AK v AQ

[yodals]

Hi All,

Just wanted to canvas opinion on the AK v AQ debate.

I've been playing tournaments recently and hae found people go all in and call those all ins with these hands, they sometimes win, but can lose too to pocket pairs.

What's the best way to play the hands pre-flop?

Thanks

Yodals

[st_ever]

IMO it very much depends on the situation. Stack sizes, position size of the blinds etc. I do not like to play these type of draw hands out of position with awkward stack sizes.

I do feel that these hands are good for a re shove later on in tournments as the blinds increase but you do have to be wary if your opponent has fold equity and agin always consider your reads on the player. For example if utg has been tight and 3.5 x raises everyone folds to me and i am in the small blind with AQ to me that is an easy fold. With AK it is a re raise and depending on stack seizes a call can be very bad If the guy had been extremely tight then i would probably just fold (Ican be very nitty).

I think my reply makes no sense please ask if you want me to clarify anything!!

[liladypokerpro]

Personally early in a tournament I don't like to shove too much with these hands, because the blinds are so low that you're likely to get called with just about any size bet (including an all in).

These hands are more formidable late in a tournament, when most of the maniacs are gone. I'm not sure why people give these hands so much power, and think they are an easy all in everytime these cards hit their hand. Never made any sense to me, but oh well, to each their own I guess.

When the situation and timing is right for playing one of these hands, I like a good sized raise to scare out other ace rags, or small pairs. Most often I end up with two people in the pot or heads-up. I prefer being heads up with this sort of hand because it's easier to bluff out one person than two if the hand doesn't connect. Thing is, you don't have to hit your hand to make it good......watch for weakness from the other player. If they try to make a stab bet for the minimum, raise them big...more often than not I've noticed that scared players will try to make a bet just to appear that they have a hand, but betting minimum is a golden opportunity for a raise, and it works more often than not. (at least for me)

Same with checking...if they check it, then take the opportunity to make a move and take down the pot. Just be wary of slow-play. If you get re-raised, most likely the other player played something goofy and hit the garbage flop LOL.