Many aggressive poker players like to bet just about any time they get an ace in their hand.  And it usually doesn’t matter to them what the other card they’re holding is as long as that ace is there.  Their reasoning is that an ace is the best card in the deck so it gives them an excuse to bet out in an attempt to scare other players.  However, there’s a big difference between holding A-Q and A-3 which is only the first thing you need to consider when playing A-x.

Another thing you need to look at when you’re dealt a single ace is where you are on the table.  Playing A-5 in late position after other people have limped in isn’t such a bad decision, but playing the same drawing hand in early position is a sure way to lose money over the long run.  And never make the decision to play this type of hand in early position just because it’s suited.

When you do decide to play A-x suited, or any kind of ace hand where you’re drawing for a straight, make sure not to overvalue your hand.  Committing half of your stack to the pot just because you’re drawing for a nut flush is not a good idea so you’ve got to try and control the pot with checks, calls, and small bets.

The key thing is that you don’t want to pay too much to see flops with just a single ace in your hand.  If you do get a drawing hand then just remember to keep the pot within a reasonable range.  But if you can’t get in the hand for cheap then fold your ace hand unless you are holding A-K.  A-K is a solid hand because it gives you a shot at two top pairs and has the ability to net you a straight as well.

Many players eyes will light up when their eyes fall on AK as their pocket cards. However many players will also complain that they’re constantly getting beat on AK, when they should have the odds in their favour. So why is AK rated as such a good starting hand?

The strength behind AK comes in its ability to make other players fold when they shouldn’t. If you’re significantly raising before the flop, you ought to be able to make most players fold with hands that won’t stand up – say anything less than pocket 10s. However it must be kept in mind that if you raise too much then the only hands that will call are AA and KK – the only two hands that have you pretty solidly beat.

The trick is raise enough so that you’re not pushing low stacked players all in, as its probably not in your best interests to fall into a heads up race with only a slight percentage in your favour. You will want to force players out, not go all in with your chips.

AK loses much of its value if blinds are small relative to stack size, players are short stacked or if players are pot committed and unlikely to lay down their hand.

Keep in mind that even if you’re only stealing blinds or chasing out early raises, you’re still winning cash. AK isn’t a hand to slow-play and it’s a dangerous hand to fall in love with. If you see a flop of 10 8 8, you lose a lot of your value and confidence in your hand.

Just remember this: AK is the most dominant DRAWING hand in poker. A pair of deuces beats it. Play it aggressively at the beginning and don’t be afraid to get out of the way if you early bets don’t work and a flop comes right against you.

5 card draw is one of the most simple poker games around. It consists of 5 cards, 2 betting rounds and 1 draw. As a result strategy is fairly limited. While common poker strategy and tactics such as betting and bluffing can be applied, the lack of betting rounds and quicker game serves to limit more in depth strategy to a point. However the following pointers should still be considered.

Hand selection – the starting hands you can play in draw largely depend on your opponents and the number of them left in the game. At a loose table – high pairs and 3 draw is acceptable, at tighter table’s higher pairs or better only should be your starting mark. Flush and straight draws should only be played from late position and any sets, or two pair should see you making a raise before the flop. Although the problem with two pair is unless they hold a premium pair then they risk being out drawn by an opponent.

Position – once again a key factor in the game, if you’re last to draw you can see how many cards previous players draw. A good tactic here is to stand pat if you have already raised in the previous round. Bluffing under such circumstances is much more successful as standing pat usually serves to kill the betting action after the draw.

Drawing cards – the amount of cards a player draws says a lot about the strength of the hand they are holding
3 cards – probably a pair
2 cards – a pair and a high card, or chasing a flush draw.
1 card – chasing a straight or flush draw. Or two pair.

The amount of cards you draw can also be used to mislead your opponents. For example if your holding high trips, try drawing one card to signal 2 pair, a weaker hand than what you are actually holding.