AK preflop. Question on Concept 22 in NLHTAP.

[Paul McSwizzle]

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It kinda depends on the AK...

AK suited is the 3rd most powerful pre-flop hand. You're only dominated by AA and KK (and KK isn't even too horrible). Plus, you have nut flush possibilities.

AK unsuited is still powerful, since NLHE is a game of highest pair most of the time (not *all* the time...many folks have lost a ton of money going all in with top pair top kicker), but you're lacking the nut flush possibilities (Well...unless you catch 4 to your ace).

It's not a "made" hand either way...so someone with QQ or JJ is technically ahead of you (it's a coin flip if you're suited, but you're the one that needs to catch, and you're behind in the 52-48 percent chase...4% is a large difference no matter what they say on tv)), and those are the kinds of hands folks will push all-in with.

So it's not necessarily a hand to stake your life on if someone with around your stack size pushes all in before you...it's a coin flip, and you really don't want to chance a tourney on a coin flip, you want to chance it when you're clearly ahead.

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22-AA are all ahead of you "hot and cold."

To the OP, position isn't really that important when you are just shoving AIPF because there is no post-flop play.