The Danger of Ace King

Players that know Holdem well are on intimate terms with the math of Holdem and the starting hand rating list.   Ace King is high on the list just after the pair of rockets, also known as aces and the lovely pair of Kings.  The problem with Ace King is it is just a good drawing hand that gets over bet way to often in Holdem games.  On TV you see a lowly pair of fours beat Ace King for all the money a non-paired player has bet.  The hand is a good drawing hand, but that is all it is, just a good drawing hand.   Way to many players over bet this hand before the flop.  Watch a cash game or a tournament at any level, this scenario will be played out over and over with the Ace King winning some times, but losing a lot of the times.

This makes these two cards very dangerous to the stack of player holding them.   They look so good before the flop, but after the fop they can be just a drawing hand.   The Ace Queen can be even worse, but that is another drawing hand story.  This starting hand can easily lose any pot or hand.  The Flop may miss it completely or the caller could have the notorious Aces and have a real lock on the hand.  Even a pocket pair of Kings can hold up if thee is no ace in the flop.

Players seem to forget that they can lose on these two cards if the flop does not cooperate.  When this hand misses the flop the lower pairs can be a big winner if the holder had the guts to call.   This points out the danger of these cards.  They will not win most pots if the flop does not come with a king or an Ace.  Only when the flop makes the hand by giving a straight, a king or an Ace does the hand have any high value.

The other problem is even if the flop hits one of the cards it can still be beaten if another player holds a set or better.  This hand although bet like a sure winner, proves too often that it is only a starting hand.  Play the hand and see what the flop brings.  But do not bet it as if it had already won the pot long before the hand is dealt.  Be careful with ace King.

TagsAce King, Aces, Holdem, online poker, pair of Kings, poker cards, poker game, poker tactic

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