Which would you rather have heads up?

[testreet]

I am curious as to what you guys think would be a a better choice to have going all in in a heads up!!!

[liladypokerpro]

In 2 words...

Ducks suck.

lol

[Wyte22]

AK suited or unsuited, is not a pair

but at least they are close to each other


equity win tie pots won pots tied
Hand 0: 49.916% 49.60% 00.31% 849322 5387.50 { 2c2d }
Hand 1: 50.084% 49.77% 00.31% 852207 5387.50 { AhKh }

[pokerbucket]

Well it depends... are u asking if u know that the other person has exactly 22 or AK? If I am going to go all in against someone that could have anything I would absolutely pick AK suited. When you have AK there are only 2 hands you have to worry about AA and KK. Even if someone has KK you will still win about 30% of the time. Plus you have a much larger chance of having someone dominated with a weaker ace. Everything other than that will pretty much be a coin flip. However if you have 22 the only hand that you could be dominating is A2 suited. If they dont have a 2 in their hand then it is going to be a guaranteed coin flip or you could be crushed by an over pair.

[MikeyEl]

The question isn't whether or not you'd like to face an all-in bet with the hand, it is which hand would you prefer to have?

I honestly think it is a no brainer that I'd rather have 22. You can see a flop with 22 for very cheap if you are so inclined (think, minimum - check/call preflop or just call his PF raise).

If the flop comes AK2 or AA2, you're a solid favorite (~4:1) AND you are going to win his entire stack.

Lesson to be learned here, don't get involved in a PF battle with 22, just call and see the flop and you could win it all.

Next question.

[pokerbucket]

The question isn't whether or not you'd like to face an all-in bet with the hand, it is which hand would you prefer to have?

I honestly think it is a no brainer that I'd rather have 22. You can see a flop with 22 for very cheap if you are so inclined (think, minimum - check/call preflop or just call his PF raise).

If the flop comes AK2 or AA2, you're a solid favorite (~4:1) AND you are going to win his entire stack.

Lesson to be learned here, don't get involved in a PF battle with 22, just call and see the flop and you could win it all.

Next question.

Actually you are wrong here. He says what would you rather have going all in and I assume he means preflop. So you cant try to flop a set here and then get all of his chips. Besides most of the time you are not going to flop a set, so then what do you do...just give up right? Also just because u do hit a set doesn't mean you will get paid off every time. If the flop is 2 4 8 and your opponent has AK you wont win anymore money. You are more likely to make a winning hand with AK vs 22 but obviously when u hit the set it is VERY strong but it just doesn't happen enough for me to pick it over AK


--- If the flop comes AK2 or AA2, you're a solid favorite (~4:1) AND you are going to win his entire stack. --- And how often does this happen? Like never. It could come AK2 and he could have AA or KK and have you crushed... my point is that this is so rare that you shouldn't even think about this cause if the situation is reversed and u have the AK you are going to lose... just a cooler.

[travz21]

AKs. If you're calling or shoving with 22 HU something is seriously wrong with you. I'd rather have AdKd. Diamonds have been proven to hit more often.

[pokerbucket]

AKs. If you're calling or shoving with 22 HU something is seriously wrong with you. I'd rather have AdKd. Diamonds have been proven to hit more often.

Well diamonds are a girls best friend and boobs are mine
I like the new pair

[MikeyEl]

Actually you are wrong here.

Touche`. That's what I get for reading the caption and assuming it was the same as the post. You'd never guess I was a lawyer.

Besides most of the time you are not going to flop a set, so then what do you do...just give up right?

Duh. You have ~12% chance of flopping a set, assuming the people are sitting at least 50 BBs deep, its worthwhile to call a 3x BB bet PF with the sole intentions of seeing a set on the flop, if not folding.

However, if I missed my set, I'd probably bet/call one street with the intention of throwing it away to any more aggression. A pair is still a pretty good hand, even ducks, when facing one bet HU.

Also just because u do hit a set doesn't mean you will get paid off every time. If the flop is 2 4 8 and your opponent has AK you wont win anymore money.

If you have AK, and raised PF, you're not going to C-bet HU? You aren't going to call a bet from some knuckle head with J10s? Maybe you won't get the guys entire stack with a flop like the one described above, but you'll get more than you think. Even if you check it all the way to the river, usually a person with AK is going to call a person's bet to try to steal on the river.

You are more likely to make a winning hand with AK vs 22 but obviously when u hit the set it is VERY strong but it just doesn't happen enough for me to pick it over AK.

As stated, this is wrong. (However, I believe pokerbucket meant AK v. villain's likely range is better than 22 vs. villain's likely range)

22 is a SLIGHT favorite to AKo - [22] - 52.75% v. [AKo] - 46.67%
22 is a SLIGHT favorite to AKs (if one of the 2's is the same suit as AK) - [22] - 49.96% v. [AKs] - 49.37%
AKs is a SLIGHT favorite to 22 (if 22 does not contain the suit that AK is) - [AKs] - 49.77% v. [22] - 49.60%

Or, here are the stats for 22 vs. a random holding:

Win 48.52%
%Tie 1.84%
Odds 1.02 to 1

And AKs vs. a random holding:

%Win 32.33%
%Tie 1.74%
Odds 2.01 to 1

22 vs. AA-22, AK-A2s, AK-A8o, KQs/o - KTs/o, QJs/o, J10s/o:

%Win 41.87%
%Tie 1.40%
Odds 1.35 to 1

AKs vs. above range:

%Win 60.35%
%Tie 5.06%
Odds 0.59 to 1


To answer the OP's actual question:

If I am heads up facing a decision to go AI preflop I'd rather be holding AK because against a villain's likely range to raise AI I would win 60% of the time. (as I voted), but if this were a HU cash game, I'd rather be dealt 22.

[pokerbucket]

When I said "You are more likely to make a winning hand with AK vs 22 but obviously when u hit the set it is VERY strong but it just doesn't happen enough for me to pick it over AK" I meant that you are more likely to improve your hand with AK by hitting an A or K. It may not be the best hand but it probably will be. As far as the 2s go I know that the 2s may still be the best hand after the flop if you don't hit a set but I am usually not that good at detecting whether or not they are good. This situation for me is always a guessing game so in my opinion if you are going to play straight forward poker you would have better odds of playing the AK. Usually in heads up matches players play almost every hand so they could have any 2 random cards. If I have 22 and I dont hit I will get out of the way. I am not saying that this is the best play but I would just look for a better spot.

[testreet]

wow that sure is some good insight to my question...all of you!!