Is AK a made hand or not and why?

KITAYAWA · Feb 5, 2022

Oh no AK is a difficult hand to play because it's not even a pair :deal:

xOneCoolHandx · Feb 6, 2022

KITAYAWA said:
Oh no AK is a difficult hand to play because it's not even a pair :deal:

I disagree because even pairs are hard to play postflop. When you have a pocket pair and the board comes with overs -- like 55 on a 7 T Q board or even AA on a KKQ board. All hands can be difficult to play postflop, that is more a matter of being able to range your opponents and judge flop textures to determine if you think you are leading or have enough range and nut advantage to continue.

So, since playing a pair postflop is tricky and often difficult and playing AK postflop is tricky and difficult, I would put AK in the same catergory as pocket pairs thus making it a made hand.

Akuana · Feb 6, 2022

I would raise my bet and consider the flop first. Nothing happened, unfortunately. But if it fell out ...))

xOneCoolHandx · Feb 6, 2022

fletchdad said:
I havent read all the answers so forgive me if I am repeating anything. This is all how I see it.

Of course AK is NOT a made hand. The definition of a made hand is pretty much the hand that is ahead, but not high card hands. Any PP can be seen as a made hand but if you raise with 22 and get a 3 bet and 4 callers, I am not seeing 22 as a made hand anymore.

AK is only as good as the table dynamics. I almost always raise, and especially 3 bet with AK, but not because I have a made hand, but a 3 bet will possibly get folds but still has a lot of post flop potential, and there lies the strength of AK for me in a long term stats way. It is also a great hand to semi-bluff with post-flop, depending on your opponent.

But if you get bet into PF, AK will need to be played according to the table dynamics. Sometimes calling certain players and reassessing post-flop is the best play depending on the players in the hand. This will all be dependent on table dynamics, reads and so on.

In a tourny situation, when I am short, I am almost always looking to get AI with AK.

You should have read the other posts...lol...there is actually no qualifying definition to a made hand and you comparing playing AK to the way you play a pocket pair strengthens the argument that AK is on the same level as any PP. Thus, making it a made hand.

Kennemelo · Feb 6, 2022

xOneCoolHandx said:
I disagree because even pairs are hard to play postflop. When you have a pocket pair and the board comes with overs -- like 55 on a 7 T Q board or even AA on a KKQ board. All hands can be difficult to play postflop, that is more a matter of being able to range your opponents and judge flop textures to determine if you think you are leading or have enough range and nut advantage to continue.

So, since playing a pair postflop is tricky and often difficult and playing AK postflop is tricky and difficult, I would put AK in the same catergory as pocket pairs thus making it a made hand.

I agree! it is also very important to understand the importance of the size of the raise with such a hand, because often bad beats are due to the fault of the so-called trap or an unsuccessful lipm raise

Goku55 · Feb 6, 2022

I dont think so

Made hands are pairs, but AK is good because it’s a blocker for AA & KK so usually if you’re behind it’s still a flip.

xOneCoolHandx · Feb 6, 2022

Goku55 said:
Made hands are pairs, but AK is good because it’s a blocker for AA & KK so usually if you’re behind it’s still a flip.

I guess you haven't read through all the replies in the thread, I have repeatedly stated (after doing semi-thorough research

) is that there is no clear definition for what a made hand is and that AK can stand on its own and has the same playability as any pocket pair. AK shares many characteristics to pocket pairs, so why isn't it a made hand as well?

canabero · Feb 6, 2022

only we can talk about made hands after the flop. end of discussion.

Minakshi · Feb 6, 2022

AK are very good hole cards

fletchdad · Feb 6, 2022

xOneCoolHandx said:
You should have read the other posts...lol...there is actually no qualifying definition to a made hand and you comparing playing AK to the way you play a pocket pair strengthens the argument that AK is on the same level as any PP. Thus, making it a made hand.

All depends on where you get your definitions from.....

AK is not what would be normally referred to as a made hand, but you can call it how you like.

https://pokerterms.com/made-hand.html
https://www.pokernews.com/pokerterm...rs to a hand the,which still needs to improve.
https://www.pokerstrategy.com/glossary/Made-Hand_1797/

xOneCoolHandx · Feb 6, 2022

fletchdad said:
All depends on where you get your definitions from.....

AK is not what would be normally referred to as a made hand, but you can call it how you like.

https://pokerterms.com/made-hand.html
https://www.pokernews.com/pokerterm...rs to a hand the,which still needs to improve.
https://www.pokerstrategy.com/glossary/Made-Hand_1797/

I posted 2 of these definitions already and they do not clarify things.

pokerterms.com: A hand that does not require a draw to be made: I have already shown how AK does not necessarily need to hit a draw to be made. It can get to showdown and be the best hand a good portion of the time, same as with some pocket pairs.

pokernews.com: States that a made hand is USUALLY a pocket pair, not ALWAYS

pokerstrategy.com: Made hands are hands that could possibly be the best hand on the table. AK will often fit this definition.

Also, all of these definitions include postflop as well as preflop.

JohnWayne329 · Feb 6, 2022

It's one of the best ofc

Hemified · Feb 6, 2022

Oh yea,I think its the best hand to have along with aces and yea not everything is a garenteed win either preflop or not. But the best hand to have against AA is AK, because qaud aces are nice but a royal flush is king and cannot be beat. Good luck and remember to have fun 🍻

fletchdad · Feb 6, 2022

Well, then it all comes down to semantics.

Its AK. A pretty nice hand pre. It all depends on how you play it........ and them.

Call it what you want.

xOneCoolHandx said:
I posted 2 of these definitions already and they do not clarify things.

pokerterms.com: A hand that does not require a draw to be made: I have already shown how AK does not necessarily need to hit a draw to be made. It can get to showdown and be the best hand a good portion of the time, same as with some pocket pairs.

pokernews.com: States that a made hand is USUALLY a pocket pair, not ALWAYS

pokerstrategy.com: Made hands are hands that could possibly be the best hand on the table. AK will often fit this definition.

Also, all of these definitions include postflop as well as preflop.

Tomek416 · Feb 6, 2022

It's a good hand, but it's not a made hand. It's very easy to lose with it against any pocket pair.

sergui72 · Feb 6, 2022

I agree with you. It's a sin to throw it away.

Amanda A · Feb 6, 2022

Not sure if it is best to think in terms of made hands. There are a lot of made hands that are not going to be good if the board runs out in a certain way and faced with lots of action. Then there are times when A high could be good and AK is the best of them. It's more helpful for me to think about the equity of a hand ,against a range given the board run out and the action. AK as a starting hand has really good equity against a lot of ranges, good enough to go with it pre flop on a lot of stack sizes.

10gerka · Feb 6, 2022

AK is a very strong hand, you block your opponent's strong ranges like AA and KK, also when you go allin preflop against JJ, QQ, TT, you have 45% equity, so you shouldn't doubt that hand, but you should always have a solid strategy on how to play that kind of hands.

jonnycliks · Feb 6, 2022

No hands are made hands...I'd say worth half pot raise and hope for good flop to follow up with another bet. Definite good betting hand

makisaa · Feb 6, 2022

It is a strong hand which in a case of no connection with the flop from the players, the keeper of an AK wins most of the times. But you have to wait to see what happens till the river, and if the opponent has a pair, then you must get somehing to win.

Fivefor · Feb 6, 2022

DS3 said:
The answer is simple.

A made hand is a pocket pair - that is the definition.

This is not entirely correct.

A "Made" hand refers to a hand the value of which is a pair or higher but the term is often used with regard to pocket pairs because you have already "made" a pair even before the community cards have arrived. A "Made" hand is used in contrast to a drawing hand which still often needs to improve to win the pot.

Basically, a Made hand is one that does not require a draw and usually means that a player is typically statistically ahead in a hand.

DS3 · Feb 6, 2022

Fivefor said:
This is not entirely correct.

A "Made" hand refers to a hand the value of which is a pair or higher but the term is often used with regard to pocket pairs because you have already "made" a pair even before the community cards have arrived. A "Made" hand is used in contrast to a drawing hand which still often needs to improve to win the pot.

Basically, a Made hand is one that does not require a draw and usually means that a player is typically statistically ahead in a hand.

As has been noted above... semantics. I'll stick with basic English.

Made is the past participle of make and the OP question was regarding preflop. Preflop, AK is not a made hand, but simply a very strong hand that could 'make' a winning hand.

Not quite sure why anyone would make this their little hill to die on.

1nsomn1a · Feb 6, 2022

if I seriously do not understand the concept of a ready hand at the preflop stage, it is ready to win only the initial stage, even aces may not stand on the flop, not to mention the fourth and fifth streets. AK a strong starting hand, which is very dependent on circumstances, I would not refuse to get such a hand, but I am not ready to always take risks with it either.

mavrulit · Feb 6, 2022

I think AK is a very vulnerable hand. How many times have I been wrong with this hand, going all-in with it! Preflop, even a pair of 22s can beat her! Since you're all-in pre-flop with her, be prepared to face any pair and lose as you have no control over anything! If you're good at poker math, it's easy to figure out how many pairs you'll lose to and how many outs you have... So you have to be careful with these hands.

KITAYAWA · Feb 6, 2022

xOneCoolHandx said:
I disagree because even pairs are hard to play postflop. When you have a pocket pair and the board comes with overs -- like 55 on a 7 T Q board or even AA on a KKQ board. All hands can be difficult to play postflop, that is more a matter of being able to range your opponents and judge flop textures to determine if you think you are leading or have enough range and nut advantage to continue.

So, since playing a pair postflop is tricky and often difficult and playing AK postflop is tricky and difficult, I would put AK in the same catergory as pocket pairs thus making it a made hand.

Thank you for the detailed and informative answer, I also heard such an opinion that everyone is equal before the flop

Is AK a made hand or not and why?

KITAYAWA

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