Join Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams as he unveils his personal strategy for playing Ace King in poker—a move that has significantly boosted his winnings. Discover the tactics to master this hand whether you hit or miss the flop.
Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams: Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams is an established poker professional and coach, well-known for his expertise in small and mid-stakes poker games. With a history of starting his poker career with only $60 and reaching a point where he had some of the highest winnings in online poker history at these stakes, Nathan has demonstrated a significant track record of success in the poker world. He is also a three-time best-selling author on poker strategy, sharing his insights to help others succeed in the game. His approach to teaching poker is grounded in simplifying complex strategies, making his advice accessible to a wide audience of poker enthusiasts. Nathan's content is focused on practical strategies and playstyles that can be implemented to improve performance and win rates, particularly in low to mid-stakes games. Through his channel BlackRain79Poker, Nathan offers a wealth of knowledge, including free resources like his poker 'cheat sheet' and detailed guidance on playing specific starting hands like Ace King, as well as the mental and tactical aspects of poker. His personal story is one of perseverance and dedication to the sport, inspiring many aspiring poker players to follow in his footsteps and achieve financial freedom through poker.
Playing Ace King: Adapt to the frequency of missing the flop with Ace King by maintaining aggression and making continuation bets on favorable flops.
Hand Value Recognition: Understand that Ace King is a strong pre-flop hand and may still be the best hand post-flop even when the flop doesn't improve your hand.
Betting on Favorable Flops: Identify and bet on flops that are less likely to have helped your opponents, such as dry or paired boards, to maximize your chances of winning the pot.
Simplifying Strategy: Use a basic, straightforward betting strategy in small and mid-stakes games to exploit opponents who overthink and seek complex plays.
Avoiding Tough Spots: Recognize highly coordinated flops that offer multiple draws and be willing to check or fold Ace King when you're out of position, especially against calling stations.
Post-Flop Aggression: Continue applying pressure post-flop with bets on the turn and river when appropriate, using aggression to win pots even when you don't connect with the board.
Understanding Player Types: Adjust your play based on the tendencies of your opponents, using tools like a HUD for online poker to assess fold to flop CBet percentages and player types.
Comprehensive Strategy Resources: Seek out additional detailed strategies and explanations in poker books and other videos for more complex scenarios and hand development.
Ace King Strategy Introduction: Nathan shares his personal strategy for playing Ace King, which has significantly increased his winnings with this hand.
Handling the Flop with Ace King: Discusses the common issue players face when missing the flop with Ace King and provides advice on how to deal with it.
Understanding Flop Outcomes: Emphasizes the need to accept that missing the flop will happen two-thirds of the time and how to proceed when it occurs.
Playing Ace King on a Hit Flop: Advises betting most of the time when hitting the flop with Ace King and advocates for a simple, straightforward approach rather than overthinking.
Betting Strategy for Missed Flops: Suggests betting on 'good flops' where the player is likely still ahead, and provides examples of such flops.
Identifying Flops to Avoid Betting: Explains the importance of recognizing highly coordinated flops where continuation betting is not advisable and recommends giving up on those.
Turn and River Play: Mentions that post-flop play can depend on the player type and the specific turn and river cards, suggesting further learning through his videos and books.
Aggression with Ace King: Encourages maintaining an aggressive playstyle with Ace King, especially when the flop is missed, to maximize winnings.
Overall Poker Strategy: Advocates for a simple and aggressive strategy in low and mid-stakes games and emphasizes the importance of aggression in poker.
Poker Learning Resources: Promotes his free poker cheat sheet and other educational materials for a comprehensive understanding of preflop starting hands and overall strategy.
This article is a summary of the video The PERFECT Way to Play Ace King (Works Instantly!) by BlackRain79Poker published on January 14, 2022 at 14:02:49.
Q: How should I play Ace King when I miss the flop? A: When you miss the flop with Ace King, you should often make a continuation bet, but it's crucial to recognize which types of flops are good to bet on and which ones to avoid. Bet on uncoordinated flops where your opponents are less likely to have hit, and avoid betting on highly coordinated boards with multiple draws where opponents are likely to have connected.
Q: What are some examples of good flops to bet on when I miss with Ace King? A: Good flops to bet when you've missed with Ace King include uncoordinated or paired boards like Td-Ts-5c, Qh-7d-3h with two hearts, 5c-5s-6d rainbow, and Jc-3s-Td rainbow. These flops are less likely to have given your opponent a strong hand, and your Ace King might still be ahead.
Q: Which flops should I avoid betting on with Ace King when I don't hit? A: Avoid betting on highly coordinated flops like 9d-8d-7h with flush and straight draws, or 5c-6c-7s where many common preflop hands could have hit. In these cases, it's often better to check and consider folding to aggression, especially when out of position.
Q: When is it appropriate to maintain aggression with Ace King after the flop? A: Maintain aggression with Ace King when you hit the flop, as betting is usually the best strategy. When you miss the flop, use aggression selectively on flops that are less likely to have helped your opponent's hand, and be prepared to continue the aggression on the turn and river, depending on the opponent and board texture.
Q: How do I decide how much to bet with Ace King on the flop? A: Decide your bet size based on the board texture and your opponent's tendencies. On dryer boards where you're likely ahead, bet around half to two-thirds of the pot to protect your hand and extract value. When you miss, size your continuation bets to apply pressure, but be cautious not to overcommit on coordinated boards.
Q: How should I adjust my strategy with Ace King when facing different types of opponents? A: Adjust your strategy based on the player type. Against loose-aggressive players, sometimes you can get trickier when you hit the flop. Against calling stations or less experienced players, keep your strategy simple and straightforward. Use tools like HUDs when playing online to gain insights into your opponents' tendencies and adjust your betting strategy accordingly.
Q: What should I do if my continuation bet with Ace King gets called? A: If your continuation bet with Ace King gets called, the decision to bet the turn or river depends on the opponent and the cards that come. If a scare card appears that could improve your perceived range, consider another bet. However, if you're against a calling station or the board becomes more dangerous, it might be better to check and reevaluate.
Q: How can I balance being aggressive with recognizing when to fold Ace King post-flop? A: Balance aggression and the recognition of when to fold by assessing the texture of the board and your opponent's actions. Bet and apply pressure on favorable flops, but be willing to fold on coordinated boards when facing strong resistance or when out of position against opponents who rarely fold.