ReDonkulous's blog

Playing winning poker is a bit like a tree, everything begins at the roots and branches out from there. Unfortunately few players realize this, so when a person identifies a problem, too often they hack away at the branches, instead of going to the roots.

In written storytelling, sometimes writers develop writer's block -- they just can't figure what to do next. Experienced writers though realize that the problem is not right "there" where they are blocked, but at some point earlier in their story. Driving on the Los Angeles freeways, you sometimes run into a traffic jam. However, your problem as a driver is almost always not the jam itself, but one stemming from "roots" of poor route planning, poor monitoring of radio traffic channels, and so on. Poker is very much the same.

Everyone knows that cards have no memory.  Players do.  This is why players will continue to play cards they know have no +EV.  For example Johnny Nocards looks down at his hand and sees 8-3 offsuit UTG.  Proper play is to muck these cards with extreme prejudice.  He does so.  The flop comes 8-3-3.  Disgusted Johnny looks toward the heavens.  A couple of rounds later he again looks down at 8-3, remembering the flop he limps in and calls a min raise.  This time the flop comes out A-J-2.  Johnny Nocards check-folds.

Big Slick is called Big Slick for a reason.

Yes its a monster drawing hand but it is a drawing hand all the same.

If you hit either an Ace or a King on the flop then you've got yourself top pair with the best kicker. You might get lucky as is connected to get the nuts straight, if its suited you have got the table crippled if you draw that flush. It's worth noting A-K suited is 5th best starting hand but A-K off is 9th best.

But this is the thing - when you haven't seen any cards what have you got really ? An Ace high ... with a King kicker, just about any starting hand could beat it.

Top players know AK is a great drawing hand but they also know its can be a killer if it just doesn't work out. In the hands of a new player it has 4king bustout written all over it, quite simply they fall in love with it.

Now here is the next problem with playing AK - OK it's a drawing hand so your thinking - don't play it too hard until you see the flop and then you can work out how your doing ... Wrong.