~ P O K E R A R T I C L E S ~
The Allure of the Ace
What is it about an Ace that makes it so irresistibly playable in Texas Hold'em? I'm not talking about when you look down to find the Pocket Rockets about to blast off from under your hands; that's another situation entirely. I'm talking about all the other Ace hands, from Ace-Deuce to Ace-King, suited or unsuited. The types of hands that get you thinking "hey alright, an Ace and a... what was that other card again?" For a lot of players these are the hardest hands to do anything with other than bet, raise, and re-raise, as they tend to feed off the stigma of the Ace as a symbol of top-notch power and potential. But in addition to having the ability to make top pairs, top kickers, high and low straights, and nut flushes, these various Ace hands have the potential to either ruin or elevate your game.
Let's take Ace-King for example, since this tends to be one of the most frustrating hands to learn how to play. Say you've just sat down with $100 at an online $1/2 No-Limit cash game, the big blind has made it's way around to you and on your first hand you look down to find A-K of hearts. This is certainly a pretty hand to look at, and you wait until three players limp in and the small blind completes to bump it up to $10. Two players call and the other two, including the small blind, fold. The flop comes 8-2-J with no hearts and you're first to act. What do you do? Besides smashing your mouse to bits?
I feel like I've found myself in this dilemma so many times that there should be an official psychological disorder created to describe the symptoms of Ace-Kingitis that plague so many poker players. The aspect of the above situation that makes it especially frustrating is the fact that there really is no correct way to play it. Depending upon your opponents, your position, and your chip stack you may be inclined to play your Ace-high hand a variety of ways. But most importantly, you should realize that you do not have to play it at all. Sometimes betting out on the flop after showing preflop strength, regardless of your hand, will force other players with mediocre hands out of the pot. However, other times you will be played back at and will have to choose between making the dreaded overcall or the even more discouraging bet-fold. Both options are unlikely to win you any pots, but being more receptive of defeat, especially when you're already drawing dead, will save you plenty of chips in the long run.
Once you learn not to overvalue your draw-less Ace-high hands, you may also notice that your bankroll will only increase from other players treating them like gold. Why just in the earlier session I played today I was constantly paid off by those Ace-chasers who failed to realize that perhaps I had already flopped a set or hit my flush on the turn. Of course there are times when you'll bet out an overpair on the flop and turn, only to see the fish go wild as that Ace spikes the river, but more often than not you will be more than happy to have these players around.
In general, there are several key rules that you should remember when playing with any Ace in any game. Firstly, the value of the Ace goes up as the number of players goes down, as you are more likely to win with Ace-high with fewer players in the pot. Secondly, suited aces are more valuable for their flush possibilities, while A-2 through A-5 and A-T through A-K have increased value for their better ability to make straights. Ace-King suited is indeed the king of the various Ace hands, as it has both nut flush and straight possibilities, as well as the more common top-pair/top-kicker one-two punch. Last but not least though, you should remember that none of these hands defy the normal laws of poker strategy and they are all vulnerable when overvalued. How you play them will vary greatly depending on the situation, but you should always be able to dump them when the board looks unfavorable and the action gets out of hand.
This doesn't mean you can't still get a little excited when you find an Ace in your hand. Just remember that you'll usually need some of his 51 friends to win the pot.
Best of luck at the tables.
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