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AVelie
08-04-2004, 11:53 AM
Simple situation, but not sure if I made the +EV/smart play. I had AA in the Big Blind of a SNG. Folded around to SB, who completes. I raise 4xBB and he folds. Winner--.5 of a BB.

Should I have checked? Raised 2xBB? Or was raising with the assumption the SB would fold anyway the best choice without a lot of options?

Please share your thoughts...
EverettKings
08-04-2004, 01:13 PM
First of all, you can only get so upset over winning a pot uncontested. You could have checked, and lost your whole stack when something like T8o flops gets lucky and flops 2 pair. He might overpay you if he hits something like top pair, but that's a relatively small mistake and he can still draw to 5 outs (second pair/trips) and bust you. You make the most money when they make BIG mistakes, so make them pay when you have a monster.
DonT77
08-04-2004, 01:18 PM
I will always raise in this situation. I'll take the 0.5BB if he folds. Otherwise, a flop could give him 2 pair or a set (no matter what cards he holds) or he might get lucky and flop a straight or a flush or something that could be ahead of me. I don't want to have to put in a bet after the flop worrying if my opponent got lucky, and AA will be too hard to let go of if your opponent hits his flop and has you beat. I raise here hoping to be re-raised with a hand like TT-KK or AK or AQ then I push. I can't remember which book I read this in, but it said that your goal with AA is to get somebody to go all-in with you before the flop - that won't happen if you check.
BarronVangorToth
08-04-2004, 01:30 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Simple situation, but not sure if I made the +EV/smart play. I had AA in the Big Blind of a SNG. Folded around to SB, who completes. I raise 4xBB and he folds. Winner--.5 of a BB.

Should I have checked? Raised 2xBB? Or was raising with the assumption the SB would fold anyway the best choice without a lot of options?

Please share your thoughts...

[/ QUOTE ]


You should raise -- the question is how much, and this is where stack size is vital.

The 4x might've been too scary ... but it's hard to imagine you'd push him out at 2x.

However, as someone rightly pointed out below, winning something small is better than losing something big. And when 10-5-2 comes out and he puts YOU all in ... you'd start cursing the universe for limping in with AA.


Barron Vangor Toth
www.BarronVangorToth.com (http://www.BarronVangorToth.com)