by Al Sousa (site owner)
You see many players in low limit games playing Ax offsuit or "any
ace", as many players call it. The ace is the best card to
have in your hand but when you play Ax, low kicker, you are limiting
yourself to certain kind of flops. Only a few Ax off suit cards
should be played.
Great Offsuit Ace Hands:
AK: The best ace to have, you got the best ace
kicker and the best king kicker.
AQ: Close to the best ace and when you have this
hand it is rare for someone else to have AK.
Good Offsuit Ace Hands:
AJ-AT: These hands are usually the best ace in
an unraised pot. AJ being prefered because of its kicker. Another
small advantage is that these hands can make the nut straight which
adds some value to them. AK and AQ also have this advantage.
Iffy Offsuit Ace Hands:
A9-A8: These hands can only get you in trouble.
Basically they should be played selectively when you feel you can
steal the blinds. On the button, with a single middle position limper,
I might raise with these hands to isolate the limper and get it
heads up. But also consider the blinds and how willing they are
to call a raise. If they tend to call a lot then this play is not
as profitable and you could be facing as many as 3 player with an
Axo.
Why is this play possible? Consider what the middle position limper
is coming in with. If he holds 77-AA or AK-AT he is raising coming
1st in, so almost all his hands he is limping there you have the
best hand. Even if he has 22-66 you still are around 43/57. Most
bad players will limp in with anything not realizing their position.
A good player being 1st in from middle position will usually raise
or fold. If he limps he will have a hand that is at worst 45% to
yours like JTs vs A9o.
Bad Offsuit Ace Hands:
A7-A2: These are only made for stealing blinds
from the button, thats all. If you look at the hand all you really
have is one card, the ace. If someone shares an ace with you most
likely it won't flop and you have to muck it. If it does flop you
have kicker problems. Flopping the kicker is also problems as overcards
can beat it. The only hands you can hope to catch are a nut flush
draw, 2 pair, or trips with the lower card which is a whopping 3.8%
chance or 1:26. Even if you do hit an ace with a weak kicker there
will be quite a few times the pot will be tied.
Compare Aces:
This shows you how having an ace with a low kicker is even worse
than most players imagine.
A K
vs A 4
is 73.23% to win the hand seeing all 5 cards.
A5
vs A4
is 55% to win the hand seeing all 5 cards.
With a board of A8J
AK
vs A4
is 89.1% to win the hand seeing the remaining 2 cards. There is
only a 2% chance to tie with the board pairing twice or pairing
and the case ace coming.
A5
vs A4
is 51.25% to win the hand seeing the remaining 2 cards. There is
at least a 1/3 chance that the hand will be tied if the board pairs.
Why steal the blinds with Axo if its so bad?
In this case you are facing one opponent usually, maybe two. In
most cases they will not have an ace so when one flops you should
have the best hand. There is a 77.45% chance with both blinds left
to act that they will have an ace in there hand when you already
have one. This assumes you are 1st in the pot.
Final Note:
This ace comparison also applies to any hand that is a face card
and a low card. Kx, Qx, Jx even suited run into trouble so don't
play them. Kxs is the only playable hand, on the button, with tons
of callers. You are looking for the flush draw, 11.8% chance to
hit the flop.
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