Poker Hands That Total 20 Or 21
KQs – This hand is almost as good as AK suited, but look out for an ace on the flop. One out of three times that you make a flush with this hand, the ace of your suit will be on the board. I often don't mind getting an ace on the flop, because if a jack or 10 comes with it, I have the nut straight-draw. It traps anyone holding an ace if you make the straight.
KJs, KlOs – With these hands, you'd rather pair the jack and 10, because a pair of 10s with a king kicker is a better hand than a pair of kings with a 10 kicker (given that most hands will come down to a contest of kickers, and whatever you pair on the board might also pair your opponents' hands). Until you see the flop, you should usually play these hands as if they weren't suited, unless you're raising to steal the blinds.
QJs, QlOs, JlOs – These hands do best when played against a large field or against a single opponent. If you make a straight with one of these hands, it will usually be the nut straight. You'd therefore like to have all the other players putting money into this pot that you're going to win. If you have one of these hands and you flop only top pair, then you'd like to play the hand against only one player, where you have the best chance of winning the hand.
AK – Popular poker wisdom says to raise before the flop with this hand, but my years of experience at the table and on the computer have convinced me that you should usually just limp in. The exceptions are if you're in late position and can raise in an attempt to steal the blinds, or if the game is short-handed and you can raise to knock players out. You won't flop another ace or king about 75% of the time.
If you raise before the flop and then miss, you'll often be in a position where you really don't know how to play on the flop. I recommend you think carefully about raising before the flop and don't do that to yourself if you're a beginning player. You should, however, occasionally raise with AK in late position, just as you would with pocket queens or jacks. It'll help you throw off your more observant opponents. If you get a good flop, great! You'll have gotten in an extra bet with a winning hand.
If you miss, you'll still find that the other players will often check to you, since you raised before the flop. You can surprise them by checking also and seeing the turn card for free. Sometimes they will even check around to you again, assuming that now you'll bet, since you showed strength before the flop, and the bets have doubled. You can check again and see the river card-and therefore the entire hand-for free. Do you see how one little raise before the flop set up all these advantages?
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