Pocket Kings Strategy

Our starting Hand is pocket Kings - KK - a very good hand, although it must be played correctly, as theese hands bring us income in cash game and a lot of chips in tournaments. Playing two kings is almost the same as game with two aces, but there are some differences.

No matter what position at the table you have - you make a raise. Raise should be about 3-4 big blinds, if you play a freeroll or play on Micro Limit, you raise should be more. Why we do a raise? This is done due to two reasons:

• When playing head's up (1-1) you have a 82.6% chance of winning, but if the number of players is 4 - it is only 49.7% Thus, the more rivals, the less chance you have to the winning. Making a raise, you reduce the number of opponents to 1-2
• Since you have the second strongest starting hand - the chances of victory are enormous, then making a raise provide you a large bank, which will be often yours, than enyone elses.

After the raise you get one or two calls in good scenario (Bad scenario assumes that everyone fold), this is what we are waiting from our opponents. Sometimes we have reraise, then it is better to rereaise those players and go for all-in. Same we should do after the call.

Play Pocket Kings after the flop:

After opening the flop, you have to bet with pocket Kings in any situation, but in the case of reraise from one player and reraise from another it is better to fold. If you see Ace at the flop and someone makes reraise ir huge raise, then you should fold in any situation. Let's analyze what can be bad for us:

1. Three cards of one suit and you do not have this suit.

2. Flop TT3, JJ8, etc

Generally, we should realize that if the first player reraise our bet - with pocket kings - , and the next player also reraised, then we can assume that the first player raised with higher pair (we have winning hand in 1-1 game, so we should raise and go for all-in) but the second might have something better, 2 pairs for example, 3-of-a-kind (Set) or something even higher. Sometimes, at showdown we might see bluff or middle/higher pair, which we would win, but I personally think it is better to fold with the chances of 50-50 (and sometimes less), than to risk our stack or more.

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Play Pocket Kings after the turn:

Let's suppose that after the opening of the flop with pocket kings, you bet and someone calls it (1-2 players), now have opened turn and what will be your actions? Of course to raise and it must be bigger than the previous one. If you get reraised from one or more players, then we must fold,they probably have strong hand, but let's imagine what they could have? The following cards we see on the table:

1. Four cards of the same suit and you do not have this suit.

2. Four growing or lowering cards like: 8 9 10 J,  6 7 8 9

3. Ace on the table.

Also take into account that your opponent player called you before the flop, called you after the flop and reraised after turn, then in 70-80% of cases, you lose.

Play Pocket Kings after the river:

We need to bet ( with pocket kings) in case of call. Opponent might have something, but does not show his strength, as he calls our bets, probably he has flush draw or straight draw or he has middle or higher pair. In case of reraise or all in we should analyze the board and in most cases fold especially when following cards are on the table:

1. Two suited cards on the flop and other, and on the river comes third card of same suit.
2. On the board two-way straight draw, for example 6 7 8 9 
3. Second card of the same rank appeared on the river, for example 2 5 9 Q and another Q on the river.
4. Ace, it is very bad news for you.

In other cases, you should also think seriously about your actions, if your bet is answered with a huge reraise or All-in, do not forget, that you have only pocket Kings and the opponent might have any other combination.

Enjoy your game!