Short stacked with AA

[maddo]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (5 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

BB (t4925)
UTG (t2530)
Hero (t960)
Button (t3240)
SB (t1845)

Preflop: Hero is MP with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.

UTG limps

What does hero do here?

Limp/Min-Raise/Standard-Raise/Push?

Cheers.

[SuitedSixes]

Limp, check/call the flop, re-raise all-in any bet after that.

[Mr_J]

How have other stacks been playing? Is a larger raise going to scare away action? Will someone raise late if you limp in?

You need chips so time to gamble. I'd forget a push. I don't like using min-raises. Limp for a weak table and standard raise for a more aggressive table.

[Sluss]

I'd raise this my normal pre-flop raise 2.75 x BB. You might get another call or two and a pretty good shot the limper will call as well. Then I'm pushing any flop that has any semi-scary straight or flush draws. With nothing out there I will wait until the turn to push.

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
Limp, check/call the flop, re-raise all-in any bet after that.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is too slow, and a great formula for busting out with aces.

I might miniraise or standard raise it depends on how the table is playing.

If you think someone is likely to come over the top, you could limp. Open limping from early position going for a reraise is a standard play. Smooth calling an early position raise from early to middle positon with AA is also a standard play. Limping following a limper is not a standard play.

[david050173]

[ QUOTE ]
Limp, check/call the flop, re-raise all-in any bet after that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why check the flop? If the button folds, it seems to me like you want to bet to build the pot. Do some weak bet (100-200) and a lot of people will think the flop missed you and either call or reraise you all in.

Personally I raise preflop to 250 and hope for 3 way action not 5 way. On the flop if I have 2+ callers I am probably pushing. If it is heads up, I am miniraising.My play gets adjusted slightly depending on the texture of the flop but I am almost always going to put a bet in here if it is checked to me.

[citanul]

that's pretty terrible advice. do you play with the original poster alot or something?

citanul

[adanthar]

I just had a very similar situation (7 handed with 200 less chips and an MP limper) and I think I played it wrong.

I went all in, but after thinking about it this is probably one of the few times a minraise is a good idea.

[hurlyburly]

Often enough the BB will defend with more hands with a stack that size and an aggressive button will reraise any limpers, but you need to have a good read to believe that one of the players left to act after you will attempt a steal/bully play (I expect this at stars >60%, so I limp/reraise all-in AA in MP).

The "Gap Concept" can kick in big time here, too, so I think that a push will get called often enough by either the BB or the UTG limper to make that worthwhile (>50% at most tables with those stack ratios).

A min/3xBB raise might encourage action behind you, but you may have 2 callers check it down against you. That's rarely a good thing.

Bottom line is pushing is the best play every time, but you need to know your table to try anything trickier.

[Michael C.]

It depends so much on how agressive the table is. If the button usually raises, I'd probably limp and then re-raise following him, hoping to trap one of the blinds too before the flop. If it's usually limp/call city, I'd make a mini-raise. If the botton is a bully and has been pushing you around, I might make a mini-raise hoping he'd go in over the top. Just depends to me so much on the make-up of the table.

[MWC]

In maddo's original situation, I push every time. In adanthar's situation (760 chips, blinds 50/100, 1 limper to me), I push even more often.

But not considering the other options (limp/minraise/standard raise) is related to one of my leaks, perhaps - I'm pretty risk-averse to playing my big hands too slow, so I reduce the chance that I get my chips in while behind, but at the expense of not extracting maximum value.

[SuitedSixes]

Yikes! Maybe I didn't explain my flop play correctly. I am not waiting until the turn to make my move, I am check-raising the flop only. I am looking for someone with top pair behind me or someone looking to steal. I use this tactic all the time when I am short stacked w/ AA and I am very happy with the results. I want to better than double-up in this spot. I am hoping to draw people in with speculative hands, that's why the limp. I am going to check the flop hoping to get some action behind me, and when I do, I will come over the top either taking the pot right there or getting someone to call me. There is nothing worse as the short-stack than to make a 3XBB raise with the best hand you're going to see the rest of the tournament and just pick up the blinds (other than having AA in the BB and everyone folding to you).

My advice would be different if there was someone at the table (big stack) playing sherriff. But even then, I'm going to double-up with the blinds, I'd like to do better with AA.

[maddo]

I actually took what is probably the worst option. I raised to 300, which was 1/3 of my stack, so I might as well just typed in the chat that I wanted action ;-) Everyone folded.