Should I have raised?

I usually always raise with AA, but for the first time in a long time, I didn't. It was folded to me two off the button, and since I have quite a tight image, I was scared that everybody would fold if I rasied. I decided to limp, one more limper, and the two blinds. Ok, 4 people see the flop. It was a scary QT9 with two hearts. Check, I bet, two fold, BB calls. Turn is the awful Jh. Check, I check behind. River is blank (3s). Bet, call. Bettor turns K4o for straight, a hand he surely would have folded for a pre-flop raise.


This hand left me with a sour taste in my mouth as I strayed from my usual play and it cost me. Thinking about it though, I got pretty unlucky, and I'm not convinced that my limp was bad. I hate to be results oriented, so I'm trying to allow myself the possibility that I played it right and got boned. BTW, notice that the winner called on the flop with only 4 outs, so he made a theoretical mistake on the flop, and thus I gained. He would not have been able to make this mistake if I'd raised.


Feedback?

-MD

My question to you is this: Do you play poker for enjoyment only or to make money?

My guess is that you probably play it to make money, so why not get the most money in the pot when you have the absolute best pre-flop starting hand. Giving the blinds a free play is the worst thing you can do when you have a monster. Their random cards may have just flopped them two pair on a ragged flop, and you are going to have to pay them off with your overpair unless you otherwise know you are beat. Even if everyone folded and you just got the blinds, that surely would have been better than the two big bets you lost. If you are afraid to raise with aces, what hands can you be totally confident in raising with pre-flop without hesitation. Also being only two off the button, you need to raise to try and steal position. If you were the only pre-flop caller besides the blinds, it wouldn't be worth playing for the pot and you are forcing a drop on the flop by not raising also

Its ok to occsionally limp with this hand, especially if your preflop raises are getting too much respect. With most hand that should be raised in this situation, you should be happy to win the blinds preflop. AA however is worth more than the blinds and if raising with them is win the hand preflop, you would be better to limp.


I believe Al Jalib talks about this at his site.


Emm

Thanks for the input. Where's Al Jalib's site? Are there any other good sites I should know about?


-MD

Thanks for the input, but I'm a little confused by your last sentance. Would you mind clarifying?


-MD

Abdul's site is www.posev.com (http://www.posev.com).


IMO, You should always raise with AA pre-flop as anybody who calls you is making a mistake. I don't remember the famous player that pulled this move: Several players in, AA raises all-in on button and flips over cards, Everybody folds. (I think is is what generated the rule in tournament, if you expose your cards, your hand is dead).


If your raises are getting to much respect, raise more often to steal pots until you start getting callers, rather than calling with your premium hands.


I have played 1-5 stud with no ante and stole the bring-ins 6 out the first 8 hands I sat in on. It took the old rocks that long to catch on.

I don't think he was afraid to raise preflop, I just think he was too concerned he wouldn't get any callers.


The problem with this thinking is that no matter how tight your image might be, good players are going to put you on a very possible steal raise from the cutoff, so you should get a caller most of the time in most games.


Also, the last thing in the world you want to do is to play against 3 callers for one bet (esp. when two of the "callers" are the totally unknown blinds), when you can play against one caller for 2 bets; at least you know the player is committing himself to some degree, and you have a greater ability to assess his hand.


Lastly, I'll take the blinds in a walk anyday over losing any pot, small or large.

Sorry about the clarification. At the card room that I play at, they only take a drop if there is a flop. If you raise and steal the blinds, the money that was going to be dropped is now given to you and we go on the next hand. If you only call in late position, especially with aces, the small blind might complete his blind and if not, I am sure the big blind will take his free play and you will be playing heads up for a small pot. I only made that last comment in relation to how my cardroom does it and if your cardroom is different, then I am sorry for the confusion.

i think you played it perfectly, particularly preflop and on the turn..


you need to limp every now and then with big hands and this was a good time given the situation you described.

Better to win a small pot (or even just the blinds) than risk losing a big hand. No action with AA in late position sucks, but I'll raise with them every time. Besides, raising occasionally creates action if someone thinks you're trying to steal, although this happens less if they know you play well.