Playing Pocket Aces in Different Poker G...

Since many people consider Texas Hold’em to be the only form of poker out there these days, they often look at pocket aces as the holy grail of poker.  But the truth is that pocket aces aren’t always so valuable once you get them outside of Hold’em.  With that in mind, here is a look at how pocket aces play out in different variations of poker.

Texas Hold’em

As mentioned before, pocket aces are the best possible hole cards you can get in Texas Hold’em.  There is no stronger card combination you can be dealt before the flop!  Whenever you get pocket aces in Texas Hold’em, you should be trying to get as much money in the pot as possible.   

Omaha

When you move from Texas Hold’em to Omaha, the power of pocket aces diminishes somewhat.  That’s because players receive 4 hole cards in this poker game and, because of this, there are more opportunities for straights, flushes, and sets.  Still, pocket aces are valuable in Omaha as they can help players form powerful straights and flushes.

Razz

Since the point of Razz is to form the worst hand possible, pocket aces won’t help your cause much.  If you happen to receive pocket aces in Razz then your best bet for winning is to do a naked bluff.  But this move is quite risky so you’re definitely better off just folding.

Seven Card Stud

Pocket aces are very valuable in Seven Card Stud because pairs and two pairs often win hands in this game.  If you are able to get another pair through your upcards, in addition to pocket aces, then you will probably be in command of the hand!

Why Cussing at the Poker Table is Good...

Major poker organizations like the WPT and WSOP have worked hard to curb the profanity-laced games of old into more family-friendly events.  And the way they’ve done this is by punishing those who can’t control their language with time outs where people often have to sit for 10 minutes while blinds are taken from their stacks.  Players like Mike Matusow and Todd Brunson have found out that poker big whigs don’t take the rules lightly either.

However, as looked down upon as cussing in poker is, there are plenty of people who think that swearing is good for the game - or at least the players.  An article I recently saw on the subject featured a Massachusetts College psychologist by the name of Timothy Jay.  Jay went on to note that cursing is actually good for people - especially poker players who’ve lost a significant amount of money.

When a person swears, they are releasing tension and frustrations that those who hold these emotions inside would otherwise not.  So, according to Jay, being a holy roller who turns the other cheek when they suffer a bad beat isn’t good for one’s health.  Another advantage of releasing your frustrations through cussing is that you’re less likely to resort to violence.  Perhaps this is a reason why you don’t see poker players brawling at the table after getting in a major verbal dispute (that and the fact that major money and sponsorships are on the line).

So really it’s in the best interests of the WSOP, WPT, and similar organizations to let poker players release their emotions through swearing.  And, in reality, even the WSOP understands this since they say non-excessive cursing that isn’t pointed at an individual is alright.  It’s only when things get out of control (a la Matusow) that they bring the hammer down.