AK and AQ

[PointerJake]

I was wondering how everyone plays AK vs. AQ. I think AQ is a very different hand then AK, kind of the same way JJ is much different then KK. I know people that play them all the same and I completly disagree. I was wondering how you all felt about it.

[Vito_Nuccio]

AQ is like AK in the fact you usually need help or bluff to win with them. AQ is dangerous since everyone absolutely loves AK when they see it. You can push out an AQ preflop easier than AK (if at all), well, money level matters.

AQ still is behind any pair and needs to really worry about AK AA KK and QQ. At least with a pair if not AA KK or QQ you are about 50-50. AQ against AK (no suit overlap), is more like 70-25 for AK with 5% of tie possibliities.

AQ is a decent hand towards the top of the starting hand charts but has many desirable hands above it, play it with caution, use all your poker tools to play AQ successfully.

Later,

[PointerJake]

Thanks for the reply. By the way i agree totally. I think too much emphasis can be put on good starting hands, and most people really dont realize the huge difference in each step down in hands, ie(AA,KK,QQ and so on). So many people play AA the same way the play QQ and AK the same way the play AQ or AJ. I believe this can be very dangerous in no limit poker.

[Vito_Nuccio]

Originally Posted by PointerJake Thanks for the reply. By the way i agree totally. I think too much emphasis can be put on good starting hands, and most people really dont realize the huge difference in each step down in hands, ie(AA,KK,QQ and so on). So many people play AA the same way the play QQ and AK the same way the play AQ or AJ. I believe this can be very dangerous in no limit poker.

Yes, KK is a monster and there is not a player out there that would not be happy to see the two cowboys, but even it is beaten by A-rag with board A. QQ even opens up more cans of worms and so on..................

Thanks,