AA in early stages of a STT

I always struggle with AA in the early stages of a tournament. The blinds are so small, that you have to raise an enormous amount in order to keep from seeing 5 or 6 people to the flop, but then if I do that I end up feeling married to the hand and have a MUCH harder time letting go of it after the flop. Anyway, thoughts on what the play is here would be appreciated. I think I know the answer, but it's nice to check if I'm thinking right.

Paradise Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t5 (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx (http://www.zerodivide.cx/converter)

MP1 (t1140.00)
MP2 (t805.00)
MP3 (t1165.00)
CO (t760.00)
Button (t795.00)
SB (t1010.00)
BB (t1000.00)
Hero (t2090.00)
UTG+1 (t1235.00)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif. SB posts a blind of t5.
[color=#CC3333]Hero raises to t30</font>, [color=#666666]3 folds</font>, MP3 calls t30, [color=#666666]4 folds</font>.

Flop: (t75) 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif [color=#0000FF](2 players)</font>
[color=#CC3333]Hero bets t150</font>, [color=#CC3333]MP3 raises to t1135</font>, Hero ?

Also, I'm wondering if my raise preflop was enough, for the reasons I mentioned in the opening section. Thanks

[Big Limpin']

is t30 enough? lol

but, if you bet enough, "getting married" is not a problem.

go t100 next time.

or pull a "Heinrichsohn" and open push for 60BB. The number of times AJ or 44 call you will be enough to pull most of the EV from AA that you'd get playing it the normal way.

The reason I asked that is because I like to be consistent with my raises, whether I'm bluffing or have a big hand. I guess in early stages when the blinds are so small that doesn't really work though.

[Big Limpin']

may standard raise is t100 with all hands im opening for a raise in levels 1 and 2. never less.

Yes, I'll have to adjust my strategy on early hands. Thanks.

Wait, what are the blinds here?

Blinds were 5/10, level 1.

[Big Limpin']

[ QUOTE ]
Wait, what are the blinds here?

[/ QUOTE ]

ohhh, good call. it looks like 5/10.

OP, i ignorantly assumed it was partys 10/15 amd you minraised.

t100 might be a bit much now? maybe still gets calls? im not sure about paradise. 1000 stacks, no?

so the t30 was 3BB then, which is not so bad, but in early levels, someone who'd call 30 probably will call 50, or 75, or even 100. its still 1/10th stack

I never min raise, always 3 BB, but what you said is true (lots of people will call anyway), thus my frustration with AA in early stages. There's almost no good way to play it.

[needcash]

Raise a lot more, like 100 chips. The guy that called you with K/10 will still call you if you bet 100 chips. If you have limpers in front don't be afraid of going all-in either, even at the low blinds. At the low limits more often than not they think you are stealing and figure their K/9 suited is good. You will be amazed the trash you get called down with - KJ/Ax/suited connectors/6pp-2pp/etc.

I would probably make it t60 at level 1. I think 10xBB is major overkill.

[david050173]

Call and hope someone else bets. Just remember if it goes unraised, you have to tread very carefully postflop. I tend to only do this if I know there are a couple of aggressive players behind me.

In this example it looks to me like your 3x raise got you heads up so these seems like a bad example.

my standard play on the flop would be to push right away, unless he has one of the few hands that beats you (KK/QQ/99/QT) he has a very tough decision to make. don't let him draw out on you.

[Eevee]

Yeah, in a party SNG im poppin up to at least t70 level 1. Im not familiar with paradise, but anything above t50 sounds like a good plan. Also, i like a fold post flop in this situation, but it really depends on the buy in. BTW, Id call this instantly in the 33s and down at PP.

-EV

[david050173]

[ QUOTE ]
my standard play on the flop would be to push right away, unless he has one of the few hands that beats you (KK/QQ/99/QT) he has a very tough decision to make. don't let him draw out on you.

[/ QUOTE ]


I think pushing is a bit extreme. You are risking 1100 chips to win 75. You are behind trips, the straight, 2 pair, and some combo hands draw hands(Qd Jd, Jd Td, 8d td).

AA is a 4:1 favorite preflop. At this point of the hand you could be drawing to runner-runner. Other than AK I don't see what hand you are more than a ~3:2 favorite against.

I think you are ahead here most of the time. I think it might cost you too much to find out.

damn, i gotta pay more attention, thanks.

For the record, I called. He had Q /images/graemlins/club.gif 10 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. Flopped a straight. I figured he had hit his pair of kings or something, as many of the players in these low limit tourney's will push immediately with top pair. Anyway, I guess I'll try slightly larger raises in early stages from now on.