Ace-Rag (A-2 thru A-10)
One mistake inexperienced hold ‘em players often make is to limp in early position, or call a raise from any position, any time they hold an ace. A-x represents the opportunity to flop the best single pair possible in poker, and many new players (and some not so new) are infatuated with this potential. This mistake is especially grievous when holding A-x off suit (as opposed to A-x suited, which can at least sometimes be played profitably, especially in a loose-passive game). True, A-x will win its share of pots, as will any hand in poker, but there are several problems with playing it, especially for a raise.
First, in a game that is often won with only a single pair, you are restricting your ability to make top pair by playing Ace-Rag, which has only one high card. Compare playing a hand like A-7, for example, to a hand like K-Q (another medium strength hand). With K-Q, pairing either card will usually give you top pair, whereas with A-7 you’ll likely have to hit your ace to achieve that same goal. In a multi-way pot against two typical hands (10-9 suited and 8-8) K-Q now becomes the favorite at 30% to win while A-7 ties the pocket eights as the worst hand at 22% to win. Change your hand to only A-J and it is now even with K-Q at 29% to win. The only real difference is that your J kicker now can make a higher pair than the 10 or 9, thus beating the pocket 8s, while pairing a 7 kicker cannot beat the eights even if they don’t improve.
With that said, A-7 is, in fact, a small favorite over K-Q when heads-up (57% to 42%), due to the small possibility that neither hand will pair, or that both hands will make two pair. If both hands were guaranteed to make just one pair, however, A-7 would win whenever the A paired, but it would lose whenever the 7 paired, winning only 2 out of every 4 times. Contrast this with holding A-Q against K-J. Now the only combination you would lose is if the K and Q pair. A-Q would win 3 out of every 4 times. Of course, guaranteeing both hands to make a single pair is a gross oversimplification, but it helps to exemplify the point: a lone ace heads-up against two high cards is much weaker than an ace with a strong kicker.
As such, not only are your odds of winning a hand with A-7 (or something similar) fairly poor, but, even more importantly, the pots you do win will tend to be rather small – especially in relation to the pots lost when you think you are best; i.e., when an ace flops. The reasoning is simple: when an ace rolls out on the flop, everybody notices. Players without an ace tend to fold to any bet. Even players holding big pocket pairs will tend to play passively after an ace flops. However, if your opponent is also holding an ace – and if you’re playing Ace-rag it’s safe to say he or she probably has you out kickered – they are not going anywhere and will typically raise you. Since folding a pair of aces is very difficult for the beginning player (and, for that matter, most players), players whom get involved in a hand with A-rag stand to lose a big pot. The object of poker is not to win pots. The object of poker is to win money.[1] These two statements are not contradictory; though you must win pots in poker to win money, it is the size of the pots won, rather than the number of pots won, that is important. If you were to win 20 pots averaging $5 and lose 10 pots averaging $15, you are obviously way behind – even though you have won most of the pots! Avoiding the loss of a lot of money in big pots where you would be drawing very slim (three outs to your kicker) is worth sacrificing a couple of small wins.
My next point is more advanced and will require some thinking from beginning players. If you are raised after betting a pair of aces on the flop, your opponent may in fact be semi-bluffing. For example, you hold A-4, the flop comes A-8-7, you bet and an opponent raises. If your opponent is a strong player, he may hold A-Q or 7-7, or he may be semi-bluffing with 10-9 (only a straight draw)! You just don’t know, and even if you think a semi-bluff is likely, you should still fold! The problem with calling here is that your opponent is getting implied odds from you, which means he will make more money if he makes his straight than he will lose if he misses. Continuing this example, unless you are lucky enough to catch a 4 on the turn, you will likely check. Your opponent can then check and see the river for free if he has not yet made the straight. Now he can fold and get away with not paying any more money if he misses his draw! Of course, if a J or 6 comes on the turn or the river, you are probably going to have to call any reasonable bets and lose more money!
While Ace-Rag is largely a losing hand, there are two situations where it can be played profitably: in an attempt to steal the blinds from late position, and, when suited, at a loose-passive table. Thus, when holding A-x on the button at a table where everyone else has folded, you should raise in an attempt to try and steal the blinds. This play is especially profitable if your opponents play either too tightly or too loosely from the blinds. If they are too tight then you should be raising with all but your worst hands, while if they are too loose you will be in position after the flop and, usually, ahead. In order for this play to show a long term profit, if one or both of the blinds call and then check on the flop, you must bet regardless of whether or not you hit the flop. Your opponent(s) will fold the majority of the time. If you are called, however, and you still only have ace high, you should give up the hand and hope for a free showdown.
The other profitable play for A-x requires that your hand be suited, and that your table be both loose and passive – meaning that many players see the flop on most hands, and pre- and post-flop raises are kept to a minimum. If those preconditions exist, then you can correctly call. Although the hand should generally be folded in early position, it can be a decent play to call if most pots are contested by at least four players with very little preflop raising. Nevertheless, limping from middle to late position is far superior because of the improved chance that the pot will not be raised after your bet. Your goal in playing this type of hand is to accomplish one of several things: flop a flush, which will happen only 1.6% of the time; flop a flush draw, which is more likely at 14% (one time out of seven); or get really lucky and flop two pair or trips. If you do flop the flush draw, you will now be getting implied odds from your opponents. What this means is that you stand to win more money from your opponents than they stand to win from you, because you will fold if you miss your draw, while your opponents will likely call if you make your flush. (For full details on Implied Odds, see Chapter 7 of The Theory of Poker).
Clearly, although it can be played profitably in the right situation, A-x is generally a chip burner; it stands a low chance of making top pair, and a high chance of being dominated by a stronger ace. As such, the few small pots that the hand stands to win do not even come close to compensating for the large losses that it tends to incur. Play it at your own risk.
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