is AK really that good?

So most of the material I've read lists AK as a group 1 hand but I don't find myself winning with AK as much as all other group 1 hand. The recommended play is to raise aggressively with AK preflop and throw it away if it doesn't hit anything on the flop but the more people that call you, the less chance of it hitting anything (since they probably hold an A or K) so I've been thinking maybe it might be more profitable to limp in with AK and treat it like a low pocket pair instead. Any thoughts?

There are a several reasons why AK is a strong hand. Here are a few:

1) Your being afraid that with several callers "they also hold an A or K", overlooks the KICKER.
e.g., If Johnny-Two-Shoes calls your $4 raise with A8 and you hold AK and the flop comes AJ2, you are an 88.2% to 11.8% favorite to win the hand! To argue that he might hit two-pair on the flop is silly, as you are just as likely to hit two-pair as he is (except yours is the highest two pair).

2) If Johnny-Two-Shoes calls your $4 raise with a small pocket pair (33), you are still about even money (especially if your big slick is suited).

3) Not raising AK preflop allows complete junk hands to see the flop and effectively does nothing to limit the field when the odds are in your favor. Get your money in the pot when you have the best of it, and keep your money out when you don't. It's as simple as that.

4) If the board makes a three or four-flush and your slick is suited in that suit, you know you hold the highest flush possible.

5) If the board shows 4 of a kind, you have the highest kicker possible (rare)

6). If the board shows 3 of a kind and no-one matched up or paired, you hold the highest kicker possible.

7) Why let the blinds see the flop for free?

good points.

What I meant with someone else holding A or K was that that was one less card to help me pair. My biggest problem is that I'm not sure how to play AK when the flop doesn't pair me. Do I keep on being aggressive or do I check and fold incase someone has pocket pairs. I believe AK is a slight underdog to any pocket pairs as they are made hands while AK is more of a good drawing hand.

2 over cards are pretty much a coin toss to an under pair.

AK is great when the flop hits you, but don't think its the win all hand. Just like AA you have to fold them if the flop is bad..

Would you keep AA on a flop of 678? probably not.

Same thing for AK I'd drop it on a flop like 678, drop it to the flush, if the board pairs up your probably in trouble too.

Would you keep AA on a flop of 678? probably not.

I would definitely keep em if I had played them correctly pre-flop. At least I would bet it for information. Depends on the table though but in general I would definitely not let AA go for that flop if I wasn't faced with an all-in raise or something. I usually bet AA pretty hard pre-flop though ending up with only one caller and he/she rarely holds 9T or similar. More often it's AK AQ or TT,,,something like that.

your right..
I've been playing low limit holdem lately $3/$6 in the local casiono's..

Different type of game than NL. You CAN'T bet someone out preflop unless its a raise in the early position, late position everyones already in for 1 small bet, the'll call the second one.

Some of my thoughts on AK...

o Raise it to 4-6x the BB. Good chance to take a small pot right there or buy the button. Also this is usually how I play AA, KK and QQ, so I can bluff at a flop that missed and set-up those hands if I'm caught.

o If AK misses DO NOT *call* any bets unless you are more then 50% certain they're bluffing.

o If AK hits, that leaves only 2 cards on the flop to make someone else's hand via ranks. Hence, when AK hits you're LESS likely to get taken down by a smaller pair hitting a set than AA or KK, however against the set you are 2 cards behind.

o If you're up against AA or KK you're less likely to hit the flop and often can dump right there.

o With a single caller if I miss the flop I will sometimes bet the flop (representing AA or KK) if I think the other player missed as well. When to make this bluff is very tricky, but IMO a key to getting the most of out AK. Definitely, not the bluff to make if you got re-raised pre-flop and they have position on you. Also, do not make this bluff against a call-station!

o With 2+ callers you're getting good pot odds on hitting your flop, so bluffing is both less important and less likely to work (particulary if more than 2 callers.)

A couple examples from my last 100 hands. Although the second one I was delt KQ, I would have played AK the same way...

***** Hand History for Game 449658983 *****
0/0 TexasHTGameTable (NL) - Fri Mar 12 21:43:10 EST 2004
Table Table 11332 (Real Money) -- Seat 3 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: Player1 ( $88.15)
Seat 2: Player3 ( $75.87)
Seat 3: Player2 ( $24.25)
Seat 4: Player4 ( $61.24)
Seat 5: Player5 ( $20.40)
Seat 6: Player6 ( $24)
Seat 7: Player7 ( $23)
Seat 8: Fnord ( $50.05)
Seat 9: Player9 ( $24.50)
Seat 10: Player10 ( $25)
Player4 posts small blind (0.25)
Player5 posts big blind (0.50)
Player10 posts big blind (0.50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Fnord [ Ks, Ah ]
Player6 folds.
Player7 folds.
Fnord raises (3) to 3
Player9 folds.
Player10 folds.
Player1 calls (3)
Player2 folds.
Player3 folds.
Player4 folds.
Player5 folds.
** Dealing Flop ** : [ Qs, 4h, Kh ]
Fnord bets (4)
Player1 calls (4)
** Dealing Turn ** : [ Kd ]
Fnord bets (7)
Player1 calls (7)
** Dealing River ** : [ Qc ]
Fnord bets (12)
Player1 calls (12)
** Summary **
Main Pot: $50.60 | Rake: $2.65
Board: [ Qs 4h Kh Kd Qc ]
Player1 balance $62.15, lost $26 [ Ad 9h ] [ two pairs, kings and queens -- Ad,Kh,Kd,Qs,Qc ]
Player2 balance $75.87, didn't bet (folded)
Player3 balance $24.25, didn't bet (folded)
Player4 balance $60.99, lost $0.25 (folded)
Player5 balance $19.90, lost $0.50 (folded)
Player6 balance $24, didn't bet (folded)
Player7 balance $23, didn't bet (folded)
Fnord balance $74.65, bet $26, collected $50.60, net +$24.60 [ Ks Ah ] [ a full house, Kings full of queens -- Ks,Kh,Kd,Qs,Qc ]
Player9 balance $24.50, didn't bet (folded)
Player10 balance $24.50, lost $0.50 (folded)

***** Hand History for Game 449695998 *****
0/0 TexasHTGameTable (NL) - Fri Mar 12 21:58:37 EST 2004
Table Table 12498 (Real Money) -- Seat 5 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: Player1 ( $24.50)
Seat 2: Fnord ( $25)
Seat 3: Player3 ( $27.85)
Seat 4: Player4 ( $6.50)
Seat 5: Player5 ( $16.75)
Seat 6: Player6 ( $23.15)
Seat 7: Player7 ( $36.80)
Seat 8: Player8 ( $100.78)
Seat 9: Player9 ( $52.47)
Seat 10: Player10 ( $25)
Player6 posts small blind (0.25)
Player7 posts big blind (0.50)
Fnord posts big blind (0.50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Fnord [ Qc, Ks ]
Player8 folds.
Player9 calls (0.50)
Player1 calls (0.50)
Fnord raises (2.50) to 3
Player3 folds.
Player4 folds.
Player5 folds.
Player6 calls (2.75)
Player7 folds.
Player9 calls (2.50)
Player1 folds.
** Dealing Flop ** : [ 3h, 5d, 6s ]
Player6 checks.
Player9 checks.
Fnord bets (5)
Player6 folds.
Player9 folds.
** Summary **
Main Pot: $14.50 | Rake: $0.50
Board: [ 3h 5d 6s ]
Player1 balance $24, lost $0.50 (folded)
Fnord balance $31.50, bet $8, collected $14.50, net +$6.50
Player3 balance $27.85, didn't bet (folded)
Player4 balance $6.50, didn't bet (folded)
Player5 balance $16.75, didn't bet (folded)
Player6 balance $20.15, lost $3 (folded)
Player7 balance $36.30, lost $0.50 (folded)
Player8 balance $100.78, didn't bet (folded)
Player9 balance $49.47, lost $3 (folded)
Player10 balance $25, sits out