Big pocket pairs

This is my first time posting. I discovered the site last week and spend most of my time at work reading the list. So, thank you.


Now, as a beginner, I've had very little table experience (10 hours or so), but have begun reading some of the required texts, but I've got one question that's been lingering for awhile. How do I play AA or KK? When do I raise all the way? When do I slowplay? My main concern is the flush draw. In a loose game (the only game in town), won't most people stay in after a raise preflop and a raise on the flop on a flush draw? So on the turn, when the third of a suit falls, should I fear a made flush?


I know these hands should be huge money makers, but I either seem to drive people out too fast, or lose when they hit their draw.

As I understand it, you raise with AA and KK for 2 reasons. One, to distort the pot odds and make it incorrect for hands like AXs and 87s to pay 2 bets to see the flop (therefore lessening the chance of your big pocket pair being beaten), and also to get more equity into the pot in a situation in which you are favored. Remember that if you call and six people see the flop, or if you raise and only 3 people see it, you still have the same amount of money in the pot either way. But the bonus of raising is, you only have half the opponents on the flop. Therefore I think you should always raise with AA or KK, unless people are getting too good a read on you so they will know exactly what you have, or fold the instant you raise. If this is happening you might just call. But in a low limit game this is not all that likely to happen as many people don't bother to pay attention. By the way you can also raise with QQ if you think it will cause everyone behind you to fold. If they will call anyone just call. My own mistake with AA and KK is that when they don't improve and I have raised preflop, I have kept raising on the flop and beyond when I should have backed off and checked and called once I got no help from the board and there were more than 2 opponents still with me. I think as long as you are not around smart players who can read you, you should virtually always raise with them preflop for the reasons mentioned above. The real problem I think is how to play them on the flop and beyond when they don't improve. -Tim

In my experience, with only one or two opponents post-flop, improvement is often not necessary, depending of course on the board. If I get a 3-8-K board for example with AA, I really do not care that my hand has not improved. In this situation, I would likely raise early and often, since the King could easily have made someone a second best hand. Most low-limit players would not be blown off a hand like K-J.


As far as the flush draw is concerned: Remember, assuming someone has a flush draw after the flop, they will hit less than 40% of the time. If you have 2 opponents, for example, with one on the flush draw, you have to raise, to charge the draw who will hit less than a majority of the time, and to put the heat on a second-best hand. If you have an Ace of the flush draw suit, you are also in a better position.


The tricky hands are flops like K-Q-9 when you have rockets. Though this probably made a second-best, it could easily have made a hand that will beat yours, anything from JT to KQ may have called you. I like to come out firing on the flop, or raise if bet into. relative to the size of the pot if you raised preflop, this is an inexpensive raise to gain a lot of information. Knowing your opponents helps, of course. If your raise is merely called, is it a possible slowplay or a second-best? If you are re-raised, you must make a decision. If you call this raise, remember your hand is unlikely to improve, so you are in essence saying you have the bettor beat right now and are prepared to call to the river if blanks hit. Folding in this situation every time may be too tight, but against the right player it is not a bad move.


As far as winning too early, perhaps you only raise with monsters, causing everyone to fold? Occasionally slowplay after the flop with a flop like 2-5-J, as a check may induce a bet on the flop or on a later round, and very few cards can hurt you.


Most importantly, losing with AA often upsets players and causes concentration lapses or tilts. Try to avoid this! Aces may be the best hand, but they are not a guarantee!


Fallon

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