Stealing blinds with AA

[Guthrie]

Is it +/-EV to raise on the button with AA, or any other big pair, if it's been folded around?

If you're ahead against any random hand, and hands can't be any more random than the blinds, then wouldn't it be +EV to just call and try to pick up something on the flop?

[AaronBrown]

It's not "stealing" with AA, you're entitled to the blinds. Generally it's a better idea to call and hope for some action after the flop. You shouldn't do that all the time, of course, the point is to be deceptive. You don't want people to know for sure you don't have AA when you raise, but you also don't want them to be sure you don't have it when you call.

[WhiteWolf]

It seems to me that the best way to disguise AA in a stealing situation is to play it exactly the way you play any stealing hand, which means you raise. As a player in the big blind, I would be very suspicious if you just limped in that situation.

[wadea]

[ QUOTE ]
It seems to me that the best way to disguise AA in a stealing situation is to play it exactly the way you play any stealing hand, which means you raise. As a player in the big blind, I would be very suspicious if you just limped in that situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. I would make the standard steal-raise in this situation about 80% of the time and call 20%. If you're playing what I would consider to be solid poker, these raises will look very standard for you and may get repopped by a weak ace or some other reasonable hand. Your goal is to get your chips to the middle pre-flop if possible, so you should bet accordingly. The best outcome is to get reraised pre-flop. If you allow a cheap flop and get a guy to put all his chips in post-flop, you might be in some serious trouble. With AA against a guy who's giving plenty of action, the likelyhood that you're ahead is always largest pre-flop. Too much action post-flop may signal trouble, while you know you're always ahead pre-flop.

[PremiumHands]

It depends on the game. If the game is very tight and the blinds are never defending, then I'd call most of the time. If its a good, strong game I'm raising at least 75% of the time.

There's nothing better that getting your opponent to call with A6o because he's sure that you're stealing.

[jba]

if we're talking limit I'm raising 100% of the time.

[meow_meow]

Right.
NL is a totally different animal, but in limit against standard opposition at least one of the blinds is calling you about 80% of the time. Get as many bets in as you can on every street unless the board gets very ugly.