A-K really is a good starting hand.
I haven’t been playing much poker lately, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about it. I was looking through some of my hand histories and came across an interesting hand. There was once a time I might have folded my top pair top kicker after a re-raise on the flop, of course it always depends on what I know about my opponent(s) too. I mean, they have to have 2 pair or a set, right? Wrong…I’ve learned people at micro stakes overvalue top pair and when they aren’t overvaluing their top pair they’re semi-bluffing or bored or just a bad player. It’s amazing how little concern players at this level have for kickers. In this case though, I was up against A-J so not only was A-K a good starting hand, I actually made some money with it. Usually I’m either getting no callers pre-flop or getting seriously donked post-flop with A-K.
Poker Stars, $0.01/$0.02 NL Hold’em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
SB: $3.08
BB: $2.23
UTG: $4.40
MP: $2.86
Hero (CO): $2.93
BTN: $5.65
Pre-Flop: K
A dealt to Hero (CO)
UTG calls $0.02, MP folds, Hero raises to $0.12, 2 folds, BB calls $0.10, UTG calls $0.10
Flop: ($0.37) A
T
2 (3 Players)
BB checks, UTG bets $0.10, Hero raises to $0.38, BB folds, UTG raises to $0.66, Hero calls $0.28
Turn: ($1.69) 8 (2 Players)
UTG bets $0.30, Hero calls $0.30
River: ($2.29) T (2 Players)
UTG bets $0.60, Hero calls $0.60
Results: $3.49 Pot ($0.15 Rake)
UTG showed J A
(two pair, Aces and Tens) and LOST (-$1.68 NET)
Hero showed K A (two pair, Aces and Tens) and WON $3.34 (+$1.66 NET)
