Hardest Hand to Play AA, KK, QQ or ?

[CRAZYBEAR007]

The hardest hands to play are the ones you LOSE. Doesn't matter whether it is 76 off suite or poket KK. However, when you lose with a great hand it always makes you second guess how you played it. The turning point for me was one weekend I lost with pocket AA 7 out of 8 times. It made me rethink my whole approach to Poker.

The best thing to remember about AA pre-flop, "most of the time you don't win big with pocket AA but it if you loss it is usually BIG (Quote from Doyle Brunson)". Your odds of winning heads-up (one-on-one) with AA is between 80% and 95%; for every additional player that stays in YOUR ODDS GO DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY, something like 60% with two callers and 40% with 3 callers. Do whatever it takes to try and get heads up before the flop and you will be way ahead.

JJ, 1010, 99 play them like a smaller pair in early position and a big pair in late position if no one calls or one player limps in. If you aren't all in pre-flop the next thing you do is assess the flop. Over cards and 2 others players feel your way. The chances of you winning are much much to low to push. A good fold and play another day is what I say.

Finally, if you are playing your cards you are doing yourself a disservice for sure. If you play your opponents, the number of callers, position and your table image then you have maximized your chances to win. After all isn't that what it is ALL ABOUT; and to quote another pro (Scotty Nguyen) just win baby win!!

[stevek173]

AQ

[daneblazer]

AQ or JJ

[jon13009]

KK, or any pair to 10,10. When an A hits the board, you are just pissed because you know one of the remaining players has an A in his pocket.

However (as you stated), playing you cards is only half the game and you need to understand the players who are at the table. The hardest thing to do is lay down a hand that was a monster pre-flop. As such, position (and betting the position properly) is a key regardless if you win or lose.

The only exceptions are when there are maniacs or novices playing the table because in those cases anything goes and what you throw at them (or - in the maniac's case what he, or she, is feeding you) cannot be taken at face value.

Poker is about deception, and there lies the problem in fully analyzing the opponents at hand.

From the Art Of War (paraphrased) Chapter 3, verse 18.

If you know yourself and know your opponent - you will win a majority of your battles.
If you know yourself and you don't know your opponent - you will win about half your battles.
If you don't know yourself (e.g. having "tilted", playing drunk or tired...) and you don't know your opponent - you will win very few battles.

I would like to add (as obvious as it seems)...

If you know yourself, and you know your opponent(s) while your opponent(s) doesn't know you - you will win more than the majority of your battles....

As such shifting gears, from loose to tight, from aggressive to meek - is the best way to play. The best poker is when your opponents are trying to figure out how you are playing while neglecting to change their own strategies.

Sounds great in theory, but rarely can anyone pull it off.....particularly in the online world - where (more often than not? who knows with no real regulatory authority in the matter....) the cards seem to defy statistical reality or when online poker sites (Absolute Poker, Ultimate Bet....) use collusion or "super-accounts" for their benefit.

[JMUplayer]

JJ is one of those hands you think is good but really it's not.

[TheLock]

AJ is the mother of all dogsh*t hands.

[Pabinator]

JJ or QQ

[IcE]

72

[TheLock]

AA, KK and QQ are not hard hands to play if you don't overplay/ slowplay them too much on dangerous flops

I hope my next session I get dealt AA, KK and QQ once every orbit.

[andrew5]

unless you hit a set on the flop they are not that good

[daneblazer]

are you kidding me?

[andrew5]

no my pocket ks got beat by k6 turn 6 riv 6 that hand still drives me crazy dude had no reason to be in the hand after my raise after the flop

[TheLock]

Long term returns

[CRAZYBEAR007]

This is an excellent post as it goes to the heart of being a great Poker Player. Shakespeare I think said "To thine Own Self Be True". Laying down a monster starting hand is HARD, but lets face it if the flop comes with an A and there are 2 or more callers, someone has an ace. If you are heads up you have to know your opponent and read your opponent correctly to figure out whether he has it or not. That takes patience and the right size feeler bets not an all in push.

Good Luck on the Felt!

KK, or any pair to 10,10. When an A hits the board, you are just pissed because you know one of the remaining players has an A in his pocket.

However (as you stated), playing you cards is only half the game and you need to understand the players who are at the table. The hardest thing to do is lay down a hand that was a monster pre-flop. As such, position (and betting the position properly) is a key regardless if you win or lose.

The only exceptions are when there are maniacs or novices playing the table because in those cases anything goes and what you throw at them (or - in the maniac's case what he, or she, is feeding you) cannot be taken at face value.

Poker is about deception, and there lies the problem in fully analyzing the opponents at hand.

From the Art Of War (paraphrased) Chapter 3, verse 18.

If you know yourself and know your opponent - you will win a majority of your battles.
If you know yourself and you don't know your opponent - you will win about half your battles.
If you don't know yourself (e.g. having "tilted", playing drunk or tired...) and you don't know your opponent - you will win very few battles.

I would like to add (as obvious as it seems)...

If you know yourself, and you know your opponent(s) while your opponent(s) doesn't know you - you will win more than the majority of your battles....

As such shifting gears, from loose to tight, from aggressive to meek - is the best way to play. The best poker is when your opponents are trying to figure out how you are playing while neglecting to change their own strategies.

Sounds great in theory, but rarely can anyone pull it off.....particularly in the online world - where (more often than not? who knows with no real regulatory authority in the matter....) the cards seem to defy statistical reality or when online poker sites (Absolute Poker, Ultimate Bet....) use collusion or "super-accounts" for their benefit.

[cjhkaplan]

Are you kidding! I think it's big slick for sure. Pocket pairs are great compared to the KA, it's so easy to get fooled into thinking that, "oh, just one more call, if I hit I'll have top pair", and then, when my chips are gone, saying, "aargh! I will never do it again." Then, 3 days later, when I land AK, what do I do? "oh, just one more call". It never works for me, but I alway think that this time it will.

[greywind50]

QQ is my toughest to play....too many K's and A's possible on flop

[tcaldwell]

by far AA it sucks in my opinion lol

[tcaldwell]

but I really love to play 72 off, its a good one!

[Pabinator]

I change my mind, 10 10

[blueghost]

A-A SHOVE EAVERY TIME WILL TAKE THE BAD HITS

[PinTheDonkey]

I think people over play AA. I honestly just limp in hope someone raises and go all in if no one calls oh well. AA isn't that strong of a hand unless you flop a set. When it comes down to it AA is still only 1 pair.

[lolbear]

JJ and 1010 are probably the hardest hands to play on the flop of 3 undercards. Most of the time if your JJ flops 3 undercards the cards will be coordinated and especially with 1010 its not easy to convince yourself that you have the best hand

[TheLock]

Small hands, small pots

Big hands, big pots

[rink1]

AA isnt necessarily a difficult hand to play... just you have 2 ways to play it, slow play and fast play. its not very versatile

[Hotdiggity11]

AA isnt necessarily a difficult hand to play... just you have 2 ways to play it, slow play and fast play. its not very versatile

Preferably all the MIPF.

[rink1]

^^

[Czu81]

A10o and any Ace rags.....

[andrew5]

I think people over play AA. I honestly just limp in hope someone raises and go all in if no one calls oh well. AA isn't that strong of a hand unless you flop a set. When it comes down to it AA is still only 1 pair.

exactly you only got 2 outs with any pocket pair they hit 2 or or a bigger set

[korbal29]

Of all those years I am playing i will say JJ is the worst hand to play

[montipoli]

Ak, aq, aj

[rink1]

i think in general, the hardest hand to play will be situationally different. what makes a hand hard to play (in my opinion, those hands that are likely to not make very much money while having a decent chance to win after the river) are those that are made obvious by your playstyle. if you can keep mixing your game up, you will find that there is not one particular hand that is more difficult than the other, mainly because against bad players, it doesnt matter, and against good players, its not your cards, its how you play them. so if you play without much confusion against good players, all your hands will be hard to play.

[Jsmooth411]

99, the flop never comes without one overcard!

[jram68]

KK is the hardest. If you bet too hard you win the blinds. If you bet too soft, then some donkey calls with A-x and takes you down on the flop. This doesnt happen every time but TOO frequently.

[shady610]

99.. any over looks like it hit your opponent

[wal66]

For me personally, every hand is equal. I will lose in the end with them all.