In Texas Holdem AXs is the kind of starting kind that can win you a lot of money, but can also loose you a lot if you don’t play it right. By AXs here we mean an ace paired with a suited card below ten, since ATs and above can be played more aggressively. There a few things that should be kept in mind when playing AXs:
Position Matters
The most important aspect is your position in the table. In early position AXs usually isn’t a good hand, simply because you don’t have a good idea of what’s going to happen ahead of you, and you won’t know if the flop hit anybody. In middle and late position it starts to become playable, however even in these cases remember that AXs is a hand that likes to a lot of other players in the pot. When you make your flush, you want to maximize your winnings and make up for the times when you don’t hit. So pre-flop you usually only want to call if there are at least two or three people already in with you.
Playing the Draw
If you’re lucky enough to flop two of your suit, you now have a flush draw. This is often a very strong hand and can be played as such. If you’re in late position, consider betting or even raising. The idea here is that doing so will cause people to check to you on the turn, at which time you can either bet if you made your flush, or else check and see the river for free.
Betting for Value
If there are enough people in the pot with you, you can often bet or raise for value if you have a flush draw. There is around 2:1 odds to make the flush by the river, so if you can get at least three other people to call you’re making money in the long run, even if you don’t make the flush. Just be careful not to scare people off with too much betting or raising.
When an Ace Comes
It’s common to enter a pot with AXs and on the flop have an ace come but no flush draw. Players often loose a lot of money with these kinds of hands because they’re up against someone with a better kicker. If there are a lot of people with you, chances are one of them has an ace, so you should probably check and fold. With fewer people it can be worth betting, but be careful if you get raised or if there’s a lot of action. You can also use the trick of raising if you’re in late position, then checking on the turn if the board seems scary. But most of the time, it’s best to end it right there and wait for your next big flush to come.
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