|
| |
Big Slick
Big Slick is the universal nickname for an Ace/King in Hold'em. Although
not as popular or universal I have heard a suited Ace/King be referred
to as Super Slick Suited or not, Ace/King is an excellent starting hand
in Hold'em. Many of your opponents will play this hand like it is a pair
of Aces or Kings. They raise and re-raise and cap it when given the
opportunity. As in all of poker, you need to vary your play or you
become so predictable that your more observant opponents will just start
eating your lunch. There is more than one way to play Big Slick. Believe
it or not, you may wish to just limp in with this excellent holding. I
know I do on occasion. I think how you play Big Slick really relates to
understanding what your raise is intending to accomplish.
While raising always gets more money in the pot, its purpose when made
from early position is usually to thin the field and enhance your
chances of winning the pot. If you raise several players who have
already entered the pot for one bet from late position you may
discourage players behind you from entering the fray but the players who
already have one bet invested will invariably call for one more bet. So,
instead of just thinking of Big Slick as a raise, raise, raise hand,
maybe we should consider raising with it from early position but limping
in and treating it as a drawing hand from late position. One major
advantage of limping with Big Slick from late position is deception.
Most of your opponents would have raised with this holding from any
position. And what they always do is what they think everyone else does!
If the flop produces an Ace or King your opponents will not put you on
Big Slick If you raise now they may guess that you hit the over-card to
make a pair but will probably think you hold a weak kicker since you
didn't bring it in for a raise. Another advantage to just limping is if
the flop comes very coordinated, such as three to a flush (not your
suit) or three to a straight (again, not yours). It makes it a lot
easier to abandon what was a great starting hand but now doesn't figure
to be a winner.
If you always raise from any position with Big Slick, start evaluating
whether you might be better served by mixing up your play and raising
from early position to thin the field and just limping from late
position to see the flop cheaply. What criteria should you use to
determine whether to raise or limp besides position? I think a good
guideline is how many players have already entered the pot in front of
you If only one or two players have called the Big Blind, then raise and
try to narrow the field. However, if three or more players have already
called in front of you, then view your Ace/King as a drawing hand and
try to see the flop as cheaply as possible.
Our goal for this session is one that becomes a recurring theme to
improve your game. Namely, set a goal to not play "formula poker". You
must mix up your game to prevent your opponents from putting you in
their crosshairs. Playing the same hand in different ways based upon
your position, knowledge of your opponents and texture of the game is an
excellent way to prevent becoming predictable I've heard opponents who
have lost to my Big Slick when I've just limped in with it, express
disbelief that I didn't raise pre-flop Limping in was, in fact, how I
was able to extract extra bets post flop.
|
|