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Each and every one who competes in hold’em knows that Ace-King is one of the very best starting hands. But, it is just that, an opening hand. It is only 2 cards of a seven-card equation. In just about every situation, you want to come out guns blaring with Ace-King as your hole cards. When the flop comes, you have to reassess your cards and consider things through before you just assume your cards are the greatest.

Like most other situations in texas hold’em, knowing your rivals will help you gauge your position when you have A-K and see a flop like nine-eight-two. After you wager preflop and were called, you presume your opponent is also holding great cards and the flop might have missed them as poorly as it missed you. Your assumption will often times be correct. Also, do not forget that many bad players would not know excellent cards if they happen over them and might have called with Ace-x and paired the poker table.

If your opposing player checks, you could check and see a free card or make a bet and try to grab the pot up right then. If they bet, you could raise to observe if they are in or fold. What you wish to avoid is simply calling your competitor’s bet to see what the turn brings. If any card instead of the Ace or King is shown, you won’t know any more info than you did after the flop. So let us say the turn results in a 4 and your opponent bets once more, what do you do? To call a bet on the flop you must think your hand was the best, so you have to truly think it still is. So, you call a bet on the turn and one more on the river to find out that your opposition was holding 10-8 and only had second pair following the flop. At that point, it dawns on you that a raise following the flop could have won the pot right there.

Ace-King is a wonderful combination to see in your hole cards. Just be certain you bet on them wisely and they will achieve you great happiness at the poker table.