Pocket Aces AA?

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Noamaw

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In any format I play I get into a tilt every time I get AA I just don't know how to play it sometime in mtt I just go all-in sometimes I raise 3bb so people will call and I might be able to drain them.
In cash I might just call the BB and hope to get some action.
It just really pisses me off when I hit AA and everyone folds and all I get is the blinds!
 
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tohos

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play AA preflop as you play most of your other hands to disguis. if you 2x everytime then suddenly 3x, observant players will know something is up.
Also AA is not a good hand to 'drain' someone if you're deep stacked. You're more likely to be the one drained than the one doing the draining post flop. Generally, you will either get drained or win a small pot unless opponents are terribad.
If you want to drain them you have to try to get most of the money in preflop with 3b/4b/all in. But if you have not 3b a single hand the entire time and just 3b AA, its quite a clear tell to observant players yet again.
Sometimes in tournaments you can just shove all in and fish will call their weaker holdings unable to give up because they already raised and are therefore 'committed' according to their muppet brains.

There is no clear correct way to play AA. Depends on your image and how you normally play. I would say the only 'correct' way to play them would be to disguise them by playing them as though you would other hands or get it all in preflop against predictable cally opponents.
 
steveiam

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Generally win small lose big with AA...Its the best starting hand but if you don't hit its only a pair..
 
DrazaFFT

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In poker there is no general play for a hand, no one can tell you when you have this do this and if you have that do that... no! it is more complicated than that, poker is a game of positions and being at different position dictates your acts differently. But in this particular case, AA is a strongest hand that you can get as a hole cards and have at least 80% chances to win a hand before the flop.

there is lot of ways to play them,i mostly play this way, tournaments micro and FR, raise 3-4bb from every position, if you get re-raised move all in, you'll probably bet called by AK KK or in early stages by any pocket pair, so you are a huge favorit even against a kk you are 80%

Another thing i like to do is at the loose table in early position when i know that someone will raise i just limp, when someone raise i re-raise, now i would do this only if im long at the same table and i know that play is really loose, in any different situation this would be a bad idea.

If play gets after the flop, you gotta see what is on the board and decide what to do next, is the board dry is the board wet and then act.

I would recommend you to read some beginner strategy article here, they will help you a lot with some decisions, or if you have time, read books there are a lot of situations explained at doyle super/system, harrington on nl holdem etc.
 
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bernotas22

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i usually never slow play aa unless i got a player who loves to call my bets, otherwise i will bet very big with it and hope i get shoves, people don't flat call very big bets they go all in so that's kind of what my hope is when i get aa, if i don't and they fold well i chalk up the win and am not complaining about not getting action!
 
bullishwwd

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Fewer players is much better with pocket Aces. Very often loses when there are 5 or more players in the pot. Hard to fold them, but often times it is the smartest move after flop.
 
BigCountryAA

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I play it just like my other hands. Raising 2x to 2.5x the bb. Now the best possible situation would be someone reraising me instead of calling but hitting a flop is ok as well.
 
BigCountryAA

BigCountryAA

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i usually never slow play aa unless i got a player who loves to call my bets, otherwise i will bet very big with it and hope i get shoves, people don't flat call very big bets they go all in so that's kind of what my hope is when i get aa, if i don't and they fold well i chalk up the win and am not complaining about not getting action!
I understand your thought process on this but I think you lose a ton of value by playing it like this.
 
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bernotas22

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I understand your thought process on this but I think you lose a ton of value by playing it like this.

good point, but it depends on the table sometimes it is worth slowing down but most of the time my standard play is raising huge, do you think the standard should be a min or 3x bet rather than an almost all in?
 
Jblocher1

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good point, but it depends on the table sometimes it is worth slowing down but most of the time my standard play is raising huge, do you think the standard should be a min or 3x bet rather than an almost all in?

Definitely.... A 2.5 or 3x raise will clear out most of the field but your usually not going to get good action or value by just making a giant pre flop raise... The majority of the time your just winning the blinds playing them like that
 
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bernotas22

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Definitely.... A 2.5 or 3x raise will clear out most of the field but your usually not going to get good action or value by just making a giant pre flop raise... The majority of the time your just winning the blinds playing them like that

i think usually i like to overbet strong hands preflop, i feel like if you are going to play it play it like a monster, and hope someone has something they wanna gamble with, that's how i think about it
 
jaworek1405

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I play AA usually like other hands. You shouldn't slow play this hand. It is the best hand. So you should raise pre flop at least 2-3xbb. When you raise and everyone folds, don't worry, it happens sometimes. Feel better that you get the blinds. Besides when somebody raise before you, you should make a 3bet. I learnt not to compound AA. I play it aggressively, almost always I go all in when board is dangerous. Take care.
 
NvrBlufn

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If I am at a full table I will eyeball the other players' stacks. Not after I check my cards! Just mentally knowing how many chips everyone has in preparation for the next big monster hand that I see.

With AA this can make you a lot of money, as well as knowing the tendencies of the other players at your table.

- Know who is likely to 3 bet or attempt a squeeze so that you will be able to re-raise.
- Know who has been getting frustrated or splashing around a lot.
- Finally recognize strength, if a super tight player with above avg stack makes a move against you, you might have a caller.

IMO this is like the outfielder in baseball deciding where he'll throw the ball if it is hit his way. You have to know which base is the right play.

This is the one thing people in tournaments generally do every time they can, get it all in good with AA before the flop. It is a risky move but it seems worth it knowing that you are the favorite against every hand pre-flop. At least you can walk away with your head higher knowing that some lucky donk just used his one time to suck out on you.

I raise to stimulate action. I don't want to see 4 flat calls behind my raise, that means I didn't make it enough or I made a mistake judging the table! You want to raise just enough that some players might think you are making a move on the blinds or with a weaker pair so that you can get them to play back at you with hands like AQ+

Best case scenario: I raise pre-flop and it folds around to a player who has been steaming or talking trash against me. I raised enough to put pressure on the smaller stacks, so that they will feel the pressure to go all in instead of just calling. He looks down at his stack and realizes he is quite low... 21K in chips, blinds are 2K/4k and he decides to shove any two cards.

If there are 6 or less people then I might treat the hand a little bit differently, but not likely as this has been the most profitable line of play for me. Short handed is the only time I will get more creative but if it folds I am okay too in fact it will happen more often at this time. Sure I want action but by the time there are only 6 people in a tourney the blinds/antes are high enough that I would be fine just taking them down.
 
Hellmuth iz the Greatest

Hellmuth iz the Greatest

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In many live 1/2 games i will always raise anywhere from $9-$15 depending on how the table is playing. If theres a preflop raiser every hand then i will just call the $2 and repop the raiser preflop and usually get a call or reraise due to how many bad players there are playing 1/2 in my games.
 
cardsking

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This is my faavorite Hand to play . I dont mind loosing with it :)
When i see these as my pocket cards , I feel so amazing . Feels soo good to have aces :D
 
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detourglr

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myself how I play AA changes from what the table is like and what I think my image is at the table. also what position I am in..
I have limp in and made raise 20x and rarely I have pushed all-in. really depends on what I said above. However when I say limp in I am never trying to trap. I usually do this when I have a super tight table or have a super agressive player that has to still act. but reckonnize that I may have to fold these easily after the flop
 
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Noamaw

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Fewer players is much better with pocket Aces. Very often loses when there are 5 or more players in the pot. Hard to fold them, but often times it is the smartest move after flop.

You are absolutely right, usually after the flop I consider folding cuz you get screwed 70% of the time, and lose to two pair or to a straight etc.
I end up playing scared as balles while I have AA!
 
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WizardRubic

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I play AA nearly the exact same way I play AK.

Here's my thinking.

AK will generally, if you hit the flop, give you either 2 pair or TPTK.

With top pair top kicker, you're gonna be wary of sets and all that stuff and make your decision based on knowledge of your opponent.

With AA, you're either gonna have a set or best possible pair. This is pretty similar to either 2 pair or TPTK.

From there you you make your decision. Does your opponent follow the line he always takes when he hits a set/2 pair/flush/straight/draw? Then make the appropriate option.

Does he always call your cbet on low flops? Ones where AK would miss? If he does, surprise him with AA.

The only real difference is how I play preflop. I open the same. But if someone keeps betting into me, I'll fold AK if the player is uber tight and we get to like a 6 bet. With AA, I won't fold. I'll keep betting till we see the flop or we're all in.

Good luck! If you believe in luck XD

Edit:
Bet sizing with AA and AK and all that I do about the same. But I read what Bullish wrote and there really shouldn't be 5 players in the pot post flop when you have hands like this unless you've folded or you're all in. Find you how many BBs you gotta bet to narrow the field.
 
italiano

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my case when I receive hand AA all I do is make a raise double the blind! Sometimes pay and other times not but that's not because of my play is bad but because sometimes the other players do not have good hands and discarded! You should give as much to the table as is and therefore know whether it's good or just 3bet match the blind! Hits!
 
donkysnake

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i personally play like this: never limp and try to trap, cauz ill be the one trapped when 4 or 5 players call and get boards like 568 or somethin, so i bet or raise big, if he folds ok, if i get action its obv cauz hes got a big hand 2 so i def will win the hands if i dont get really bad beated
 
_FISHFEET81_

_FISHFEET81_

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depends on the scenario, and players if I have been playing with players for a while and I got some fishy players and calling stations im gonna make a big bet, especially if there are 4 calling in front of me if that is the case. But that's the case with any big starting 2 to windle down the players. But If I am new at the table and say I get dealt the AA im gonna make a pretty standard bet 2x maybe and hopefully someone thinks I am just being aggressive and 3 bets me or something then ill shuv. It is very hard to say how to play a hand, I would play it like any other hand if I was new to the table, but if you are sitting with lots of calling stations/fishes then yes I would make a 3x bet in the hope atleast 2 lay it down and you get a caller or two. That's my advice dunno if it will help you out.
 
Emperor IX

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You are absolutely right, usually after the flop I consider folding cuz you get screwed 70% of the time, and lose to two pair or to a straight etc.
I end up playing scared as balles while I have AA!

Well, if you're heads up you only get screwed 20% of the time
 
Beanfacekilla

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i think usually i like to overbet strong hands preflop, i feel like if you are going to play it play it like a monster, and hope someone has something they wanna gamble with, that's how i think about it

IMO, you should open for 3x~4x with all hands that you open with. Raise the same every time. Whether it is J-10s on the button, or A-A in MP, you raise the same every time. 3x~4x + 1 BB for every limper is ok in FR and 6 max games I think.

You are losing value by folding everyone out with giant preflop raises. Also, anyone who knows anything about poker will have a pretty good idea of what you are raising so big with.
 
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lol i breathe a sigh of relief any time i take any chips with a pp.i dont get upset if it is folded to me
 
loafes

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I'm going to make adjustments for the table and players so not all situations are the same. However generally speaking I think you need to be raising Aces the same way you raise other hands, the reason is because with AA you have to try and build a pot, usually if youre up against another strong hand you will be able to get lots of money in preflop and be in good shape. The problem with slow playing even in late position against tight blinds is that if you aren't building a pot early then its going to be hard to get a lot of money in postflop unless you are behind.if I make a standard raise and everyone folds, so be it, I probably wasn't going to get a ton of value against them anyway and if they did get in cheap they still would be unlikely to give me a big payday unless they flopped big. I think overall most of your money you are going to win with aces is when you are up against another strong hand and cooler them or someone makes a top pair sort of hand and pays you off for a street or two
 
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