if you're first to act, last to act? what if you bet, get called and a rag comes on the turn?

i could post some hand histories but i'm looking for some general AK thoughts when you miss the flop

[pokerrookie]

Here is the way I play AK in the absence of any help from the board, and without reads on players. And also, assumes no one else is showing strength preflop, representing AA, KK, QQ, etc...

With those qualifiers...

Preflop: Raise from any and every position.

Flop: Lead out the flop from any position. If raised, check/call to see if the turn card helps (will fold the turn, unimproved). If not raised and have lost a player or two...

Turn: Bet out again from early position (want to continue showing strength) (call a raise here). From late position, I bet only if the field is down to 1, otherwise I take a free card.

River: Check/fold to a bet from early position. Check/call a bet from late position.

This play costs me around 2.5-3 BB each time I have AK, which is not too much considering how much I win when the flop hits. This may be considered relatively weak tight, but I don't believe you should ram and jam after the turn until an A or K falls. But when it does, fire away.

[Schizo]

SSH pg 221