How to play AK / AQ preflop

[satan1974]

In my starting hand chart, which was discussed on this board, I have AK and AQ listed as "raise 3 to 5 BB from any position". Now to me, this seems too high because unless you hit the flop, you currently have nothing more than Ace high with a good kicker.

Would it make more sense to call, or raise 1 to 3 BB, but then push hard if the flop hits you?

[CrunchyNuts]

Raise it 3-5BB then continuation bet mabye 75% of the time you miss, depending on what you got to stick around. Too many callers (like 3) usually means no cont. bet. But you can pick up a lot of decent pots (10+BB) this way and it masks when you do hit.

As always though, it depends on your opponents...if they're calling stations, obviously continuation bets are dumb.

[biondino]

My tuppence'th - you want to put money in the ring when you have the best cards. When you have AK or AQ there's a good chance you have the best cards (or at least cards that can improve to the best hand). That's why you raise.

Remember, your opponents are also unlikely to improve on the flop - don't just check-fold every time you miss - use position, reads and image to win some pots that by rights might not be yours.

[satan1974]

Thanks guys. AK is actually my most profitable hand so far according to PT and 2,000 hands.

What prompted me to post this question is that last night on a TV poker program, a viewer emailed in and asked for the "top mistakes that a beginner makes". The presenter, a poker pro and somebody who's name I did recognise but can't remember (so not just a presenting muppet who knows nothing about poker), listed this as one of his top 3;

"Do not overestimate AQ and AK. In low stake no limit cash games, these hands are overrated. If you miss the flop, all you have is ace high. You should only call with AQ and AK, maybe call a small raise, but never raise or reraise."

I was a little stunned...

[Miffed22001]

i agree not to reraise with AQ/AK but thats my opinion not the by the book method.
i think what the presenter may have been saying is that you dont want to be getting all in preflop with AK/AQ or any unmade hand. also if you hit the flop too many low stakes players assume they are ahead because OMG they have a pair of aces.
AK/AQ are good hands so play and raise them that way. the thing to remember is that they are unmade hands though. you want to see a flop and improve or be given oppertunity to bluff a pot, you dont want to be pushing or reraising with them.
raising 1-3bbs often ask for trouble with these hands. you want as few people as possible seeing the flop when you have AQ/AK

[yeardley]

I agree that advice is a little strong worded. Plus I think it's backwards. IMO, you want to raise with AK and depending on who else is raising you may want to fold it. Yes, it is a fool who goes all-in pre-flop, or often at all with AK in a cash game when they haven't made a hand yet or even if all they've made is TPTK. But if this guy says you can't even raise AK, then what the hell can you raise? Only QQ-AA? Yeah that's a good strategy.

The beauty of big slick is that it's the only hand where if you hit either card you've automatically got TPTK. From reading these forums I think I've learned that AKo is one of those hands that you make the most money with in the first two rounds of betting. I do not love going to showdown with AK when all I've made is TPTK in a pot with lots of action unless I'm up against one idiot. Therefore I think a preflop raise is correct, and responding smartly to anyone playing back at you is important.

Recently I was playing an opp. who was a pretty vanilla/ABC player. She raised preflop and I was the only caller with AKo. The flop came 3A3. I was sure by her raise and her previous play that she didn't have a 3, and had no problem believing she did have an A. I didn't smell AA though, and I check-raised her all-in thinking at worst we'd split the pot or she'd fold right there. She called with ATs and I took that one down.

In 2k hands I might get dealt AK 10-25 times and this kind of 'probable-win' scenario may happen 2-4 times. Naturally if I get called each time, 1 out of 5 will get sucked out, but as we know this is an occasional expense from playing low stakes NL anyway. The rest of the time I'm either folding to a raise which I respect, calling a small raise from people I have a read on, or opening with my own raise and paying close attention to any response.

[chris1195]

I have been wondering about this. i usually raise ak/aq about 4bb if opening and 5 bb if limped to. i know i wouldnt reraise with AQ but i wondered about AK. So if u are rasied to ..then how much of a raise are you willing to call with AK and AQ?

[yeardley]

So if u are rasied to ..then how much of a raise are you willing to call with AK and AQ?

For me it depends on the raiser. After a little while at the table you have a good idea of who is raising what. If I just sat down, or if the raiser just sat down, my decision would depend on the table stakes, my position in the hand, my position on the raiser and how many others are still in it behind me and what I think they're likely to do.

I tried to think of the measurements in bb's by which I'm personally willing to call with AK and AQ if I was faced with an opened raise or if I was reraised, but I have no real formula for it, and I could think of exceptions to break all of the 'rules' I came up with. When it comes down to it, barring any reads that tell me otherwise, I'll react more conservatively if I have more than an ounce of respect for the raiser and the size of the raise. If I have no respect for the raiser or the raise then my decision will be based largely on the size of their stack.

[Vrax]

I always raise my slick in any position in order to build the pot. If I miss and I have position, I bet usual cont. bet if it gets called then so be it.

The beauty of big slick is having the best kicker if another player hits his A or K too. Then, when the flop hits and it's draw-free, I pot it on flop and bet the turn like 1/3-1/2 of the pot if not improved - in order to be called by worse kickers. That's why, I want to increase the pot size by PFR'ing - and milk as much money as possible from worse kickers.

It works on NL $25 and NL$50, on higher stakes, I don't know yet...

[Vrax]

The beauty of big slick is that it's the only hand where if you hit either card you've automatically got TPTK.

LOL, we think the same way here, I haven't notice this phrase

[johnny_fish]

How about AQ in EP? I don't raise it anymore in EP.. Is that wrong/weak?

Or playing AQ against a reraise preflop? I tend to fold then..

[bluedevil907]

AQ is still a strong hand, there's only one kicker above yours, so granted no one has it, you'll have TPTK for the Queen or TPTK for the Ace. Therefore, I'd definately say to raise it, even from EP, but your pre-flop play and reads will be key unless you hit. Even in that case, you've got to watch out for that AK, so you're not totally in the clear. AQ is a strong hand, but you've got to play it a bit smarter than AK to consistently make money with it.

Folding to a reraise may not always be the best play, although you're probably behind in most of those scenarios if someone is going over the top of your 3-5xBB raise. Depending on the player who is reraising, the size of their stack, and the size of the reraise, I might call it, but more often than not, I'll probably fold it too. If he's bluffing, he's really putting himself out there and you can catch him for his whole stack when you've got a slightly better hand.