Weregoat
Visionary
Silver Level
Given the choice between always getting Pocket Aces dealt to me, or always getting 57s dealt to me, I would still pick pocket Aces, however, that doesn't mean I prefer playing it.
Don't get me wrong, it's the #1 hand preflop, but given the board, it could cost you a lot more than it's going to give you.
If deepstack poker is "One monster hand defeating another monster hand", how many hands am I going to have pocket Aces and get my money in with the best?
Maybe TpTk type hands. But more often than not when you get the bulk of your money in, it's against two pair or better. Why?
When I'm dealt pocket aces, unless a very obvious straight or flush flop comes out that fits into my opponents range, I'm okay with committing 100% of my remaining stack on any street. Why? I don't know, I can't fold this hand. Call it my weakness as a poker player.
Hell, I'll shove a monotone flop sometimes. I'm just that awesome.
Anyway, what I'm getting at, is that AA is the best hand preflop, hands down, no questions asked, but how much of that strength transfers over to the flop. Did you know if you flop a set of aces, and by the turn you don't have a fullhouse, there is a multitude of straight draws (even possibly made straights). The only time people are willing to get their money in bad against you tends to be like I said, TpTk (ussually players who are short-stacked or... not that good... like me), or set over set. And when you have a set, that kills the action for a lot of hands like KK QQ, TpTk... Especially when you show aggression.
I will never call with AA preflop (unless I'm planning on being tricky, depends on table atmosphere), and the only time I like having AA is when the flop comes garbage and uncoordinated, and preflop. It's just so hard to fold. And some of the biggest pots I've seen change hands ($1200 in $1 chips, and $1200 in $5 chips... That one was much less crazy...) were Aces beat by trips.
Against KK and QQ, the action can get heated preflop and I can expect to get the bulk of my money in good, but more often than not either I hit and you miss (I win small pot), and rarely you hit big and I miss (I lose giant pot). Or I get my money in bad and suck out on you.
AND I HATE GETTING MY MONEY IN BAD.
If I were to be blessed with AA in the hole every deal I got for the rest of my poker career, I would simply overbet/jam preflop every hand ever. Eventually somebody's gonna get something to call you down with, and HU this could be quite a boon. But I'd much rather play hands like suited connectors and suited one-gappers. They're more fun, more lucrative, and their power tends to be disguised, not to mention you can fold them when you're behind, as this way you're not engaged to the strength of your hand, but you can make considerations based on the hand's potential after some cards come out.
But it seems my line for AA is bet/raise every street and watch for aggression and hope I'm ahead when my last chip hits the pot. Man, do I get in some trouble with this garbage.
Just something I've been thinking about out here in boring Iraq.
Regards,
WG
Don't get me wrong, it's the #1 hand preflop, but given the board, it could cost you a lot more than it's going to give you.
If deepstack poker is "One monster hand defeating another monster hand", how many hands am I going to have pocket Aces and get my money in with the best?
Maybe TpTk type hands. But more often than not when you get the bulk of your money in, it's against two pair or better. Why?
When I'm dealt pocket aces, unless a very obvious straight or flush flop comes out that fits into my opponents range, I'm okay with committing 100% of my remaining stack on any street. Why? I don't know, I can't fold this hand. Call it my weakness as a poker player.
Hell, I'll shove a monotone flop sometimes. I'm just that awesome.
Anyway, what I'm getting at, is that AA is the best hand preflop, hands down, no questions asked, but how much of that strength transfers over to the flop. Did you know if you flop a set of aces, and by the turn you don't have a fullhouse, there is a multitude of straight draws (even possibly made straights). The only time people are willing to get their money in bad against you tends to be like I said, TpTk (ussually players who are short-stacked or... not that good... like me), or set over set. And when you have a set, that kills the action for a lot of hands like KK QQ, TpTk... Especially when you show aggression.
I will never call with AA preflop (unless I'm planning on being tricky, depends on table atmosphere), and the only time I like having AA is when the flop comes garbage and uncoordinated, and preflop. It's just so hard to fold. And some of the biggest pots I've seen change hands ($1200 in $1 chips, and $1200 in $5 chips... That one was much less crazy...) were Aces beat by trips.
Against KK and QQ, the action can get heated preflop and I can expect to get the bulk of my money in good, but more often than not either I hit and you miss (I win small pot), and rarely you hit big and I miss (I lose giant pot). Or I get my money in bad and suck out on you.
AND I HATE GETTING MY MONEY IN BAD.
If I were to be blessed with AA in the hole every deal I got for the rest of my poker career, I would simply overbet/jam preflop every hand ever. Eventually somebody's gonna get something to call you down with, and HU this could be quite a boon. But I'd much rather play hands like suited connectors and suited one-gappers. They're more fun, more lucrative, and their power tends to be disguised, not to mention you can fold them when you're behind, as this way you're not engaged to the strength of your hand, but you can make considerations based on the hand's potential after some cards come out.
But it seems my line for AA is bet/raise every street and watch for aggression and hope I'm ahead when my last chip hits the pot. Man, do I get in some trouble with this garbage.
Just something I've been thinking about out here in boring Iraq.
Regards,
WG