Online Poker Strategy Articles

Jeff Henry

The worst hand to get in No-Limit Hold 'Em isn't what you may have heard, which is 7-2 off-suit. The hand of death - trust me on this - is A-Q. I know what you're thinking, this guy is either burnt out from years of heavy drug use, or he caught some bad beats with AQ. Both may be true, but hear me out anyway. I've busted out several times in the last two tables of WPT events in the last year with this foul accursed hand. Surely A-T is worse, or A-8' Nope. And now I'll tell you why this isn't so crazy a thing to think after all.

With A-K, when an ace or king flops, you always have top pair with top kicker. With A-Q, you can flop top pair with a beatable kicker, or a beatable top pair with top kicker. You're A-Q is really only good against weaker aces in most situations. You need to hit something if you're up against a pair, and you're in deep trouble if you're up against kings or aces.

In most decent games, you will be facing weaker aces very infrequently. Weaker aces likely won't invest much. Conversely, if you're up against A-K, you're probably going to lose a lot unless you really know how to lay down a hand. If you lead out and someone calls or raises behind you, how do you know if you're up against A-K even if you flop your top pair'

Beyond A-K as an opponent, think about this too. The hands people will be holding when there is a lot of action are aces, kings, queens, and A-K, all of which crush A-Q. In short, there just aren't many hands people play much at all that A-Q is better than. It is most useful as a hand to take blinds down with, which isn't so fabulous.

Thus, A-Q can make you a little, or lose you a lot. With 7-2, or even A-8, you don't make anything, but you aren't given your walking papers either.

I toss A-Q often. It never seems to do well. Try passing on A-Q for a while and see for yourself.

note by gank: Jeff Henry is a successful multiple table tournament player who understands how to win in no limit holdem tournaments.