Don't be so quick to go all-in with Big Slick
Alright, people. I’ve refrained from talking strategy for a while. Why? Because I don’t want to give a lot of my game away, but you’ve pushed me over the edge. I know. The World Poker Tour and maybe even the World Series of Poker broadcasts on ESPN have you believing that Big Slick (A,K) is all that and a bag of chips…
BUT...
and this is a big but coming...
it isn’t.
Pre-flop, big slick is not that good. It loses against a pair…even a pair of ducks. Yes, that’s right. Don’t treat it like aces. It’s is not the same. I’m not going to get all math-y on you, but it’s only about 46 or 47% likely to win against most pairs…and that’s less than half, people. (See, I can do some math! Take that, Sr. Nilus, may you rest in peace.)
Most of y’all are willing to risk a whole mess of your chips, many times going all-in without blinking or even
thinking AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE with this hand for less than 50% of a likelihood of a win.
Are ya nuts? Big slick is not DA NUTZ, people? Get over your love affair with it and stop calling everyone else a donkey for calling you when you make your boneheaded move with it.
Big slick is a drawing hand. That’s all it is. You should proceed with caution and play it smarter. Be willing to toss it into the muck pile and ditch it at the first sign of trouble.
Post flop. Read the flop. If the texture isn’t good…all low cards, get out. Straights that don’t include the Broadway, two cards that aren’t aces or kings, get out. Suited cards that you aren’t holding, get out.
Turn and river…same kinds of advice apply and add to that, if someone bets big and you have nothing, get the HELL OUT OF THE POT!
There, I’m done. Hopefully you learned something.
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