I hate AK!!!!!!

[JJRed0]

Do any of you guys wait until after the flop to play AKo strongly. I really need help with this I have had poker tracker for a couple days and have lost more money with AKo than any other hand. I realize the sample size is really small but it happens all the time. The only time i feal good about it is when the flop comes K high. HELP!

[jokerpoker]

Playing AKo can be a beautiful thing, it just has to be played properly (bet it somewhat stong pre-flop) because you have to get the garbage hands out of the hand. Position is a factor but generally play it strong. If you don't catch on the flop, depending on postion and players left, you may still be able to steal the pot by betting it strong again... GOOD LUCK

[Hybrid_11]

AK preflop has many hands dominated and other hands it is ahead of. Its a mistake to wait till the flop to play the hand strong. Dont be afraid to raise and even 3-bet with this hand. Like the above poster mentioned alot depends on the exact flop and the number of opponents but it seems if your losing the most from this hand either a) your letting to many hand see preflop so your top pair is usually getting beat or b) your overvalueing it and playing ak to strongly when you wiff the board.

[JJRed0]

It's mostly when i get two callers preflop and miss the board, it gets checked to me and now i have to bet again with nothing. Of course my opponents know AK is a possible holding so they call down with any pair. I have decided im done raising with AK for two reasons 1. deception and 2. so I can get rid of it when I miss.

[Hybrid_11]

That is a horrible decision to make. AK has way to much value preflop to be "done with it". You can take the advice any way you want but I would fully recommend raising AK 100% of the time and im sure everyone here would agree with me.
You do not "have" to bet either take the free card sometimes. AK is not an easy hand to play but it is very profitable to play by "giving up" on the hand your losing a lot of money wheter you believe me or not.

[jokerpoker]

I agree 100%! with the previous post

[Schwartzy61]

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Do any of you guys wait until after the flop to play AKo strongly.

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No. My PFR with AKs is 94.74, while w/ AKo it is 98.99.

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I really need help with this

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Try SSHE, start on pg. 221

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I have had poker tracker for a couple days and have lost more money with AKo than any other hand. I realize the sample size is really small but it happens all the time.

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AKs is making about 1.34 BB/hand, AKo is making 0.95 BB/hand for me over about 20k at .50/1 and 1/2. Keep playing it strongly and it will come through for you. That puts AKs as my 3rd winningest hand and AKo as my 6th most successful hand.

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The only time i feal good about it is when the flop comes K high. HELP!

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Well duh! But you only flop a pair like 1/3 of the time I believe so you better get more comfortable playing it strongly even when it whiffs, SSHE should help alleviate most of your problems.

[autobet]

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I have had poker tracker for a couple days and have lost more money with AKo than any other hand. I realize the sample size is really small

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AK is a big hand. It will make you money in the long run. Give PT time to get a large enough sample size and you should find AK right behind AA, KK, and QQ. It will be close to JJ.

Of course AK is a drawing hand and you don't want to be drawing dead, so when a tight players puts in a reraise you may be in trouble.

You should be raising and reraising 90-95% with this hand. The other 5-10% is to let it go in certain situations.

P.S. I love AK!

[kitaristi0]

AK has a huge pot equity edge preflop, meaning with every bet that goes in on preflop, you are making money. Sure AK still has to connect with the flop to win, but so does every other hand except the biggest pocket pairs.

[pzhon]

This topic has been discussed many times before, but there are still many common misconceptions about AK:

"you have to get the garbage hands out of the hand"
"your letting to many hand see preflop so your top pair is usually getting beat "

People think JTs is a good multiway hand, and think AKo isn't. This is wrong. In fact, the edge of AKo increases against multiple opponents, and AKo does significantly better than JTs against every number of random opponents from 1 to 9.

"it gets checked to me and now i have to bet again with nothing. "
"AK still has to connect with the flop to win"
"AK is a drawing hand "

AK is not a drawing hand. AK usually starts out ahead, particularly if you don't foolishly count 22 as a better hand. Most other hands are trying to outdraw AK.

AK does not need to hit the board to be ahead. Your opponents may fold low pairs if you give them a chance. You should not assume that your opponent(s) hit the flop. If you bet the flop after missing, this is part protection bet and part semi-bluff.

On average, put in fewer bets after missing than when you hit, but you should sometimes fire 3 times after missing (in limit), and sometimes not at all.


AK is a great hand. Average players win with AK. If you don't, you are doing something wrong.