AAxx philosophy

[ThePortuguee]

I've been thinking about AAxx. Nearly everyone plays it super aggressively preflop, but unless it's AATJ, AA(other pair), AAxx double suited, or AA(67, 78...x, x+1) suited or double suited (apologize for the vague algebra use), I can't really see raising with it preflop, except maybe from the button. But if someone advocated never raising with AA, I'd be inclined to agree.

My rationale is that it's too much of a pain to play on the flop. If you're out of position you almost to fire at most ugly flops becasue you can't really leave that much money out there, and if you're called now you have a huge pot with just one pair and some challenging decisions ahead. And even if you're in position the only advantage you gain is the ability, if you so desire, to check and try to improve.

The basic problem is that you're building a pot with a hand that's not too likely to improve and that, unimproved, is both (a) hard to play, and (b) unlikely to win. Obviously you muck to aggression, but you can't afford to be playing aggressively preflop then giving up on sizable pots when you dont flop a set or flush draw.

On the other hand, if you play AAxx passively preflop, i. e., limp and call raises, then you've disguised your hand dramatically well, and when you do improve you're going to be much more likely to catch opponets off guard in big pots.

I just cant see jamming pots preflop unless you can get more than 2/3 of your money into the pot.

Is this making sense? Can anyone recommend a better AAxx philosophy, or a way to play it thats different and profitable?

[DRKEVDC]

This answer will be vague but here it goes. It depends on the table that I am at. Are there at least 2-3 people that will go to showdown with almost anything? If there are I will play them more cautiously as I worry about people backdooring hands. If I think that this is a table that I can move people off of hands then I will play it more aggressively.

Hope that helps.

[joewatch]

AAxx is probably the most complicated and controversial topic in PLO.

See my post http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=3571693

[mosta]

in the bigger online games like 5-10 they often play in a pattern where there is usually one pot or near pot sized raise PF. in that situation you might get to reraise enough in LP to commit. you simply don't mind building the pot a little. you should be making similar first raises with many other hands. and you can raise in EP hoping to get to 3-bet. but, that said, in my experience AA is generally just another hand in games as big as 5-10 unless you have a maniac PF.

in smaller online games like 1-2, it always surprizes me how easy it is to finish the hand on the flop with one pot-ish sized bet--take it down, fold to a reraise, or check all the way to showdown.

on a different related note, what other hands, if any, would you try to get all in PF, aside from AA? AKJTss? 89TJs?

i'm conservative with AA because there's so many cards in everybody's hands.

[Filip]

You raise because u want to play the pot shorthanded/HU where your AAxx has a higher +EV.

[ThePortuguee]

[ QUOTE ]
You raise because u want to play the pot shorthanded/HU

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that in smaller stakes PLO (which is more what I play) a raise from EP doesnt do anything but build a big pot, given how prone most players are to call 3-5BB with almost any four. Doing this with a hand like AA can create problems where you are almost forced to bet at ugly flops given the size of the pot and your hand. I feel as if this situation often creates problems, and so I dont necessarily agree that raising, especially in early position, is an effective strategy if the desired effect is to narrow the field.

[ThePortuguee]

Actually, I typically prefer to avoid TRYING to get my stack in preflop in PLO, even if in generally high EV spots, given the variance it creates. Obviously no hand is really ever more than a 60-65% favorite over any other reasonable hand, and I´m relatively confident in my post flop play, so I´d prefer to see more than just my hole cards before committing my stack if possible. Obviously the exception to this what I mentioned earlier, where if I can commit more than two thirds of my stack preflops, especially heads up, Ill often, but not always roll the dice.

That said, hands I wouldnt muck for any amount of money preflop would be hands like 89TJ, 9TJQss, TJQKss, AKTJss, etc. If I have a strong read on AA Id obviously prefer not to have an ace in my hand, and Ill also be more likely to call with almost any semi-connected cards or two suited pairs like KKJJ or even TTQQ hoping to make trips or two pair. Ive made a lot of money with any two pair stacking off newbies who cant let go of AA.