No-Limit Texas Hold'Em Tips - How to Successfully Play AK, Commonly Known As Big Slick, For a Profit
With so many online poker players playing a constant attack style, the tendency to over aggressively play AK or big slick is quite common. Unfortunately, many of these same players fail to understand just how vulnerable the start hand can be. More times than not, a big pot will develop between a player holding Ace King and another player holding a pocket pair leading to a race situation.
The reason behind this aggressive playing style is because most players tend to view big slick as a made hand when the reality is, it's a drawing hand at best. Of course, the paying of this hand can be dictated by the current situation at the table. Late in a tournament If you're a short stacked player then 99% of the time your only move is all in pre-flop with the hope of not running into a player holding pocket Aces (AA) or pocket Kings (KK). Any other hand is barely beating you and at best makes you only a small underdog to lose.
On the other hand, if it's still early in a tournament then you may want to use some restraint with AK and keep any pots you enter small unless your hand improves with the flop texture on the board. Holding top pair with top kicker is a nice hand but perhaps not one you want to stake your tournament life on when there will be other opportunities later in the tourney.
If you do happen to pair your ace or king and you get action from one or more players you will need to be on the lookout for any signs of a draw to a straight, a flush or the possibility of two pair or even a set. Remember, there is nothing wrong with folding a hand if you feel you are truly beat. Perhaps the biggest problem with playing big slick is if you miss the flop whether you have position or not. If your opponent bets first you will be faced with a difficult decision. If your opponent raises after you bet then you're still faced with a potential problem hand that can be hazardous to your chip stack.
See below to learn the basics of how to make money playing big slick properly in No-Limit Texas Hold'em and take your poker game to a new level of profitability.
With so many online poker players playing a constant attack style, the tendency to over aggressively play AK or big slick is quite common. Unfortunately, many of these same players fail to understand just how vulnerable the start hand can be. More times than not, a big pot will develop between a player holding Ace King and another player holding a pocket pair leading to a race situation.
The reason behind this aggressive playing style is because most players tend to view big slick as a made hand when the reality is, it's a drawing hand at best. Of course, the paying of this hand can be dictated by the current situation at the table. Late in a tournament If you're a short stacked player then 99% of the time your only move is all in pre-flop with the hope of not running into a player holding pocket Aces (AA) or pocket Kings (KK). Any other hand is barely beating you and at best makes you only a small underdog to lose.
On the other hand, if it's still early in a tournament then you may want to use some restraint with AK and keep any pots you enter small unless your hand improves with the flop texture on the board. Holding top pair with top kicker is a nice hand but perhaps not one you want to stake your tournament life on when there will be other opportunities later in the tourney.
If you do happen to pair your ace or king and you get action from one or more players you will need to be on the lookout for any signs of a draw to a straight, a flush or the possibility of two pair or even a set. Remember, there is nothing wrong with folding a hand if you feel you are truly beat. Perhaps the biggest problem with playing big slick is if you miss the flop whether you have position or not. If your opponent bets first you will be faced with a difficult decision. If your opponent raises after you bet then you're still faced with a potential problem hand that can be hazardous to your chip stack.
See below to learn the basics of how to make money playing big slick properly in No-Limit Texas Hold'em and take your poker game to a new level of profitability.
