10 replies to this topic

[wannabe]

I wanted to discuss how you guys play pocket kings in a NL game. I sometimes find these cards extremely difficult to play, and it seems as if when they win, the pot is rather small, and when they lose, of course the pots are very large. Now, I have won huge pots w/ this hand, such as a 120,000 chip pot the other day in a multi, but there are other times that a set is hit, and I'm not an experienced enough player to let them go to a ragged flop of T,8,4 rainbow. So, I would like anyone else to share how they play them in a NL game, cash or tourney. My basic strategy is to be sneaky with them in tourneys with smaller blinds, and let them go at will, and w/ big blinds, very aggressive, if not all in. But in cash games, I find the most trouble, as I've been pitted against Aces far too often.

[wannabe]

my only comment on this is that this is what I usually do, except I usually just pick up a couple bux on the blinds, whereas when they are pitted against aces, i end up losin 100 or more in a NL 100 game. I guess I just gotta lay them down when someone calls my big raise.

[eboyd21]

i like to make a med to large raise preflop and then if no ace hits on the flop ill go all in. should an ace hit ill make a medium size bet and gauge my hand versus any callers

[pokerplayer75]

If you can't win with pocket kings you shouldn't be playing poker. If I have pocket kings I will never play thinking someone has pocket aces. If an ace comes up on the flop I'll raise or check raise but play it strong and see if the other player has an ace. Then I'll fold if I get reraised depending on the situation. Any other flop comes you're the favorite to win. With pocket kings you're the favorite anyways. Just make sure to raise with them to get all the bs hands out.

[brando]

You're not always the favorite to win after the flop if no Ace hits. Always the possibility of someone else flopping a set, flush, or a straight.

[CoranMoran]

This is how I play pocket Kings:First of all, it is important that you have confidence that you are holding the best hand. It is rare that you will be up against Aces, so you can not be paranoid of the possibility. Unless you have been given specific reasons to think otherwise, play Kings with complete confidence.Knowing that you are strong, it is also important to recognize that your Kings can be beaten easily if any Ace hits the board.This is why it is vital that you knock out all of the Ace-rag hands before the flop is seen.Thus you need to always play your Kings in a raised pot to protect your hand.If no Ace falls on the flop, continue to be aggressive. There are already enough chips in the pot to make a valuable addition to your stack. So, depending on your read of your opponent, it is usually wise to continue to bet strongly. If someone is playing with a smaller pair, you do not want to give him a free card to hit his set. Now if an Ace does hit the board, you have a dilemma.Since the pot was raised, you are now probably only playing against a couple of opponents, and there is a decent chance that you are not up against someone with an Ace (only the "big" aces would have called you).And because you were the raiser before the flop, your opponents may certainly give you credit for holding an Ace yourself.So staying aggressive with a bet on the flop is called for and may take down the pot right there.And because you are in a raised pot, you now winning more than you would have if everyone had limped in.Betting on the flop also helps determine where you are at.If someone continues to play with you after the flop, then be cautious on the following streets. It is likely an Ace is in play or your opponent hit his set and you are behind. This is the point in which you can consider laying down your Kings if your opponent comes out firing on the turn or river.--cnm

[Socrates]

Nice response. KK has been biting me lately...a lot. Last week it was KK losing to a 99 all in caller, hit a set on the flop. Played 'em fast again after a rebuy and got rocked by AK. As for playing them slower, last night was a nightmare and I found my self in the dilema you are talking about.I raise the pot with KK from the small blind, the BB calls and so does the button. I've got these guys both figured for Ax players and take it as so (they would generally call any raise with position or a blind in the pot). Flop comes out A 5 8 (rainbow). I check the flop and it checks around (considering I've seen these guys try to slowplay everything, I have to believe there is one A out there. 4th brings a another 5 - not sure why, but I check here fearing the slowplay - 5th brings a 6 and the both immediately glance at their chips. My first thought are that someone hit a set or they're loading up to bet their A. At this point I have to check, BB moves all in and the button immediately calls. I verbally state, "no way, you didn't call the raise with 79" - they turn over the cards and they both had 79.Like you said, I should have bet the flop to see where I was at, they both would have gone away (maybe).

[JFarrell20]

I had a situation the other night that pissed me off at the .5/1 table. So I get KK in mid position (this table was extremely loose pre-flop. Like 6-8 callers for the last 10 minute wave). So I'm in mid-position salivating. Folds to me. Huh?? So I've got about 4 or 5 people behind me to act, including both blinds. I bump it up double. fold, fold, SB folds immediately. BB thinks for a while.... and folds! I had been raising pots too, this wasn't like out of nowhere. I got so mad, I mean I won 75cents! However, I had almost forgotten about that hand until now. Had I lost $14 on that hand, I probably would have remembered it much more. lol.