Playing AA in early position

i've realised that when i raise AA in early position, everybody seems to fold, and i only get small pots. does anybody think that it might be better to call to enlarge the pot?

Definitly not. You will encourage drawing hands to come in behind you cheaply. Just raise and hope that people with AK and TT will call you.

OK. How about holding AA, i raise. everybody folds but one other person.

the flop is J and 2 other blanks. should i raise or slowplay?

[_Kevin_]

Don't slow play Aces, you will regret it. It is much better to win a small pot than lose a big pot. Others may disagree but I've found this is the best long term strategy.

Lead the flop. If he calls, bet the turn and river. If you get 2 bet, the board is drawless, and the player is aggressive, I will call and check raise the turn. If the board is draw heavy (for example 2 flush cards), I usually 3 bet and lead the turn.

[Webster]

If you have AA play it hard and fast - it's ONLY one pair. Winning a small pot is WAY better then losing right?

NEVER EVER slow play pockets aces - that is just luricras.

Grinderswarehouse - NOT just another BLOG (http://grinderswarehouse.blogspot.com/)

EVERYTIME I've slowplayed AA I've lost with them. I lost because I made it cheap for the villians to chase. This is before posting in this forum and reading GSIH and SSH. Play AA fast and hard pre-flop. Then after thr flop make sure you know who you're playing against, put them on a range of hands, and evaluate if you are UI.

If they fold before the flop, happily take the blinds and enjoy your free orbit around the table.

What is GSIH and SSH??

GSIH aka GSHE - "Getting Started in Hold'em" by Ed Miller
SSH aka SSHE "Small Stakes Hold'em" Ed Miller, David Sklansky, and Mason Malmuth

These are the old and new testaments of microlimit poker. (excuse the potential sacriledge!)

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If the board is draw heavy (for example 2 flush cards), I usually 3 bet and lead the turn.

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Do you use this as a counter-strategy to a potential freecard-raise in these situations?

Regards!

If you never raise EP with AA, then opponents will know when you DO raise, you don't have AA. So you have to raise At Least part of the time.

But there is an argument for limping at a TIGHT table, maybe 10% of the time, if you've been at the table for a long time and the players start to pick up on your tendencies.

With loose inferior players, however, raise it up 100% of the time.

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But there is an argument for limping at a TIGHT table, maybe 10% of the time, if you've been at the table for a long time and the players start to pick up on your tendencies.


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Do you mean with AA, any premium pocket pair, or with any pocket pair? I agree with the 10% guideline in principle in a B&M. But, online if you are using PT we can see how long people have been there, what kind of players they are (granted, based usually on a very small sample), etc. Plus - before I started reading and posting here - I didn't pay attention tohands I wasn't involved with - I don't think most other players online do either - hence, if you always raise with AA, I don't think the fish will know the difference. TAG's yes, but not the unenlightened masses.

[_Kevin_]

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If the board is draw heavy (for example 2 flush cards), I usually 3 bet and lead the turn.

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Do you use this as a counter-strategy to a potential freecard-raise in these situations?

Regards!

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There are multiple reasons for this play. One is to protect against the free card, two it's is a value bet, and 3 it helps narrow down the villians hand. The correct play often depends on the villian. Against a real rock (someone who would never bet much less raise with less than two pair), I would just call and consider folding the turn UI. Against a LAG who caps, I would probably call down.

You can only know the "correct" play if you have all the information which of course you don't. Poker is an art of making decisions with imperfect and incomplete information. The advice I gave is just some basic guidance to illustrate I NEVER slow play aces.

[Guruman]

I try to do what I can to get the most money in the pot preflop, and I use my reads to do so. If the table has a few people willing to make a cold-call, I'll just raise. If there's a lag in later position I'll go for a limp-reraise. If I'm in with a bunch of weak/tighties, I may limp if I think that will make a bigger pot than raising will.

remember, AA plays well vs any number of opponents. It can take down lots of pots UI, and when it does improve, it creates monsters that can beat large fields.

Generally I'll make the move that I think will get the most money in the pot preflop, and then play poker on the flop.

just my .02

[TomBrooks]

On tight tables where UTG raises can often win the blinds, I will usually limp AA. Then I'll reraise if it gets raised. You normally won't get more than 2-3 others seeing the flop when you limp from UTG on a table like this anyway.

With AA, I'm willing to risk losing the hand if a raise means I'm likely to win only the blinds.

However, I'd also start raising lighter on a table like this. That will win you some pots with weaker hands, and if your opponents are paying attention, it will tend to disguise your monsters and you'll start getting more action.

If you expect to get at least two callers though, thats enough. Raise.

[Aaron W.]

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i've realised that when i raise AA in early position, everybody seems to fold, and i only get small pots. does anybody think that it might be better to call to enlarge the pot?

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Raise more hands. Pick up lots of small pots. Make more money. Get more action. Raise less hands. Continue making money. Raise AA. Get 3 cold-callers. Make more money.