When to go all in?

8

888jamie888

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Total posts
10
Chips
0
I logged onto pokerstars today to play some 0.05/0.1 NL. The 2nd hand I got was AA. I re-raised a raise and then he put me all in...
With a bit of hesitation I called and won the pot.
Was that right to go all in pre-flop?
What would you say say the range is for going all in pre-flop?
 
G

gotchips

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 10, 2013
Total posts
58
Chips
0
if hes the one that put you all in then i hope your not folding pre flop....
 
B

Blown01Cobra

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Total posts
162
Chips
0
It's always scary doing it, because at the end of the day even a pair of aces is just a pair of aces pre-flop. The reality is, you could go all-in pre-flop against 7-2os, and the flop could give them a boat. But then, who in their right mind is going to go all-in preflop with 7-2 - no one, except for someone pulling an extremely risky bluff. So you know that going into it, they must have a strong hand, but if you hold pocket aces, you also know going into it that you have the stronger hand - and that's all you can do in poker is play your strongest hands...well, okay there's bluffing, too.

The thing is, poker is simply a game of implied odds and the odds are that with a strong raise or going all-in with AA is going to be a highly profitable bet in the long run. Sure, you're going to hit some bad beats from time to time, but that's why you should be using good bank roll management to ensure you don't bet every last penny you have.

So yeah, if you're forced all-in preflop on AA, I think that's a good move to make and one that will pay off in the long run. Just don't put your entire life on the line with it. I've played long enough to see those types of pocket hands pay off, but I've also played them and experienced some crushing blows. But just because it doesn't work out (or works out very badly) one time has no merit that it's not going to be the smart move for the majority of the time.

But poker is a game of implied odds, and the odds are that if you have AA pre-flop, it's going to be the leader.
 
Last edited:
IntenseHeat

IntenseHeat

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 21, 2012
Total posts
1,058
Chips
0
In OP you said A-A. In follow up you said A-K.

In the case of A-K, I would raise for sure, but try to avoid going all-in pre-flop with it. However, if forced into it, I don't know that I would lay it down. It would depend a lot on the table I was at and the player who shoved. Two hands at a table gives you very little info about your opponents. I can't say what I would do until I was in that spot. I might think fold, fold, fold, and then be surprised to see myself call, or vice versa.

In the case of A-A, anyone who criticizes you for making that call, should be required to take a mandatory remedial poker class. A-A is the one hand that I think you should get all your chips in with before the flop. I wouldn't open shove and risk chasing everyone out of the hand. You should be raising with it, though. If it's raised in front of you, you should 3-bet. If 3-bet you should 4-bet and so on until you feel sure your man won't fold, or there are enough chips in the pot to satisfy you. Then you shove. If it's shoved in front of you, CALL!

Nice hand. Good luck.
 
Kenzie 96

Kenzie 96

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
May 21, 2005
Total posts
13,667
Awards
9
US
Chips
135
I don't know, it just felt weird going all in on my 2nd hand.
Received a torrent of abuse for it after.
Would you hesitate with AK?

Ignore player chat, if it bothers you or has a negative effect on your play, disable it.
 
8

888jamie888

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Total posts
10
Chips
0
In OP you said A-A. In follow up you said A-K.

In the case of A-K, I would raise for sure, but try to avoid going all-in pre-flop with it. However, if forced into it, I don't know that I would lay it down. It would depend a lot on the table I was at and the player who shoved. Two hands at a table gives you very little info about your opponents. I can't say what I would do until I was in that spot. I might think fold, fold, fold, and then be surprised to see myself call, or vice versa.

In the case of A-A, anyone who criticizes you for making that call, should be required to take a mandatory remedial poker class. A-A is the one hand that I think you should get all your chips in with before the flop. I wouldn't open shove and risk chasing everyone out of the hand. You should be raising with it, though. If it's raised in front of you, you should 3-bet. If 3-bet you should 4-bet and so on until you feel sure your man won't fold, or there are enough chips in the pot to satisfy you. Then you shove. If it's shoved in front of you, CALL!

Nice hand. Good luck.
I did have AA, I was just enquiring about AK. Cheers for the advice.
 
S

swingro

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Total posts
1,634
Chips
0
I logged onto pokerstars today to play some 0.05/0.1 NL. The 2nd hand I got was AA. I re-raised a raise and then he put me all in...
With a bit of hesitation I called and won the pot.
Was that right to go all in pre-flop?
What would you say say the range is for going all in pre-flop?
Depends. But the correct answer is when you have the correct equity against his all-in range. For example if a maniac goes all-in at the table with every hand , it is correct to call with anything bigger than Q7.
 
micromachine

micromachine

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Total posts
5,770
Chips
0
I logged onto pokerstars today to play some 0.05/0.1 NL. The 2nd hand I got was AA. I re-raised a raise and then he put me all in...
With a bit of hesitation I called and won the pot.
Was that right to go all in pre-flop?
What would you say say the range is for going all in pre-flop?

I don't know, it just felt weird going all in on my 2nd hand.
Received a torrent of abuse for it after.
Would you hesitate with AK?

No offense but the fact that you are asking questions like this means you should probably be playing lower than 10nl until you get the basics sorted.

Whether to go allin with AK will depend what type of opponent you are up against and what sort of betting action you are facing.
 
B

Blue_Fossil

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Total posts
383
Awards
1
Chips
12
Your goal with AA is to get all-in preflop. Take it every time.

AK is another story...you're most likely facing pocket pair making it a coin flip. Unless you're up against AA or KK, in which case, you're pretty lean. Note that a lot of times those big pre-flop shoves are done to keep people from calling. A lot of times they have 8s, 9s, or 10s and don't want to see a flop.
 
Jblocher1

Jblocher1

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 20, 2012
Total posts
2,645
Chips
0
There is ABSOLUTELY no excuse to be folding pocket aces preflop. EVER. You are ahead going into the flop every time. Unless they also have aces which is incredibly unlikely. Make this call instantly, no need to hesitate
 
A

andybenton

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 19, 2013
Total posts
4
Chips
0
I think those people that were giving you a hard time were probably upset that somebody already had pocket rockets so quickly. I have gone weeks without seeing them and other times, I have seen them 3 X's in an hour. When you get them, if you can get somebody to put you All-In, thank them!
For me, the trick is how to get the max value out of them. So pushing right away normally causes everyone to fold. I think you played it well. My only issue is why you questioned it?
For AK, if you have multiple people All-In, I will fold them. Odds just aren't in your favor with multiple callers.
 
Ronaldadio

Ronaldadio

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 28, 2006
Total posts
1,804
Chips
0
AA - don't ask silly questions.

Cash game, AK, I'm all in at this level.
I know this is not always the case, but an all in shove preflop seems to want you to fold.
You are well behind to AA & KK, but thats it.

Now, with AA or AK, in a MTT it would depend on the situation and what the prize money situation was.
 
dino

dino

10 cevapcici = 0 stress
Community Guide
Joined
Jan 14, 2007
Total posts
6,534
Awards
3
DE
Chips
247
with AA I would, in a heartbeat go all in in that situation
 
C

casaustra

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Total posts
1
Chips
0
observe the cards in the table first, then observe the movements of the other players. monitor them raise a bit and watch their reactions. and if your card is good just let it go and for an all in good luck!
 
PLAYINBIG

PLAYINBIG

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 23, 2012
Total posts
1,373
Awards
6
Chips
0
I was playing in an online tourney & was up against Oklahoma Johnny.It was the first hand of the tourney. I looked @ my cards & had pocket A's.He was UTG & pushed all in preflop.Of course I called from late position with A/A.He had A/5.He had hit A thru 5 straight after the turn.I thought 4 sure that hand was mine after I had seen his A/5.So I guess the moral of my story is,just because I had pocket A's heads up against another player,didn't mean that I was guaranteed to win that pot.Preflop all in with any 2 cards is a risk.That hand is still in my mind because of whom I played & how fast I lost it.
 
Ronaldadio

Ronaldadio

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 28, 2006
Total posts
1,804
Chips
0
I was playing in an online tourney & was up against Oklahoma Johnny.It was the first hand of the tourney. I looked @ my cards & had pocket A's.He was UTG & pushed all in preflop.Of course I called from late position with A/A.He had A/5.He had hit A thru 5 straight after the turn.I thought 4 sure that hand was mine after I had seen his A/5.So I guess the moral of my story is,just because I had pocket A's heads up against another player,didn't mean that I was guaranteed to win that pot.Preflop all in with any 2 cards is a risk.That hand is still in my mind because of whom I played & how fast I lost it.
You are a 5:1 fav so that means u will lose 1 time in 5.
If in this situation anyone who has to think as to calling an all in or not holding AA v 1 player in a ring game pre flop are probably playing the wrong game.
I've re read the OP.
I logged onto pokerstars today to play some 0.05/0.1 NL. The 2nd hand I got was AA. I re-raised a raise and then he put me all in...
Great news
With a bit of hesitation I called and won the pot.
Why you hesitating, u r a 5:1 fav regardless
Was that right to go all in pre-flop?
as opposed to what, folding the best hand in poker just because it was your second hand
What would you say say the range is for going all in pre-flop?
AA, any other hand depends on how many in pot, action up to you, position, etc, etc

Was this post put on here to wind me up :D
 
K

kmbpoker

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Dec 16, 2011
Total posts
226
Chips
0
either i dont understand poker or have lost my mind. AA calling allin preflop.hesitation? questioning ? you call in your sleep
 
Ronaldadio

Ronaldadio

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 28, 2006
Total posts
1,804
Chips
0
either i dont understand poker or have lost my mind. AA calling allin preflop.hesitation? questioning ? you call in your sleep

If it was a live ring game I would be suggesting he gets a loan to put more cash in the pot before I call :D
 
left52side

left52side

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Total posts
1,850
Chips
0
Well I would obviously snap call AA if I was put to the test. I would also try to isolate preflop and hopefully you and villian get heads up pre flop.
The A/K question depends for me on a few different things really, like position pot amount,how much you raised preflop and how much you were reraised after that.
I would probably call in a ash game depending on how much I had at the table and what image I have percieved villian as.
I would think race situation at worst for me if villian was a loose maniac player. if they were a tight solid player I till would think race situation at worst, depending of course how many people are at the table how many are in the hand,but all in all I would probably definatly call with A/K.
 
Top