Each and every one who competes in hold’em understands that a-k is one of the best opening hands. But, it’s simply that, a beginning hand. It’s simply two cards of a 7-card equation. In just about every situation, you want to jump out guns blaring with A-K as your hole cards. When the flop arrives, you need to check out your hand and think things through before you just deduce that your cards are the greatest.
Like most other circumstances in Texas Holdem, understanding your rivals will help you gauge your position when you have Ace-King and see a flop like 9-8-2. After you bet preflop and were called, you presume your competitor is also possessing good cards and the flop may have by-passed them as poorly as it missed you. Your assuming will often times be correct. Also, do not forget that many lousy players would not understand excellent cards if they tripped over them and possibly could have called with Ace-x and paired the community board.
If your opposing player checks, you could check and see a free card or make a wager and try to grab the pot up right there. If they wager, you might raise to see if they’re in or fold. What you wish to avoid is basically calling your competitor’s wager to observe what the turn brings. If any card other than and Ace or King hits, you won’t have any more information than you did following the flop. Now let’s say the turn brings a 4 and your competitor wagers once again, what should you do? To call a bet on the flop you had to believe your hand was the strongest, so you have to surely think it still is. So, you call a wager on the turn and 1 more on the river to figure out that your opposing player has a hand of ten-eight and only had second pair after the flop. At that time, it hits you that a raise following the flop might have won the money right then.
A-K is a gorgeous thing to find in your hole cards. Just be sure you bet on them intelligently and they will bring you awesome happiness at the poker table.