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Strategy on Playing Pocket Kings

January 6, 2008

As the second best starting hand in Hold’em, people are usually thrilled to see pocket Kings. Preflop they are usually just as good as Aces, and should be played generally the same way. It is after the flop that the play can be confusing for some, and there are mistakes that can be made by the inexperienced players.

The best way to play KK is against only one or two players. By raising preflop you can usually narrow it down to this field, but if you don’t, you have to know that the more people in the pot, the less likely you are to have the best hand after the river. Trapping on a full table is never going to be the right decision. The only way that trapping is effective is if you are heads up or if there are only two or three people left. Even in limit hold’em where people tend to stay until the last card you should still plan on raising. When it comes to raising in no limit you should raise enough to limit the playing field but no so much that they all fold - usually three to four times the big blind.

Post flop play is pretty typical, unless you come across the worst case scenario - The Ace. If there is not an Ace on the flop then try to maximize the pot by raising and re-raising unless something obvious is up there like a 3 card flush or straight. If you do see an Ace it is proper to bet it out, just to see if they will fold, unless of course there is a King on the flop as well, and then you may want to consider checking to see if they bet. If they re-raise you with the Ace up there you will have a very tough decision to make, and that is not going to be fun at all. Most likely if you are being re-raised you need to fold. Unless you know someone is a constant bluffer, it is really not a hand you are going to win most of the time. When you become more experienced you may be able to get them off their Ace, but until then, the fold is usually the best play. In limit, it is different. If you don’t mind losing a few chips you can simply hang around, although technically you should try to maximize and not minimize your chips.

The one mistake that is commonly made is the all-in preflop with pocket Kings. It’s not that they aren’t a great hand, but an Ace can, and will beat it. By not going all-in preflop you give yourself the ability to get out if an Ace comes on the flop. Also, if you raise pref lop the chances of you being up against someone with A/K or A/Q are pretty great, so it is best to raise a little and then bet a lot if an Ace doesn’t come up.

So, just keep in mind, you want to be aggressive, but not so much so that you either scare people away or put them all in with their Ace. Good Luck!

Written by Tom · Filed Under Poker Strategy |  

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