AK unimproved in holdem
 

What percentage of the time can you expect to win a heads up hand in holdem while holding AK that goes unimproved?

Also what percentage can you expect to win with Big Slick unimproved vs. 2 opponents?

Note: This is assuming that none of your opponent/opponents are holding a pocket pair.

Re: AK unimproved in holdem
 

Just fold and be done with it. I know its hard, but it will save you alot of money in the long run.

About 31% of the time
 

"What percentage of the time can you expect to win a heads-up hand in holdem while holding AK that goes unimproved?"

I run a sim of 11 mln rounds of AKs against random hands, heads-up.

AKs won 66.21% of the time, lost 32.14% and tied 1.65%.

AKs had the following hands after the River:

SF 0.05%
Quads 0.12%
Full House 2.23%
Flush 6.52%
Straight 3.09%
Trips 4.34%
Two pairs 22.13%
One pair 43.29%
No pair 18.22%

In the 18.22% of the time that AKs did not improve, Big Slick

Won 5.64%
Lost 12.43% and
Tied 0.16% of the time.

From the above you may conclude that, on average, and against a random hand, when you find yourself in the situation that your AKs has not improven after the last card is dealt, you can expect to win abt 31%, to lose 68%, and to tie 1% of the time.

--Cyrus

PS : By the way, the advice given by Smaegol might make it appear as suggesting that folding all unimproved Big Slicks at the end of a limit HE round is always correct, when faced with a bet. It isn't so, IMHO, and particularly not when heads-up.

Re: About 31% of the time
 

Was that against 1 or 2 opponenets?

As far as calling with an umimproved AK on the river, it comes down to your opponents. So I agree with you, the AK call on the river has been profitable for me a few times when snapping off a bluff.

Re: AK unimproved in holdem
 

This is wretched advice. You would probably do better if you never folded AK if you are playing a heads up match. If it is a full ring game and only heads up to the flop, this is a different story, but folding it will often be a mistake.

-Mike

Re: AK unimproved in holdem
 

Could you explain why you want to exclude the possibility of your opponents holding a pocket pair? This is an important consideration.

-Mike

Re: About 31% of the time
 

Hey. What did you use/how did you do those sims?

Thanks.

Re: About 31% of the time
 

PokerWiz

Re: AK unimproved in holdem
 

I play in LA in games that tend to be very aggressive.

So if I raise in early position and everyone folds to late position players or if I open raise in the cutoff or button with AK it is very common for some very aggressive LA players to 3 bet with any pocket pair including deuces!!!

But in the event that they don't reraise, I put them on split cards or a big hand that they are trying to trap me with.