[w16227]

The hands themselves are taken from another sites poll, but I think that it is an interesting discussion.

Shortstacked at a final table (6 players). You push all in from MP and have one caller.

Which hand would you rather have, AK unsuited or a smaller pocket pair (44-99 )

Be sure to include why.

You do not know your opponents holdings yet.

[andrewst2]

This is a hard question, but I would have to say the small pocket pair.

My reasoning would be that unless you run into a large pair before the flop you are at least a 50-50 shot to win. But that can also be said about the AK.

It would also depent on position at the table and the general feel of the table (loose, tight, etc).

Scott

[jmda]

Against any hand but a bigger pair, I am a favorite with my little pair, so I chose little pair.

Though I will do the same with AKo and did yesterday at Caesars Indiana in a one table $55 +10 WSOP Circuit Satellite. I ended up against two callers - one with a weaker A and the other with pocket 10s - I flopped an A to win the hand.

It is a tough call between the options above, but more people get knocked out of tournaments with AK than any other hand. IMO AK is a little overrated - but I still take the hand as often as possible

[VARoadstter]

I'll take the pair.

Reasons:

1) Statistically it's ahead of AKo.
2) If I catch another to make trips I've got a very strong hand.
3) At a 6-handed table, pocket pairs go up in value.
4) As a short stack, I will need to win some chips to make a difference. I may get action from others holding two face cards or a single ace thinking that I'm on a steal.
5) With one caller, my hand goes up in value.

Those will do for starters.

[jojobinks]

i took AK.

it's more likely to be behind (by a little) but more likely to dominate potential callers (smaller aces).

[jmda]

Originally Posted by jojobinks

i took AK. it's more likely to be behind (by a little) but more likely to dominate potential callers (smaller aces).

I do that like that point. My example from yesterday is a case in point. My AKo got called by 10s and a bad A - If I had smaller pair I would have been dead to two outs.

Still short stacked with either a small pair or AKo -most people are going all-in.

[FreckleDaddy]

Although I also think that AK is an overrated hand I picked it in this situation. The only real hands you're worried about are AA and KK, and even up against KK you still have around a 30% chance. You're pretty much a coin flip versus lesser pocket pairs, as well there's a good chance you'd have someone dominated.

The problem with going all in with small to medium pocket pairs is that you're pretty much guranteed to be in a coin flip. This is more likely as your pocket pairs get smaller. Best case scenario is someone calls with a smaller pair, worst case scenario someone has a bigger pair. More often than not, someone will call with two overcards putting you in a race situation.

I'm not very good at races, though it's not really a skill. It doesn't matter which side I'm on (pair vs. overcards) I usually lose. So my advice is play strong and don't get shortstacked. Although that's easier said than done.

Fd

[pager23]

I'll take the small pocket pair.

With a wired pair, you are really only worried about a bigger pair. With AKo you still only have a drawing hand, and you will most likely be up against another drawing hand (possibly ANY two from the big stack). Personally, I don't like those races as much as the ones where I already hold a pair.

[jalsing]

I think I voted the pocket pair on the other poll, but I've voted AKo here, as I've thought about a few things. Knowing that if you're called by a range of say TT-AA/AK/AQ at least with the AK you're only way behind the AA/KK, a coinflip with the TT-QQ (and any other PP which may call) and dominating the AQ (and any other Ax which may call)

With say 44, you have to worry that many of the calling hands will have YOU dominated, and at BEST you're looking at a coinflip, even against marginal hands like TJs, QJs, etc.

With AK, there are at least a few situations where you're way ahead, not so much with the lower PP.

Still, I'm pushing with either in the given situation.

[Pavel6969]

I push with either of those hands if I am shortstacked, but for this poll I picked Ace/King. Reason being, if I am to only have one caller, and I pushed first, I would guess the caller is holding some paint and is hoping to knock me out. Probably has an Ace or King in their hand, which puts me in dominating position.

A pocket pair is still a coin flip to two overcards. If I had more than one caller I would be better with the pocket pair since chances are the other players would have some of each others cards. But for one caller, I prefer Ace/King.