Any way to protect my hand?

[Farfenugen]

I picked up AKo in the big blind with 7 people already in. I raised pre-flop like SSHE says to always do, caught an ace on the flop and bet all the way down. I got drawn out on when a guy with 87o picked up a 7 on the river to make two pair 8's and 7's.

Is there any way to protect my hand here because I am in early position against so many loose limpers? I don't think there is but I thought I should try and illicit the advice of the folks here. Is there anything I can do but hope that my ace holds up and keep betting?

[thirddan]

given the info i have on the hand, you played it the same way i would have...usually straightforward is the way to make the most money in this kind of situation...

since you didn't relate the board cards or descriptions of the players there is no way for us to give advice on alternate methods of playing the hand, such as going for check/raises and other "fancy" plays to help protect your hand...

when the pots get as large as the one you descibed, it becomes correct for a player with second/bottom pair to sometimes see the turn or river simply the because the pot is offerering good enough odds to chase for two pair, its part of the large variance that comes with limit holdem...learn to love it...welcome /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Farfenugen]

I don't remember the exact details of the board but it was fairly safe. A-8-3 I believe. With nothing real scary on the turn or river. That is why it was so crazy because everyone stayed with me to the river.

Its good to know that there was probably nothing I could do but bet it and hope for the best.

My basic question is that is there sometimes just no way to protect your hand?

[Nick C]

[ QUOTE ]
My basic question is that is there sometimes just no way to protect your hand?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sometimes there is no real way to protect your hand, and all you can really do is bet for value.

Those occasions tend to come up in games where eight people see the flop and chase until the river. And, in fact, when a lot of people are making very loose calls, it improves the odds for those very loose calls and tends to make them not as bad (or even correct, if the draw is halfway decent enough).

But when you do win the pot, it will be very big.

[TheHip41]

[ QUOTE ]
I picked up AKo in the big blind with 7 people already in. I raised pre-flop like SSHE says to always do, caught an ace on the flop and bet all the way down. I got drawn out on when a guy with 87o picked up a 7 on the river to make two pair 8's and 7's.

Is there any way to protect my hand here because I am in early position against so many loose limpers? I don't think there is but I thought I should try and illicit the advice of the folks here. Is there anything I can do but hope that my ace holds up and keep betting?

[/ QUOTE ]

River a K /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[GuyOnTilt]

Go read and post in the Micro forum. They will help you.

GoT