Playing Aces And Faces On The Flop - Tips & Advice

In this lesson you’ll understanding the role of aces and picture cards (which are also known as 'faces') in a poker flop.

Aces and faces are very valuable cards so you'll want to use them wisely. A pair of aces is the highest hand achievable in the pre-flop. And just in case you aren't sure, the pre-flop is when all players are holding their own two cards.

If you're fortunate enough to hold an ace and a king before the flop then you've already got a good head-start. It's a pretty powerful set of cards you've got there so it wouldn't be unreasonable to place a relatively high bet.

But what's the best thing which could happen at this point? Well, it would be fantastic for you if an ace turned up on the flop because this gives you a valuable pair of Aces. Although it is a powerful hand at the moment, things can change on the turn, which is when the fourth community card is revealed.

Here's an example to make things clearer for you. If in the flop we see an ace of hearts, a queen of spades and a 10 of spades before a jack of spades appears in the turn, then your pair of aces could easily lose against a much stronger hand.

This set-up has the potential to provide another player with a straight (if they have an 8 and 9 in their hand) or even a royal flush if they have a king and ace of spades. This is why you might want to proceed with caution for the rest of the round since your pair of aces is not a hand you will want to re-raise all-in with. Just assess the situation and do what you feel is right at the time.