I fumbled AA. Again.

[rhinoceros]

No limit Holdem on PP, holding AA on button. 4 limpers to me, I make a minimum (0.50) raise. BB makes a minimum raise, EP calls, MP minimum raise. Sow hen it comes back to me, it is capped, although it is only $2 to see the flop. 4 players see the flop:

K J 2 rainbow

The pot is about $9. BB bets $2.50, EP folds, MP makes it $5. I have the big stack, MP has $12 left after his raise, BB has so little he is going to call all-in regardless.

I raised enough to put MP all-in.

Turn was another K, river blank.

BB had 88, MP had 22.

So I pushed the money in when I had only 2 outs. Obviously, this is the kind of thing we desperately try to avoid; someone please explain to me how.

[2005]

My first question is, if this is an NL game, how can the betting be capped? Anyway, the best thing to do in this situation, if you are going to raise(which you should) is not make such a wimpy raise. Why raise the minimum in an NL game when there are 4 limpers to you? There is already some money in the pot, make a good sized raise to 5 or 6 times the BB and be quite happy if it's re-raised back to you. Had you made a bigger raise, at least you would have gotten most of the money in when you were a favorite. Obviously from the way these guys played their hands they wouldn't have folded pre-flop with what they had. Be happy you have someone in your NL game that will put in a 3rd raise with 22!

Gavin

[Guy McSucker]

Just to mention that the Paradise NL and PL games have a 3 raise cap. It only ever comes into action preflop, in my experience.

The reason the player with 22 put in the third raise was to see the flop cheaply! If he failed to put in the third raise, our hero with AA would shut the door for sure.

So I think the player on 22 played his hand pretty well. He got to see the flop cheaply, hit his set, and got paid. Not bad.

Guy.

[Ignatius]

> the kind of thing we desperately try to avoid; someone please explain to me how.

Well, the answer should be obvious: Never, never ever try to trap with minimum raises when there is a 3-raise cap (and even if there isn't, only try it when you are sure it will work)

cu

Ignatius

[Mr. Peterson]

The capping of betting is a stupid rule (and one that i have written to paradise about). However, the player with 22 knew the rules and played them well.

As for our "hero" what is he trying to achieve with such a small raise? He should be looking to get it down to heads up or at most 3 way action. Instead he says please break me. The fact he has the button allows him to make a decent raise (to at least $4) and have other players put him on a steal and call or better yet, resteal.

In online games 8 times Big blind should be smallest raise here since players tend to come after you with a lot more hands than in live games. Hell I've made it $15 on a reraise preflop and been busted by 26o.