spectralwave
Visionary
Platinum Level
How to Play Pocket Aces - I was involved in a discussion on a poker forum once about how to play pocket aces preflop in Texas Hold'em Limit. I usually clean with AA in early position in a tournament because I want someone with pocket tens or better to raise after me. So I can reraise them all or make money on them. My friends on the poker forum said I was crazy, but I still think I'm right. I've seen poker authors say that a pair of aces play alone because they are such a strong hand. But every hand can face some discussion and thought, and even though AA will only come in 1 time in every 221 hands, it's still worth talking about. I'm going to present some different opinions on how to play AA below. (As I have already shared my opinion expressed in the paragraph.) John Vorhaus - Aces slow play, go to hell John Vorhaus is one of my favorite poker writers. I've read all of your killer poker books, and I plan on re-reading them all again this year. Over at Ultimate Bet, he's written a few preflop strategy articles, and one of them is specifically about playing big pairs preflop in No Limit Texas Hold'em. Vorhaus offers 3 reasons not to slowplay aces: When you slowplay pocket aces, you let bad hands see the flop cheap. It's hard to put it in a hand, and most people, having a pair of aces, will play the flop aggressively, no matter what their opponents bet. As long as you let him see the flop cheaply with your bad hand pre-flop you are likely to throw all your chips in and get beaten. Pair aces are favorites to win a pot against 1, 2 or 3 other players. But if you have four or more people in the pot with you, a pair of aces are no longer favorites, raising preserves your advantage. Getting money into the pot by raising with aces is a likely way to make the pot big. If you don't put money in the pot, then you're not building the pot.