How to handle pocket AA

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blanco1400

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I have a question as how to play AA correctly post flop.. Now I know alot of what im asking depends on what the board looks like..

On a Kc10s3d board would you value bet your aces or push to try to take off straight draws? what if two were suited?

and what about a 997 board that you bet on the button but then get check raised after trying to take it down with a fairly large bet?

Basically im just trying to see how you guys handle your AA post flop.. Im having trouble
 
DaReKa

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Try to figure out their range, and bet accordingly. On both of those boards you should be value betting. Depending on what your opponent does can determine the rest of your action. Vs. many micro players you can stack off with it. Just don't use that as an excuse to never fold AA.

If you get check raised on 997, you need to know your opponent. If he check raises a wide range, call him, and then call again when he shoves turn or river. He'll show up with weaker overpairs and bluffs more than boats. If your opponent is very passive and making this move, you can think about folding. But most of the time at micro stakes, call in that spot.

Oh, and usually the pot is too small on the flop to justify shoving. If it gets as far as a 4bet that gets flatted. Then the pot could be large enough to shove. And the goal is not to force out straight draws, it's to get them to call with bad odds. If you shove you force out all of the hands that will pay you off (AK, KQ, Pocket Pairs, draws, floats) and get called by all the hands that are way ahead (KT, TT, 33). So that is the absolute worst way to play them.
 
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Beanfacekilla

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Playing AA post flop depends on a variety of factors.


Villain image(s).
Numbers of villains in pot.
Your image.
Board texture.

These are just some dynamics off the top of my head.




On Kc10s3d board for example...

First, consider hands that will call your bets... K-x, Q-J, PPs maybe like QQ and JJ, some 10x hands too (like A-10s with back door flushes perhaps).

Next, consider hands that may raise your bets (villain dependant). 2p, sets, TPTK, maybe OESD might raise you if they think you have air.


So if you can nail a range down, get value from worse hands and draws (don't pay off draws if they do hit if possible). Fold to better hands. Simple (not really, but it can be with good hand reading).


I don't think it's a good idea to try and shove to fold draws out. You are missing value. Bet enough that the price is bad for them to draw, but not enough to fold them out. That is the sweet spot. If they call a full pot bet with a naked FD, they are kinda making a mistake, and you will win from villains doing this in the long run.





So if you think villain has a hand you are beating, bet.


Bet on the K-10-3 board on the flop.



Raises in general mean more serious hands as the hand progresses. River raises are usually from pretty strong hands. Flop raises can be many hands that you might be ahead of.




I am just kinda rambling here. Sorry for that. I am just trying to list my thoughts on the issue.



So if all you have on the river is one pair (AA), and villain is making a big raise, you are probably behind (once again villain dependant).



Just play the rockets with caution, don't get wrapped up with them and forget to think about what the opponent has considering the board.




As for your image on the table....

If you have recently showed down some rags, or got caught in a bluff, etc, people might play back at you more.....

If every time you showdown you have monsters, people may play more cautiously vs you.


But remember, when you consider how you are perceived to others, think about the info they have to base their image of you on. Remember what hands opponents have seen, not the hands that did not make it to showdown.

For example, if you raised 9-2s on the button, and flopped a monster and stacked someone, people will remember that. They may think of you as the dude who raises with rags and plays bingo, just because if that one hand....

So they may flop TP crap kicker on K-10-3 board, and think they have you crushed, if you have gotten out of line recently.





These are just some random thoughts to consider when deciding how to play post flop with a hand like AA. Hope it helps.


Just remember, I this one pair. If villains are blasting away 3 streets, they most likely have you beat (depends though).
 
bkniefel

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i play aces like any other pocket pair except for the fact that its the best pockets and/or pair that you can have pre-flop and typically post flop.

i believe the key your position and your bet amount pre-flop. this will give you a great idea of what they are working with and what to expect post flop.

you will never know what they have until you put them in a spot. by betting high pre-flop (betting what you have) then you should know on a 997 board that he most likely doesnt have anything near that.
 
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blanco1400

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Well bkniefel I cant say I really agree..
Any lower pocket pair is played much more differently as you could easily miss set and have overs.. tough spot.. whereas with the AA you have the best over pair or set after flop but depending on flop is how you play them..

And ok i used these two hands as examples because they actually happened to me..
K103 board he was BB i was late position.. I had raised preflop 6x BB this was live btw.. and got called took 3 villians to flop.. well its checked around to me and i bet out obviously and get 1 caller.. Now its K1037.. he bets out now about 1/2 pot.. im probably putting him on AK or KQ maybe a chance of K10.. hadnt developed reads because i was about 6 hands in when i got them but i did notice him shove another player around and get caught for a nice amount.. So I call.. pots about 160 now.. another blank on river.. K10375..
obviously not putting him on the low straight.. He bets out again 100... I dont know what to do... I have a fear develop when i have a tough choice like this with a marginal hand.. But i call.. set of 3's.. oh well it happens.. i almost folded that..

About 2 1/2 hours later i got AA again.. now ive got a good sense of how everyone is playing im cutoff 3 limpers to me i raise to 20 get 5 to flop... Flop comes out 997 and one smallish bet by the guy i got AA against earlier and it gets to me so i reraise.. make it 75.. pots about 200.. well folds around to him and he has a much larger stack then me im probably up 75 hes up about 500.. well he says how much do i have and is kinda developing something idk.. Then he says he puts me all in.. Damnit.. Theres no way i can call right? I just cant.. He had such a wide range and played reasonably solid but i think im better honestly but anyway i end up folding.. I show AA.. Tables like omg why fold.. He mucks... FML... idk i think i made right decision... definitely wasnt worth my stack thats for sure.. Idk sorry guys
 
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jancika77

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I hate AA . It always make me believe that odd are so favorable to you that when I loose i feel sick to my stomach.
 
bkniefel

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I hate AA . It always make me believe that odd are so favorable to you that when I loose i feel sick to my stomach.
thats why you want the odds in your favor by getting as much money and less people in on the flop as possible.

thats what makes AA the best hand pre-flop.. theres a reason for that guys.
 
redcross

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It all depends on who you are post flop with. If it is a very aggressive player make him pay dearly to see every are post flop. If it is someone who plays super conservative I'm going to raise and be every closely watching what he does and base my plays off that. My philosophy is if I have AA make em pay.
 
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a board 997 shouldn´t be a problem since one raises prflop should be enough high to avoid cards like that, the only one who could put one in trouble could be a pocket 77, maybe a maniatic with A-9s or T-9s but anyway if one has that bad luck no look back, just keep playing as if nobody has such hands that are ahead of you because they ar really few compared with the whole range of hands they could have

in the wsop was a guy that went allin having TT and a flop AAT, tha problem was that the villain got AT so he lost in the very first hand, yes he lost his buy in first hand in wsop but he thought he was ahead and lost, that´s poker
 
blueskies

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Extract as much value as you can preflop, then slow down if villain shows strength. It's ok to just call postflop with AA against tight players showing unusual aggression. In some cases, fold.
 
rock0001

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it can be very tough playing aces post flop, unless of course you hit a monster. the most important thing to do is to analize the flop, and all the players who are involved in the hand. how do they play, are they tight or loose, and then evaluate the strenght of your hand. flop like kk2 are terrible especially if you are not heads up, so your hand wouldnt be that great postflop. a very different scenario would be a a97 rainbow, as you know you have the best hand, and its almost impossible to lose.
The most important thing to do with pocket aces is to isolate players, because aces arent that strong against more than 2 or 3 players. Then if the flop and also the turn and river arent good for you, you should consider folding the aces depending on the aggresion, and the style of villains. the most important thing is not to overestimate aces post flop as they are not ( in most cases) are the best hand.
 
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