How to play AA Pre-flop
When I first started playing NLH under two years ago, I use to slow play AA pre-flop (in early position) on the basis that it was a good idea to get as many callers as possible, as you would have a better chance at winning a big pot. As I started to read more about the game, played more, I realized that raising pre-flop was usually the best strategy as this was a hand that you would not normally want a lot of callers against as it was easy to lose your shirt if one of the callers happened to hit the flop, etc. Reducing the number of callers to one or two was the best strategy as it increased your chances of being ahead after the flop. I read recently that as most players raise pre-flop with premium hands like AA or KK, it is usually a better idea to slow play these hands as if you hit the flop, etc., no one will put you on these starting hands. I guess my poker knowledge has now gone full circle. As they say, it takes a few minutes to learn the game and a lifetime to master. Any comments? I know most people still follow the wisdom of raising with these starting hands in early position but I thought it was an interesting idea that if you are expected to raise with these premium hands, calling might actually be a better strategy. Does have some merit if you think about it. Although, in some situations calling is suggested if you anticipate a raise by one of the other players and this still gives you the opportunity to re-raise if you suspect that initial raiser will call you (effectively allowing you to double up).
Comments
But early on alot of players will see a flop for cheap, thus decreasing your odds to win the pot, so raise with your position.
In Limit poker, always fold pre-flop.* You're not going to win anyway.
Johnnie
*obviously a joke.
LOL that reminded me of the time I had AA which I raised and all other 10 people at Rama saw the flop. I bet out each time and got called, finally seeing the river with 4 other people. I assumed I was done but what the hell. I turned over AA and everyone went nice hand and mucked. Gotta love 2/5 limit.
Playing every hand the same way causes problems. Sometime I limp AA sometimes I raise AA. In a tourney situation full table if I"m getting short 20-30 BB I limp if there is an aggressive player behind so I can re raise. Shorter tables (ie 6 or less) I like limping so no one will put you on a hand. Every play has it's risk/reward. The other day I limp AA and 3 of us saw the flop which was all spades but gave me the set. I was beaten by the big blind with 8 3 spades.
Too funny, Joe.
I had Aces once at Brantfold, 6 to the flop, turned a set and took down $180 pot.
hehehe, gotta love getting the aces cracked by some 72o playing donk
????????????????????? ??? ??? ??? ???
Do you like to bet when you have a set? What about two pair? What if you have a straight with a hand like 6-8 on a board of 5-7-9-J-2 I mean, 10-8 could have you...
Personally, i'm a big fan of putting my money in ahead. But hey, that's just how I play. :eek:
Mark
Table '38437074 16' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: brett97 (5920 in chips)
Seat 2: wesleyw (6230 in chips)
Seat 3: derek8 (5150 in chips)
Seat 4: KMcKerall (2295 in chips)
Seat 5: haliboy5 (11455 in chips)
Seat 6: M&DAS (1800 in chips)
Seat 7: Sdkatz (4585 in chips)
Seat 8: DanKee (8146 in chips)
Seat 9: holla ur gir (9320 in chips)
brett97: posts the ante 25
wesleyw: posts the ante 25
derek8: posts the ante 25
KMcKerall: posts the ante 25
haliboy5: posts the ante 25
M&DAS: posts the ante 25
Sdkatz: posts the ante 25
DanKee: posts the ante 25
holla ur gir: posts the ante 25
wesleyw: posts small blind 200
derek8: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to wesleyw [As Ah]
KMcKerall: folds
haliboy5: folds
M&DAS: folds
Sdkatz: folds
DanKee: folds
M&DAS said, "y are u gettin all the hands"
holla ur gir: folds
M&DAS said, "u already have chips"
brett97: folds
wesleyw: raises 800 to 1200
derek8: raises 3925 to 5125 and is all-in
wesleyw: calls 3925
*** FLOP *** [6c Kh 9c]
*** TURN *** [6c Kh 9c] [Kc]
*** RIVER *** [6c Kh 9c Kc] [3h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
wesleyw: shows [As Ah] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
derek8: shows [Kd Ks] (four of a kind, Kings)
derek8 collected 10475 from pot
You didnt play them wrong u just took a bad beat.
I agree you got your money in as the fav and lost. He could have had two 7's and hit the straight as happened to me last night.
Don't talk to me about having Aces, and losing to a straight from a smaller pocket pair Joe! hahaha
Nice hand there, Wes. You suck at poker.
JohnnieH
LOL Bacon!!!!
but yeah, Greg is right...it all depends? I don't think AA is tricky to play unless you make it tricky to play.
You can't be scared with the BEST STARTING HAND. Yes, you will sometimes get beat but you will win more often than not. Playing it scared is a horrible way to play it. There is no one way to play aces just like there is no one way to play any hand. But pushing with Aces everytime is just ridiculous.
I was being sarcastic there, hence the ":D"
Tell me something I don't know
I was also being sarcastic there, hence the ":D"
LOL I wasn't talking about you.....hehehehe
Personally, i'm a big fan of putting my money in ahead. But hey, that's just how I play. :eek:
well in reply i would be weary of the higher run and be checking if called to the turn seeing the j but hey thats me i don't put into hands big style until Ive got the nutz and if i do raise pre flop or on the flop i only put in what i want to make or enough so i can lay down the hand if necessary
/g2
It really depends on a number of factors to me. Table composition and position. If I can raise in a way that I can get it heads-up then I will raise to push out everyone except the one caller. Otherwise, I may try to be fancy and limp or call someone else's small raise. But, if there are too many callers and the flop is dangerous, I have no problem folding. I guess this is the key, if you have trouble folding AA in any situation, then there's probably no point playing fancy. You may just be making things way too complicated.
The best rule of thumb for me is that if you allow more callers to see the flop, you have to read the betting post-flop to see if your AA is beat.
Don't bug Boy Blue... he'll email sloth and close the thread...
Careful, he's a high roller Greg..
Sincerely
Phil Ivey