Slowplaying big pairs?

[Rednax]

With AA and KK I generally stick to the 3xBB openraise (more if others have already entered the pot) no matter what I have, and thereby hopefully only play with other (dominated) pairs, or a dominated A or K with kicker, or some small stack getting desperate.

But in the mid stages of some tournaments where some people are still very adventurous it seems as if it may be worth taking some risk and trying to trap, particularly if you're up against a big stack who likes to push.

I don't mean for this to be a bad beat story, but I tried this strategy a couple of times and lost to hands that would not have played if had I raised pf. So I hang my head and come here for the answer.

Don't rememember the details exactly but one was something like this:

$10/1 MTT down to 45 from 200, top 15 pay, well into second hour. I have a slightly below average stack, with the blinds about 1/12 my stack, no antes. Table is not particularly tight or loose, a or p; just a typical mix of low level ability levels and playing patterns. A typical flop would be raised pf and folded around; or folded to the blinds; or one or two limpers to the blinds. My bets have been respected, as much as that means anything here. I'm UTG with KK???

And the other was something like this:

$10/1 MTT 1000+ 1hr 45 minutes in, 250 left, top 50 pay, I'm about 125 but slightly below average with 9000, blinds are 300/600. Table description very much like the first. Folded around to table chip leader in SB who has been seeing lots of flops and driving people out afterwards. S/he limps and I look at AA.

Options that occur to me:

1. Raise 3X and probably take it here, but possibly inducing bluff reraise.
2. Raise min and hope to induce bluff reraise, and otherwise juice pot by inducing call.
3. Call and hope to induce large bet or even allin by dominated hand.

So what do you think?

[MeanGreenTT]

I had a VERY similar simtuation in a local tourney last night and I'm still debating whether or not I just got paid off on a silly play. I'm the BB and it's folded around to a known good player on the Button who mini-raises to 50. I know she'll do this with any two but I also know she'd bet her strong hands....she likes to limp with weak Aces. The SB folds and I look down at KK. Now we're just about in the same boat but with a distinct difference...what are you afraid of heads up and do you think the SB will fold to a normal raise here?

I'd be inclined to slow play the Aces in this particular situation although that wouldn't be the normal line of play with more players, raises in front, etc. You might be able to extract more money this way.

[tiger7210]

Its very situation dependent in my opinion. The things I consider are the tightness of the table, my stack size, and my table image.

1. If i limp is there a good chance that some LAG will come over the top?
How many people are generally seeing the flop?
What position are you in? Sometimes the raise from late position if folded to you looks like it may be a steal whereas a limp unless you're a know weak/tight looks like you may want action.

2. If I'm low or below avg. then I'm certainly more willing to gamble and slow play my big pair to try and double up and get back in the game.
If I have a big stack I'm more inclined to protect my chips and tend not to slow play since I know those chips can be used to win a lot of small pots and steal blinds.

3. If you been pretty loose then raise if not then trying to trap with a limp may work out.

[billyjex]

I usually don't limp UTG w/ big pairs -- it's too obvious (if I come back over the top of someone) and if nobody raises... I probably have the SB and BB to the flop and I have no idea of their strength.

That being said, in a $10 tourney, if you pull a limp reraise, you could probably get someone in with a weaker hand -- your opponents aren't too observant.

The AA hand, I like checking here (especially if the SB is a very aggressive player.) If he flops some ragged two pair and you lose all your chips, that sucks but I would prefer to trap him here when he hits top pair or feels like bluffing..

It's all player dependent/table texture/stack size, etc. when it comes down to it.