Is it ever right to fold AA preflop? :)

[Turn7]

Of course AA is the strongest pre-Flop hand but you don't win the game on the pre-flop. I would not fold it in general, but statistically you win two third of all games played with AA. So, the third time I would fold it. In the end, you can loose any hand.

 

[theRaven68]

i never fold AA preflop but i suppose it could be an option only on the bubble when there is a good cash

 

[Reelmookey]

it depends on the bet but most of the time i dont fold them its the best starting hand for godsakes

 

[Propane Goat]

One thing to point out: unless you're in some freeroll donkfest or a $0.50 SnG, you're never going to see 4-5 people going all-in on the same hand, which makes the whole question of whether to call with AA or not in that situation a moot point anyway.

At stakes that low, I don't care if the whole table goes all in before me, I'm going to call with AA for the hell of it.

 

[CallmeFloppy]

Folding AA, in all situations except for a specific satellite situation, would be the wrong play.

However, you all have to understand what was going on in the video. Fishman was on a show called The Big Game. Simply put, a player (loose cannon) is staked 100K and gets to play 150 hands in a PL pre/NL post style of hold 'em. After 150 hands, they get to keep any profit they had made and the player with the most profit gets a 50K MTT package deal or something like that.

In the hand Fishman was up 140K in profits and his initial plan was to fold the last 50 or so hands left and keep most of the profits. Blinds were 200/400/100 ante, and 6 handed, so Fishman only had to play ~9 more rotations and pay out ~6300 in blinds and antes, earning him over 130K in profits. And I believed he also earned the 50K MTT package as well.

Was it a crazy fold. Yeah, but I can understand someone who is up 140K not wanting to lose any of it. That's probably life changing money for that player. He came there with a plan and stuck with it, so kudos to him. Was it correct to fold AA there? Well, without being result oriented...I don't know. Part of me says I'd at least call and see a flop. The other part of me might think "In just 50 hands, you're up $130K and you have a $50K MTT package in the bag."

Given this background I fully understand why he folded there. But yes, I think there are situations that merit folding aces pre-flop. You need to look long term as well. If I have a few all ins ahead of me and I am putting my tournament life on the line I could make an argument to fold, especially if I think I am better than the rest of the people at my table. Its not common but there are certainly times laying down aces pre-flop is the right move.

 

[Bladepengeee]

Lol WTF?! He just fold the best hand preflop AA push allin allways preflop

 

[jolaz69]

Guy intentionally folds Pocket Aces preflop on live TV - YouTube

Personally, I'm never folding aces. I'm never slow playing them either. I'm 3-betting or shoving pre-flop. If you lose with them that's life.

A guy in a tournament told a story where he folded pocket aces. There were 3 people left. Both players were all in before his turn. He said he folded aces face up because he had a huge chip lead and one of his opponents would be out or crippled after the hand. He said it turns out if he called, he would have lost the hand anyways. He said he went on to win the tournament.

 

[Rounder_740]

I think they only way you fold is in the satellite situation like stated above where you aren't particularly playing for 1st place but rather placing in the top 10,20, etc for the same prize. It does always feel like aces get cracked but that's not the case. You just hear people talk about the time they cracked aces or got them cracked. Nobody talks about them holding up because it happens most of the time. Preflop I can't see folding them barring the satellite situation