American Airlines

"American Airlines" is a popular nickname for pocket Aces (AA) in Texas Hold'em, derived from the "AA" stock symbol of American Airlines. This is the strongest possible starting hand in Hold'em, making it a highly desirable holding that players dream of being dealt.

Key Points

Strongest preflop hand in Hold'em
Approximately 85% favorite against any single hand
Wins about 31% of the time multiway
Often referred to as "bullets" or "rockets"

Playing American Airlines

Preflop: Usually raise or re-raise aggressively
Postflop: Play fast on most board textures
Multiway: Exercise more caution
Deep Stacks: Consider pot control occasionally

Common Mistakes

Playing too passively preflop
Overplaying on coordinated boards
Not adjusting to stack depths
Failing to extract value

Example Scenario

You're dealt A♠A♣ in early position at a 9-handed table. The standard play would be to open-raise to 3bb. If someone 3-bets, you would typically 4-bet to around 2.5x their raise size. However, if the 3-bettor is very tight or you're playing deep-stacked (200bb+), you might consider just calling to disguise your hand strength.

Other Nicknames

Bullets: Due to their power
Rockets: Because they're the highest pair
Pocket Rockets: Combination of above
Batteries: Due to the "AA" similarity

While American Airlines is the strongest starting hand in Hold'em, it's important to remember that it's still just one pair and can be outdrawn. Skilled players know how to maximize value while minimizing risk, especially in multiway pots or on dangerous board textures.