How do you play AA here?

[Jester999]

I usually don't post AA hands, but I thought this one semi-interesting....

30+3 SNG at Pokerstars. Blinds are 25/50 and we're 8 handed. The table is a bit tight with not much money changing hands and only a couple of short stacks at the table. The guy on my right is the big stack with $3175. I have $2205 and am in second.

I get dealt AA in the BB. Two MP players ($1400 and $610) limp. The big stack makes it $350 from the SB.

What's your move?

[alieneyes]

My move is all in (and pretty much the only move i think). There is already 525 in the pot, your call makes it 875, so a pot sized raise would be have you betting 1225 and take over half your stack.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

A pot-size raise is more than half your chips, so the question is how will he react to a minimum raise (making it 650 to go) or an all-in raise? What I would not do is call. I don't want one of those limpers to look at the size of the pot and decide his 98s is worth a call.

The big question is, if you push in, will he fold QQ or AK? If you think that's likely, try raising the minimum. If he has KK, either way you're going to play him for your whole stack.

[Prickly Pete]

Allin is certainly fine here.

If you want to get cute, how about calling? I'd expect MP1 to drop/call and MP2 to drop or go allin (and enough to reopen the betting). SB will then probably call and you can test him by reraising allin. Granted, playing against 3 others is dangerous and a possibility with this play.

Possibly too chancy but at least worth considering I think.

[Jester999]

I used to play nothing but tourneys. For the last 9 months or so I've been focusing on cash games. Just trying to get my feet wet again and making sure the play was obvious.

I pushed in and everyone folded.

[37offsuit]

I'd raise about T800 here. That will likely fold one or both of the MP limpers. I'll take a flop against two opponents with AA this early in the tourny because you said that they're tight and the extra chips you get will let you loosen up and take advantage of this fact.

The bonus here is that you get to act first after the flop. Barring flopping a boat or quads, I'd push quickly, zero hesitation. I'm committed at this point.

[Phil Van Sexton]

I think 800-1000 is about right. That should fold the limpers...remember they only have 610 and 1400, and still have the big stack to play behind them. If they are willing to call that, they likely would have called an all-in anyway.

Pushing in this spot screams "AA", so I'd bet enough to lose the limpers and put some question in the mind of the big stack. Obviously, you would then push on the flop.

[DarrenX]

1st time poster that's been playing for a mere year, so take this for what it's worth... I'd push all-in. As Phil says, this move 'screams' AA- hopefully it screams loud enough to be heard by the only stack at the table that can break you- why not just rake in a few extra hundred, stay out of harm's way, and bully the little guys on later hands while you take advantage of position on a solid chip leader? /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Pushing in this spot screams "AA",

2 limpers, the SB raises and you reraise. Any size reraise screams "big hand." When you push, you hpe QQ or AK thinks the all-in means "please fold". Really the only way you hit big here is if the SB has KK or QQ.

[TwoNiner]

I'd do the mini raise to about 800-900 total. I rather try and get money off the big stack who has a good hand rather than blowing him out. If one of the others come along, they aren't going to break you and they probably have hands more dangerous than the big stack who you are fairly likely to have dominated. I think enough flops hit his AQ, are unders to his 10-10, JJ, etc.. where I will try and get him to play. Of course I have lost my ass doing this as well, so take it for what its worth. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[patrick dicaprio]

i dont necessarily agree that a push screams AA. Many players will just call with AA as some of the posters here have suggested. Personally I would push in here most of the time and hope to get called by KK or QQ. So i do think you have it right in that taking what is in the pot is good and if you get called by KK better still.
Too many people want to be tricky here and sometimes the only one you trick is yourself.

Pat