odds question

[uwda 0]

I've used a couple of odds calculators on the web, and I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone can answer.1. They all calc the odds in relation to other hands. That's great, but what about the odds independent of any other hands? That is, AA wins x% of the time. 2. The odds for AK (suited) against 22 are 50.1 (AK) and 49.9 (22). Wow. That's sure not the way I would play it. I think of AK as a pretty strong hand, and if I play 22 at all, I fold if the flop doesn't get me a set. Am I missing something here?Thanks,J.

[Blink20 0]

1) The odds of your hand winning doesn't really matter if its not in relation to another hand. Poker is all about the relative value of your hand. A straight is a big hand against a pair, but worthless against a flush and so on. A pair of queens in the hole is usually powerful, but sucks against a pair of kings. Its basically useless to know how many % of the time your aces will hold, what does that % even matter? You should however know that in limit for example, in a very loose game, your aces won't be the favorite (over 50%) going to the river with lots of callers. But the time you win that one big pot compensates for all those times your aces get cracked.2) The stat that says AK wins more than 22, first of all, I have to disagree with just because of the infamous story of Doyle taking on the two guys and they ran AK vs 22 over and over again and Doyle took the deuces and their money. I'm pretty sure 22 is a slight favorite. As far as what that tells you about how you should play the hand, it doesn't. Yes, with deuces you want to flop your set, but almost the same holds for AK, you need to catch your A or K, depending on the game and your table ofcourse.

[dms26 3]

1) your chances of winning with AA vary depending on what hands you are up against. You are over a 90% favorite vs AK but only about 80% vs KK, so it does matter what you are up against.2) the odds for AK vs 22 really only matters for all in preflop situations. after the flop 22 is going to look bad on a flop of 678 but you are still a big favorite over AK, the problem is AK can move you off that hand with a bet.

[Sushiman 0]

Isn't AK only better than 22 in a multiway situation, and therefore wouldn't apply to the experiment doyle ran? Any pocket pair has the exact same odds against AK, from 22 to QQ, and it's always a slight favorite.

[dms26 3]

Isn't AK only better than 22 in a multiway situation, and therefore wouldn't apply to the experiment doyle ran? Any pocket pair has the exact same odds against AK, from 22 to QQ, and it's always a slight favorite.

low pockets pairs are a slight underdog to suited connectors because of the added straight/flush possibility.

[ziggy587 0]

2. The odds for AK (suited) against 22 are 50.1 (AK) and 49.9 (22). Wow. That's sure not the way I would play it. I think of AK as a pretty strong hand, and if I play 22 at all, I fold if the flop doesn't get me a set. Am I missing something here?This calculation is correct if the pair of 2's doesn't contain any of the same suit as the AK suited. If 1 of the 2's is the same suit as the AK, the the pair of 2's would be a slight 50.3 to 49.7 favorite heads up.

[Reallate2 0]

I dont play those odds with ducks either :shock: ....sometimes to my chagrin, but usually a good fold!

[Magnum666 0]

I think it was mentioned earlier, but the thing that makes 22 weak is the fact that you will face three over cards on all flops unless you trip up, making post flop play very difficult. Add to that the fact that you don't know you are up against AK; if your opponent has any pocket pair you are a huge dog. AK's strength lies in part due to the fac that it is only a huge underdog to two hands, AA and KK.