DrNoChance Said:
I'll say this about AK....I've starting liking it a lot more ever since I've starting limping in and not raising with it from the front (I still raise with it from the back).

When you raise from the front and get called, and you miss your flop, where are you? Do they have a PP and have you beat? Should you bet at the pot and try to steal it? It's much, much riskier to bet at a rag flop from the front with AK. Different story, however, when you raise from the back and get called by people in front of you. Rag flop comes once again....they check....now you can feel much more confidant that they don't have a PP (they didn't raise pre-flop before you did, and now they have checked). It's much safer to bet now and attempt to steal.

I don't see AK as being that much more powerful that AQ/KQ/AJ....33% of the time you will catch a strong flop, 66% of the time you won't. AK has the advantage of never losing to a better kicker if you pair up, and also never having an overcard to your pair turn up. AK is a nice hand, but I'm starting to play it like TT...strong from the back, weak from the front.
Well, though I like your logic (I'm a very tight player anyway) I have a different opinion. I just can't give cards away with a strong hand. I've heard some of the best players are "tight-aggressive" They play very tight until they get the good hands, then they strike. Even if you've had a lot of bad beats with AK (s or o) you still can't deny that it's one of the best starting hands out there. When you hold [Ah, Ks] And the flop comes out [2d, 8s, 5s] That should make you happy. You know your pre-flop raise has scared off any low cards. You only have to fear Ax or low pocket pair on calling stations and maniacs, and they will make themselves known.

If you look at this situation than maybe you'll agree with me. A good flop, [A,K,6] or a bad flop [2,2,8] are both good to see. You might even say there are more flops that will help you than will hurt you, but only if you raise accordingly pre-flop.