Extracting Max Value???

Am I leavin money on the table???


Hero (yeah, me) has AA in small blind. Three callers, I limp, BB calls. Flop: A28 rainbow. I check, checks around to tight player who bets, button folds, I call, BB folds. Turn: A28[2]. I bet and opener folds. My rep at the table was relatively tight, solid player. I think my mistake, though, was that I was in the small blind, so the "2" was a possible hit for me. Since my opponent was a solid player, I figured he'd figure that I'd checkraise the 2 rather than bet, so he'd call with any ace. But maybe I should have checked. The hand before, I won uncontested and this same player gave me the squirrely, "you bullshitter" look so I figured he figured I might be stealing. I'm probably thinking too much. Dunno, that's where you guys come in.

Hero (yeah, me) has AA in small blind. Three callers, I limp


If you're limping with AA, you're definitely leaving money on the table. AA should be an automatic raise after three players have already entered the pot.


Flop: A28 rainbow. I check


Here's more money being left on the table. You've got the nuts and aren't betting it. You should bet and hope to get raised.


With only one opponent left on the turn, I think you should check-call the turn and bet the river.

markg,


When your opponent folded it was a small pot, and your opponent might have decided that there was too much chance of being beaten for too little money.


Your chance too make the pot big enough too fight for was preflop where you could raise and get some money in the pot too try and win later.


Good luck,

Play well,


Bob T.

"Why didn't you raise with AA?"


I had just won the last three hands in a row and it was a deception play (though I suppose so would have raising).


I also thought that with the small blind, if I raise everyone calls anyway and then get correct odds if they catch a pair or a pair and a backdoor flush.


These both may be faulty thinkiing. Pls et me know.

The thing is that AA is so monstrously strong, that you don't care about them chasing. Raise for value and get the $ in the pot! Even in the rare instances that you get drawn out on, you frequently have redraws. Let them try and get you.


Worrying about pot size is an issue that hands like QQ and JJ deal with because they want to be able to get overcards to fold. AA don't give a wham bam about overcards.


As far as deception. Dude, they all limped. None of em are folding for another small bet. Even so, I submit that your raise IS deceptive, because the fish think that for some reason "he can't have ANOTHER good hand, can he?" Let em pay to find out.

Hi markg,


This situation is perfect for raising with AA because you just did win those three hands. They are likely to think that you are playing a heater and just raising on momemtum. Your raise will likely get less respect, and that is good, the pot you might win will be a litle larger.


Good luck,

Play well,


Bob T.

Not commenting on the pre-flop limp (since that horse's been beaten), given that you limped for deception, why don't you bet out on the flop? No one's going to put you on AA in that position. You do sort of have the deck cripled, but you can hope someone has something they can fight back with. They're certainly not going to put you on AA if they do, which would give some chance of recouping the money you lost pre-flop.