Best pocket cards versus the Pocket Rockets?

[solrac87]

Let's say you are heads-up against someone with pocket Aces. It's preflop, and you look down at your cards.

What would be the best hand against the pocket Aces at this point?

I asked my friend this question last night, and he said, KQ suited. I thought, not bad, but the potential straights that could be made are not good with the two aces already in play.

So I thought, maybe another pocket pair. However, you only have 2 outs to hit the set and win the hand. So whether you have pocket 2's or pocket Kings, I think you have the same odds of winning against pocket Aces. Heck, pocket sevens might be better than pocket kings versus the aces because you have the same chances of hitting the set, but you have more cards in the deck to make the straight.

I think the best hand versus pocket Aces could be something like 7-8 suited. Normally, this isn't that great. But think, you have the possibility of hitting the flush or the straight (and you don't need an ace to make the straight like you would with KQ). You could also hit a pair of sevens or eights on the flop, and then after that, who knows? Two pair or maybe a set.

What do you think about this? Of course, any hand is an underdog to pocket Aces. But I think something like 7-8 suited or 8-9 suited would fare better against American Airlines than Pocket Jacks or Kings.

[tonytal]

I read somewhere somebody ran a test on Turbo Texas Hold 'em and I believe that the two cards that beat Aces the most were 56s.

TT

[thepheonix]

Well.... To be honest: 5 6s have the same odds against the AA as 8 9 s and 7 8 s and 6 7s. The two suited connectors would have to be of different suits than the Aces. The player then is looking for the flush, straight, two pair (or long shot trips/full house/quads). You do not want KQs because straight outs are gone. You want cards who cannot make a straight with the aces. Therefore no 10's or above and nothing below 5. The exact odds of those connectors vs. Aces is: 23%. So.... a little more than one in five times it will crack it. (I used an analyzer for these figures)

[UnluckyKyle]

any suited connector would have the best chance... but, keep in mind that some are better than others.

2-3, 3-4, A-K, and K-Q would have the lowest chances of hitting a straight.

[sand_man808]

I know for a fact that it's 56s... I cracked A's big time with it

especially when the flop, turn and river ended up with A,2,3,4,5

[UnluckyKyle]

5-6 isnt the only one. Seriously, 5-6s has the EXACT same chances of taking down pocket A's as 6-7s.

[UnluckyKyle]

oh, and in that example... the genius holding 6-7 makes you his little schoolgirl.

[Sente]

65s, 76s, and 87s are tied for best chance of beating AA. 65s has a microscopic edge in EV because it gets a few more ties (ie. QJT98 boards - 0.05% of the time) than 76s which gets the same tiny, tiny edge in ties over 87s.

98s ranks slightly below because when it hits TJQ it can turn into a four straight with the K giving AA the win.

The thinking here is correct. Pairs are dominated. Suited connectors are the best chance. Middle cards have more straight possibilities then high or low one. High connectors lose outs to the Aces and two pair can be triumphed by Broadway.

[Always_Bored]

oh, and in that example... the genius holding 6-7 makes you his little schoolgirl.

haha, so true

[UnluckyKyle]

Sente, thanks for making that clarification... i completely forgot about playing the board. However, i wouldnt exactly call that a win.

[boden12]

for me it always seems like K5off 56off or a bunch of other garbage hands. I've had AA cracked so many times it's disgusting, and NO I don't limp in with them either. Last Sat. night I was playing in a pretty loose 1-3$ (any) game and had built up some good table rep. Got AA UTG and raised it to $4 to go and actually get everyone to fold except for the big blind. He calls after everyone at the table is saying 'do it'. Flop is like J-9-3 and he bets, I raise, he re-raises and I call, then I go into call mode after he seems way too aggressive. I was right, he flips up J9off for 2 pair on the flop!! Mind you this was HEADSUP AA vs J9off and he smokes it.

Tho later on I snagged AA again and only raised like $2 and got a bunch of callers and hit my A on the turn (tho it did put out 3 of the same suit) but I still had the best hand and the pot more than made up for the loss I took against J9.

And then I got to beat pocket Queens who hit a set on the flop with J10s...that was nice.

[MelJudah]

Hey, I'm 13 and have been playing hold'em for four months now and love the game and every factor about it including odds. I read early on in the forum people were talking about 56s having the same odds as 67s and 89s which completely inaccurate. 56s has odds taken away because 2 aces are in play giving a much lower posibilty of the A-5 straight, 67s and 89s do have the same odds. But the A-5 straight would be harder to form. 67s and 78s would have better odds for they could form their bottom straight of 2-6 or 3-7 much more easily (no outs are taken by the opponet). As for pocket pairs pocket sixes, sevens, eights, or nines are the best against aces all other pocket pairs involve the ace to make one of their possible straights and have fewer possible straights. Tens through kings would give you fewer chances for a striaght aswell as dueces through fives. 67s, 89s or pocket sixes seven eights or nines are your best bet. But nobody fool you i know what i want against pocket aces and thats .....well pocket aces. please reply

~Dave, CT, 13~

[MelJudah]

^^^^89s at the end typo=78s***^^^^above 89s as someone said before does not have the same odds as 8 to a Q and 9 to K gives better odds for aces to form a straight

[MelJudah]

5-6 isnt the only one. Seriously, 5-6s has the EXACT same chances of taking down pocket A's as 6-7s.

*as i said innacurate*

[racquet000]

mid suited connectors.