How to strike a balance with AA

1/2 NL. Table consist of pretty loose players, constantly 4-5 players to the flop even after a raise to $8 preflop.

I'm 1 off the button with AA. 2 loose players to my right. Button just sat down so no read.

UTG+1 who is a loose pre-flop but solid post-flop (is there even such thing? but has seen him make a couple of good calls/lay downs) makes it $8 to go. 3 callers to me. This is a pot I want players in, but not too many. I was going to be raising, but to what amount?

Post Flop (my actual play, including turn and river) in white. Please critique

I raise to $24, button and SB fold. BB and original raiser calls. 2 of the original callers folded and 1 came along to the flop. Pot is $117.
Stack sizes, all of us (except 1 who had $60 or so) were between $100-150.

Flop comes A 10 5 rainbow
Checked around to me. Do I bet, or check and hope somene catches up (no straight/flush possibility.
I raised $25, 2 callers (BB and the short stack), $192 pot (excluding the rake)

Thoughts: After getting called, I was sure short stack would be moving in, or will be prepared to put all his money in. BB have shown down a couple of hands where he slow played trips/two pair until river, so I'm putting him on AK, A10, or 1010

Turn 7 gives two card flush on board (either club or spade, it was black though)
BB check, short stack goes all in for roughly $40, I smooth call, BB reraise all in for about another $50, I call. Main pot about $300, side about $100

River J

BB flips over A10, Short Stack said he had 55. I take the pot.
Original raise claimed he had QQ

Comments

  • I think you played it perfectly. You said you weren't sure if you should bet the flop, but you definately should have. With your reraise preflop I think the only thing a check when the ace hits will accomplish is to make your opponents suspicious. Play it straightforward.
  • Flop---how is there no straight/flush possibility -- you really think people are incapable of calling the raise and reraise with KQs/o at a low limit table? You need to bet that flop, that's a large pot to take at 1/2.
    Any freecard can put a flush draw out there as well, it is different if this is heads-up or a small pot, but the money is already sitting out there and you want it now.

    I didn't read the rest, that white thing is effing annoying.
  • Nice pot Wes - where did you take this down?

    And with raise $8- reraise to $24 - I think most KQ players would be gone. It is possible that it is out there - but not likely. I think in your position you are pretty certain you are ahead. Another set would be hand you would most likely be against and you had the best one.
  • I agree with GTA. Bet that flop and bet it fairly hard. With a flop of A-10-5 out there you don't want to see a K-Q-J hit on the turn. Lots of weak players will call fat raises pre-flop with cheese like K-Q, K-J, Q-J, especially the fools who love em sooted. If you check that flop and let someone hit for free you deserve to lose your stack.
  • I would make it $32 preflop, 16 more when the pot is already that big is an autocall for any decent hand. You are never getting away from this hand postflop so you need to make it expensive for those smaller pairs and suited connectors to hit a flop on you, but without necessairly killing all action. Definitely bet the flop, you have to chase out gutshots because the pot is enormous, I'd bet a little bit bigger, 30-35 seems like a nice number around 1/3 the pot. It chases out the gutshots but other made hands don't necessarily know if the bet shows strength or is a probe type bet. I would just push the turn, that pot is huge so if he has something he's coming along for the ride anyways but if he doesn't then you might as well protect what's in the middle because it's a monster monster pot already. Nice flop.
  • GTA Poker wrote:
    I didn't read the rest, that white thing is effing annoying.

    Sorry GTA,
    Here is the rest of it

    I raise to $24, button and SB fold. BB and original raiser calls. 2 of the original callers folded and 1 came along to the flop. Pot is $117.
    Stack sizes, all of us (except 1 who had $60 or so) were between $100-150.

    Flop comes A 10 5 rainbow
    Checked around to me. Do I bet, or check and hope somene catches up (no straight/flush possibility.
    I raised $25, 2 callers (BB and the short stack), $192 pot (excluding the rake)

    Thoughts: After getting called, I was sure short stack would be moving in, or will be prepared to put all his money in. BB have shown down a couple of hands where he slow played trips/two pair until river, so I'm putting him on AK, A10, or 1010

    Turn 7 gives two card flush on board (either club or spade, it was black though)
    BB check, short stack goes all in for roughly $40, I smooth call, BB reraise all in for about another $50, I call. Main pot about $300, side about $100

    River J

    BB flips over A10, Short Stack said he had 55. I take the pot.
    Original raise claimed he had QQ
    TNORTH wrote:
    Nice pot Wes - where did you take this down?

    It was in a home game one of my friend's brother hosts. Pretty juicy game.
  • I assume when you say you raised on the flop that you bet as I don't see any action infront of you. $25 is way too small there, you want to bet at least 1/2 the pot and hope someone else has a made hand or take it down there, it's a big pot.

    Turn...4 flush is out, you smooth call and fortunately the BB goes all in for you....you need to raise the all in with a 4 flush now there that you may have let in cheaply.

    Fortunately, no matter how you played this the fact that the BB called preflop with AT means you likely stack him regardless of how this is played. SB calling $24 preflop with only $65 behind is an atrocious play, but you will stack him regardless of the play on this hand as well.

    Um....were you dealing...mechanics grip?



    Nice pot.
  • GTA Poker wrote:
    Um....were you dealing...mechanics grip?



    Nice pot.
    westside8 wrote:
    I'm 1 off the button with AA. 2 loose players to my right. Button just sat down so no read.

    Looking back I felt $25 was way too small with that much in the pot already, but when I did make that bet, it was more like "I made a set, I want people to hang around" which caused me to make $25 instead of say a $40 bet.
  • Sure, that's understandable if the pot isn't already huge (for 1 2 that's a pretty nice pot).

    Of course, you know who you're playing against better than us. If you're fairly certain that they wouldnt call with suited broadway cards then you made a good move. Butttttttttt, the fact that AT and 55 with a short stack called you tells me that they could be playing KQ.
  • 1/2 NL. Table consist of pretty loose players, constantly 4-5 players to the flop even after a raise to $8 preflop.

    I'm 1 off the button with AA. 2 loose players to my right. Button just sat down so no read.

    UTG+1 who is a loose pre-flop but solid post-flop (is there even such thing? but has seen him make a couple of good calls/lay downs) makes it $8 to go. 3 callers to me. This is a pot I want players in, but not too many. I was going to be raising, but to what amount?

    Post Flop (my actual play, including turn and river) in white. Please critique

    I probably triple the bet. I make it $24 to go. If they all want to call for $24 I am thrilled.
    I raise to $24, button and SB fold. BB and original raiser calls. 2 of the original callers folded and 1 came along to the flop. Pot is $117.
    Stack sizes, all of us (except 1 who had $60 or so) were between $100-150.

    Cool. We do the same thing.
    Flop comes A 10 5 rainbow
    Checked around to me. Do I bet, or check and hope somene catches up (no straight/flush possibility.
    I raised $25, 2 callers (BB and the short stack), $192 pot (excluding the rake)

    I have always felt that Mike Caro gives awesome advice when he says: "Do what they expect you to do." They expect you to be. Do so. I make a 1/2 pot bet. $60.
    Thoughts: After getting called, I was sure short stack would be moving in, or will be prepared to put all his money in. BB have shown down a couple of hands where he slow played trips/two pair until river, so I'm putting him on AK, A10, or 1010

    Turn 7 gives two card flush on board (either club or spade, it was black though)
    BB check, short stack goes all in for roughly $40, I smooth call, BB reraise all in for about another $50, I call. Main pot about $300, side about $100

    Scarey. You have to call 50 into c. 310. Six to one odds is hard to turn down. What they got? The BB expects you to call. So, I think you are beat. It's possible he has KK or QQ or JJ. Very tough laydown. Ak seems possible too. I think I call.
    River J

    BB flips over A10, Short Stack said he had 55. I take the pot.
    Original raise claimed he had QQ

    Nice play, count the money.
  • Scarey. You have to call 50 into c. 310. Six to one odds is hard to turn down. What they got? The BB expects you to call. So, I think you are beat. It's possible he has KK or QQ or JJ. Very tough laydown. Ak seems possible too. I think I call.

    I don't get why you think the Hero is beat here. He has the nuts. And why would you only think to call? Isn't this an easy call. How could you not?

    Maybe I misread what you said. Maybe I am a dummy.
  • I don't get why you think the Hero is beat here. He has the nuts. And why would you only think to call? Isn't this an easy call. How could you not?

    I had the same problem when I read this.

    I assumed:

    1) He meant to bracket the section with the [/sarcasm][/sarcasm] button.
    2) He misread the action.
    3) He was into the sauce. :)

    Or some combination of the 3...
  • Oops... sauce. Definately the sauce.

    Generally, I try not to fold the nuts. The same applies here.
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