mid aces

[MRBAA]

Here's something I've been running into a bit at Party 2-4 with AJ-A8s. I raise first in with one of these hands from MP, get one or two callers, flop comes with an ace, I bet, one call. I bet turn, call. Often the caller will have AQ or even AK. Against known passive types, I'll actually check the river (and they often check behind). But I'm wondering if I should be limping these when there's not multiway action in a typical fairly tight passive party game?

[chief444]

Raising is good. Limping is bad.

[Gravy (Gravy Smoothie)]

Watch the other hands these players show down. If they play second pair the same way they play AK with an A-high flop, you should be ramming your top-pair good kicker hands every time. Sure, you'll lose some pots you expect to win (which is part of the reason hands like this stand out so much in your memory) but you'll make a boatload by value betting when they have second or third pair.

If they're weak-tight and will only call down with top pair or better you may be right to slow down on the river against these players. However, I doubt that that's the case.

[runa]

Shouldn't you be betting the river especially against these passive types? You will be ahead a good percentage of the time, and if you miss this river value bet you'll be missing alot of money. Sometimes CS have a hand, but that shouldn't stop you from betting into them when you are likely ahead.

[The Goober]

[ QUOTE ]
If they're weak-tight and will only call down with top pair or better you may be right to slow down on the river against these players.

[/ QUOTE ]

If this is the case, and the game is "fairly tight" as the original poster said, shouldn't you be mucking hands like A8s unless you know for sure that you will get multi-way action? Am I playing too tight in these situations?

[James282]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If they're weak-tight and will only call down with top pair or better you may be right to slow down on the river against these players.

[/ QUOTE ]

If this is the case, and the game is "fairly tight" as the original poster said, shouldn't you be mucking hands like A8s unless you know for sure that you will get multi-way action? Am I playing too tight in these situations?

[/ QUOTE ]

If the game is fairly tight, you are raising these in later position to try and get it heads up with the blinds or steal blinds outright.

As for the hand, Gravy's response is perfect IMO.
-James

[The Goober]

whoops, missed the "I raise first in with one of these hands from MP" part... ignore me

[bdk3clash]

First off, I doubt that the "typical" Party $2/4 table is "fairly tight passive." You should actively be scouting out better tables if you find yourself at one that is by any means tight.

Secondly, there's a pretty big difference between A8s and AJo when you flop an Ace. I can't think of a spot where I'd not bet the river for fear of AQ/AK if I had AJ without a very, very specific read.

A8 is a lot different because your opponent can beat you with A9, AT, AJ, AQ, AK, and Ax where x is on the board. There's also a much greater chance you'll end up chopping if your kicker ends up not playing.

Know your passive opponents. Some opponents are so passive that they'll call down with any Ace, including better Aces. Some call down with any pair. Against the latter, you should just be betting until the cows come home when you spike an Ace. Against the former, you should still probably bet but it's a little more board/hand dependent.

Don't start to open limp with these hands in MP--they're too good and your opponents will call with much, much worse.