How to play AA or KK - Limping from early position good or not?

[Macaroon]

I, like lfc and one or two others, will limp in if deperate to double-up (or better). No point in going all in with 3bbs and see everyone else fold. You have to take a chance sometime.

 

[jayyy27]

This is an easy question. You should be basing this question on what your table make up is. Do you have enough aggressive players so a reraise will come or are they tight players and you are going to get 6 limpers and AA becomes a losing % hand. Know your opponents to make your decision. Against uber aggressive players I recommend it.

 

[rhombus]

Against uber aggressive players I recommend it.

or a Tilt Monkey

 

[KNGDuceDropa]

I sometimes limp UTG or UTG +1 depending on the players at the table. If its a limpy table its not the best idea

 

[kapos77]

depending on how the players play) I personally Aggressive play them, but sometimes used slowplaying but it is quite dangerous))

 

[polandball]

always raise with AA KK to avoid loosing with low,medium hands

 

[SlastyNasty]

Never I go to limp with any pocket pair , it does not matter even KK or AA, there is always a chance that the entire table can pass the following to limp , and then the bank will be 4-5 and the whole strength of AA and KK is lost , it is better I'll take the blinds , than let Fishu with J5 catch 2 pair and move my AA, maximum 22 can limp lol

 

[Ambur]

depens on dynamics!

It all depends on table dynamic's, but i do not recommend for limping AA/KK EP! Big pairs lose huge value multiply pots!

As i said all depends on dynamics.

 

[21sam]

Limp in 20%, raise in other cases to make your game not clear readable. If there are aggressive players, may increase portion of limping, then re-raise after their raising.

 

[TeUnit]

really think this is function of the villans, if you think the villans will most likely raise then limp is ok

dont think you really want to limp call, call off with just KK super deep though

and super shallow it really doesnt matter, its just about which way you get the most money in the pot

 

[Michael Paler]

Early on in an MTT, with soooo many maniacs and loons, why on earth limp AA? Nope, sorry, not going to do it.

Now, later on, as a tool to be used, sure. And it's just like a tool, but a very specific one - you would not try to unscrew a bolt with a hammer, would you? No, so you only limp AA when you have one LAG yet to act, hoping for him to 3 bet you. Even then, do you then come over his 3 bet and chase him off? Depends. If he loves to bluff, then you flat, and let him bluff all his chips to you. If more TAG than LAG, shove over the top and hope he calls with AK/KK/AQ.

But, most important, keep this in the foremost part of your thoughts - is limping UTG uncharacteristic for you? Is limping in, period, unlike your normal play? Then chances are someone is going to know what you are doing, will just limp in with you, hoping to outflop/outdraw you. And they just might.

Do not ever forget that limping AA is the oldest poker trick in the book.

 

[14twinsfan18]

I try not to do this unless I know the table is very loose. If I have bigger/aggressive stacks behind me, I like to give them the option to make a big bet. only a good idea at loose tables though.

 

[GammaOxide]

Limping with AA or KK in early position can be very tricky in online poker...Say you limp in with AA pre.. then some fish decides to go rogue all in pre with 89s and then he hits 8 9 on flop

 

[gmanp135]

limping AA,KK

I never limp AA,KK, it gives fence riders a chance to see the flop and fill a hand

 

[VinnyStrat]

If you're short stacked and need to double up maybe. Any other time, will you be able to fold if someone shoves after the flop?

 

[helpspb]

I'd say it's never good idea to limp... Maybe min raise, but even then sometimes that way you let weaker hands in and it can and will come back and bite you in the ... Happened to me, I tried to be sneaky with monsters and yea it might work few times but someone once said - or i read it somewhere - it's better to win small pot with AA than lose big one. It's true really. AA/KK are still only one pair and any two pair, set, straight, flush etc can beat you. And if flop is wet some donks will call you down no matter what if they see potential on the flop, so you better play those aggressively.

 

[RazKat]

It's really a matter of getting a feel for the players at the table and the type of MTT and total number of Entrants. Early stages usually have the 'Get All-In or Die Trying' Freaks so it's not always safe to Raise when 2 or more are likely to call All In. I'd limp anything early until I Have a feel for how the Majority of the table plays and most of the Freaks have been eliminated or 'Humbled' by a Sizeable Loss. I feel it gives you better odds to last in the tourney that way and losing a few limps as opposed to a few raises to Random All inners is worth more later on.

 

[thefwa]

Limping with aces is probably the worst thing I have ever done in any tournament. At the end of the day 5 streets, if all you have is aces on almost any board and you get more than 2 callers, you might have to muck your hand.
Almost every time I've limped with aces I either lose my chip lead, or get knocked out of the tournament.

You have to put yourself in a position to where you're not having to fold them when the board comes 9 T Q. or 6 7 6. and somebody check raises you.
I would rather win the blinds with aces then have to play them against 3-4 people.

 

[ringworm]

In early positions, I limp with AA more often than I raise. As it goes around, if someone raises you'll get a chance to play back at them and isolate them with a large pot going. If no one raises and you see a flop with lots of callers, play it as an over pair to the board and get ready to fold it to anyone who plays back at you indicating they can beat an over pair.

You have to remember that you're playing out of position with just one pair, it's not a good spot to be putting in lots of chips after the flop.

 

[2easy4ninja]

i dont read TS first post, but see name of theme
i think, limping AA or KK its so unreal in late game.. because you see what every player do and if they limp after x20+ time raises = its limp AA/AK
im fold

 

[poliakov777]

I Think that from early position if behind us sit aggresssive player or a short stack its will be one of the wright decisions. But from CO and button its not good because our chances that SB or BB will raise is more less than we have 8-6 players behind.

 

[titomurcia1214]

I think with AA if limped depends on the situation, do not usually do but it would be a good alternative, but with KK in early position ever poruque any opponents in front of you may have an Ace

 

[Jeremy Schatz]

It is all situational, there is no one right answer. In MTT's, you have far more variables for when you should do it than cash games, and since this is the MTT sub-forum let's stick to those.

Our goal is to get people to put the most chips in the pot for us.
Limping does this well
1. Against aggressive opponents likely to raise/cbet themselves to death
2. Against tables that are playing too tight and fold to raises
3. From early position (most action)

Raising works well
1. Before light 3-betters
2. Against tables that are playing loose
3. When re-raising from late position (after some action)
4. Against tilting people

Now all of these are strongly dependent on table dynamic, and who is doing what, so your choice should be based on just that! Also, it depends on postflop play. So many factors, choose wisely.

 

[trixie]

it's a weird play, but it works for a few people....I think it all depends on who's in position of you, and how aggie they are. Some of the stronger players would see it as it is though, and fold...if you raise on everything else.....this type of play is great for large money HU as every action is a act of aggression. But in a full ring micro or low limit tournament, it's suicide. It would just cost you a ton of chips more often than not, because no one would raise.

 

[bleibso]

this is a good idee, limp aa in early position. when another players raisen, then easy money in the house