High draw - Pair of aces

The game is high draw, 1-10 spread limit with an ante of 1, a 52 card deck (no joker), no opening requirements, five handed. The bettor or last raiser before the draw will act first after the draw.


Suppose I have a pair of aces before the draw. Probably I have the best hand, and the question is if I should bet/raise the maximum? I want draws and lower pairs to really pay if they take their chances. Also I will improve to aces up or better with a probability of 1/3.5.


1) What if I'm first to act with a pair of aces? Should I bet 10?

2) What if I'm last to act with a pair of aces and no one has bet? Should I bet 10?


If instead I have a low two pair. Once again I probably have the best hand and want to shut out straight and flush draws. The difference here is that I will only improve with a probability of 1/12.


3) Should I bet 10 with a low two pair?

In spread limit games any time you are going to bet, bet the maximum.


From early position I would open for a maximum bet with either Aces or a low two pair. Good hands are hard to come by. These are approximately my minimum openning requirements from early position in a full 8-handed game.


Form the way your question was posed, I assume the game is not played pass and out (players can check and then call a subsequent bet or check raise). So the question becomes how much check-raising is happening before the draw.


In any case I would bet the maximum with a pair of aces in last postion. If you are check raised you still have a reasonable chance to improve to a hand that could beat the check raiser and you have position.


If there is not a lot of check raising bet the maximum with a low two pair in late postion. If there is a lot of check raising you decision is harder since your hand is unlikely to improve and a checkraiser will have you beat. If I picked up any tells of a forth coming raise I would just pass. If I opened and got check raised, I would serieously consider folding on the spot. There will be $35 in the pot and you are faced calling a $10 raise so you are not getting the correct odds to continue.


The same considerations apply to if you open from early position with your low two pair and are raised.


Draw poker is a game where knowing your opponents is of prime importance.