Each and every one who bets in Texas Holdem knows that a-k is one of the greatest opening hands. But, it is simply that, a beginning hand. It is just two cards of a seven-card formula. In just about each new situation, you want to jump out firing with Ace-King as your hole cards. When the flop arrives, you need to check out your cards and think things through before you just presume your cards are the strongest.
Like many other opportunities in hold’em, understanding your rivals will assisting you in gauging your position when you have A-K and observe a flop like 9-8-2. Since you bet preflop and were called, you assume your competitor is also possessing great cards and the flop might have missed them as poorly as it by-passed you. Your assumption will often times be right. Also, don’t overlook that most poor folks would not know good cards if they fall over them and possibly could have called with Ace-Something and paired the table.
If your opposing player checks, you could check and see a free card or make a wager and try to pick the pot up right there. If they bet, you could raise to see if they’re for real or fold. What you want to avert is simply calling your opponent’s wager to see what the turn results in. If any card other than and Ace or King hits, you won’t have any more information than you did after the flop. Let us say the turn results in a four and your competitor bets once again, what will you do? To call a bet on the flop you had to believe your hand was the greatest, so you have to truly believe it still is. So, you call a wager on the turn and one more on the river to find out that your opposition has a hand of 10-8 and only had second pair following the flop. At that point, it dawns on you that a raise after the flop might have captured the pot right there.
Ace-King is a wonderful thing to see in your hole cards. Just be certain you compete in them astutely and they’ll bring you great cheerfulness at the poker table.