Starting Hands - Big Slick And How To Play It

Ace-King used to be the starting cards of folklore. Even today, some people consider it to be a “monster hand”.

Technically, it is the 5th or 9th best starting hand (on or off suit) and Whilst it offers great possibilities, you run the risk of being beaten by someone already with a pair.

The best way to play Big Slick is to get aggressive before the flop. You want to narrow the opposition a little or make them pay to stay in the game. This is because as soon as the flop hits, your position could change drammatically. The worst thing is to let everyone see a free card.

It is even worth re-raising. You want to use A-K as an opportunity to flush the losers out and gauge the people staying in. Your A-K is a kind of insurance that allows you to act dominantly and aggressively. This shows that you are confident in your hand.

Remember that nobody knows that you have an A-K. For all they know, they could fear that you have a pair of Aces. Especially if you raise again at the next betting round, unless someone has the nuts then they will probably fold or check.

Your assessment of your opponent and what kind of hand he has is key to executing a good Big Slick starting hand strategy.