AK vs AT heads up pretty similar?

[Sebster]

Using twodimes AK vs any 2 nonpaired cards is about 63 percent. However, A9 vs Q7 or in other words, your opponent's high card is higher than your low card only drops your percentage to 61 percent. Negligiable in my opinion. So this would mean that it is correct to assume that heads up, if I were to go all-in with AK, then doing so with A9 is most likely also correct? Does anyone know why the difference between 2 over cards vs 2 under cards is so similar in win percentage to 1 over card and one card that falls between opponents 2 cards?

When comparing one over card and one undercard vs two mid cards the percentages make sense -- essentially coin flip.

[ChrisV]

Yes, AK and AT are pretty similar against random hands. Against other ranges however there are more significant differences. Say against the range:

AA-22, AKs-A2s, KQs-K2s, QJs-Q7s, JTs-J9s, AKo-A2o, KQo-K2o, QJo-Q7o, JTo

It's 66.122% AK, 58.371% AT. Not to be sneezed at. Versus a really tight range, say:

AA-22, AKs-A9s, KQs-KTs, QJs-QTs, AKo-A9o, KQo-KTo, QJo

it's AK 59.110%, AT 46.850%.

The reason two overcards vs two undercards is not much different to interlaced holdings like AT vs Q7 is that the only time it makes a difference is when both the top hand pairs its second card AND the bottom hand pairs its top card AND neither of them hit anything else. This doesn't happen that frequently. The fact that a situation of this type implies a bottom hand less likely to make straights is probably also a small factor.

[se2schul]

So what are the implications of this? If pushing AK is right heads up, then is pushing A9 always right?

[willie]

pretty much

i'm super aggressive with an ace on the bubble and 3 handed.

sometimes you're dominated, but when you're called by kq you're in pretty fine shape.


aces are big money makers short handed.

[ChrisV]

There are no implications really. You do what you always do - figure out a range for your opponent, then get a rough idea of how your hand does against that range.

If you want a big, general idea to tie it to, then it's realising how much your opponent's hand range changes the value of your hand. There's a huge change in the value of AT depending on if you're up against a tight range or a random hand, whereas AK doesn't really care. A lot of people at limit holdem never figure this out. They smooth call KJ to raises because it's a "pretty good hand". But up against a typical raising range, KJ performs worse than a random hand does against AK. If the same player sees someone smooth call random hands against AK, they'll generally berate them as a fish.

[Voltron87]

I didn't read all the math posts, but 9/10 when I have A10 headsup in a Party SNG I am pushing all in. It's a money hand during headsup play.