the "any Ace" theory

[Rvr_B_Good]

i've noticed more and more players playing Ax (specifically 6-9)and they seem to win more than they lose. any threads out there that talk about the numbers behind playing Ax?

just curious

[Solami17]

What position, against what hand, etc...

Be more specific please

[ZenMusician]

Do yourself a favor...ignore the stories and see for yourself:

PokerRoom.com Look for "Hand EV chart"

Look at all the ace-rags and you tell me which ones can
make money.

-ZEN

[AKQJ10]

The chart of which you speak:

http://www.pokerroom.com/games/evsta...php?order=card

Whats interesting in how people are breaking even A2s and doing better with A3s and A4s. Who're the A3 A4 people taking money from? The A2 people on a flop of A24? I figured the straight possibility would help offset the slightly lower kicker(which is basically no kicker)

In the same EV range of A2s is K7s and T8s. Hrm...

[ QUOTE ]
I figured the straight possibility would help offset the slightly lower kicker(which is basically no kicker)

[/ QUOTE ]

Just thought I'd pick on you here and say that A2 doesn't have more straight possibilities than A3 and A4 [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[ohnonotthat]

When choosing your screenname did you give any consideration to:

A K Q J . . . T

*

(I REALLY need to get a life).

[elmitchbo]

i admit, i'm an A ragger. i play almost exclusively in tournies though, so that may skew my opinion a bit.

looking at the pokerroom EV chart....every suited Ace down to A3s shows positive EV, and A2s is break even. in a tournament i open raise with any suited Ace in MP or LP. if i hit an ace i don't really fear being out kicked... it happens very rarely. if i hit my flush draw i semibluff it just like i made a top pair.

that strategy is part of my daily pusrsuit of LAG mastery.

EDIT: looking at the chart again... the suited Aces show more EV than any of the suited connectors lower than T9s. looks like your better off playing A5s(.08 +EV) than 98s(.00 EV) or 76s(.03 -EV).

[AaronBrown]

This isn't much of a theory. The trouble with Ax is that there is a very good chance someone is playing Ax+1 or better. A8o wins only 24% of the time against A9o. If it does win, it's likely with a pair of 8's, which is likely to lose to someone else. If you think someone else is in the hand with an Ace and a higher kicker, it almost never makes sense to play. Not only are you unlikely to win, but if an Ace shows up on the board you can lose a lot of money.

If you knew none of the other players was holding an Ace, A2 would be a nice hand. But you don't.

[velvetdog]

I'm admittingly on the LAGy side, but do play ace rag offsuit in a few situations 6max or shorthanded. With ace-rag I like occasional blindsteal attempts from the button and completing from SB against 1-2 opponents. I will also sometimes limp in an unraised multi-way pot in passive games from the button w/ A9 and A8. A combination of shorthandedness and position or the SB discount can make Ax playable IMO.