Raising from button with AA or KK on tight tables with no callers

Rayek · #1 07-13-2005, 06:09 PM

Ive had a question thats been nagging at me recently, just happened twice in the past half hour so I figured Id ask some advice. Ive been doing some bonus chasing on pokerrewards at .5/1, which is way tighter then the equivalent at party (usually not more than 3 to the flop). I know by the books you are supposed to raise AA or KK preflop, but my question is this. When the table has folded around to you, do any of you limp from LP with one of these pairs? I hate doing it, but sometimes I would rather limp than raise and knock the blinds out with no flop. If there is anyone else in the pot I will raise, but am I making a bad mistake by limping when no one else has entered the pot? Thanks

DCWildcat · #2 07-13-2005, 06:14 PM

Meh...that's insanely tight for low stakes; are you sure you've been playing on there long enough to get an accurate reflection of the play? Keep in mind that if they really are that tight, you should be stealing enough to piss them off anyway.

Their aggression is important. If they'll go ballistic flopping top pair, limping would be ok, and could help you recuperate what you lose by not raising PF. But if they're extremely passive, there's a good chance you won't gain anything by limping.

nomadtla · #3 07-13-2005, 06:16 PM

I would say yes you should raise with these even in that sittuation. I'm on Ub and sometimes it's tables get that tight to. When I do make that kinda limp play, I do it with variance. Like only do it when both K's or A's are red. That way your opponents can't track how offten you do it.

MrWookie47 · #4 07-13-2005, 06:16 PM

I raise with AA, but I also raise with A2o, 22, T8s, and maybe some worse stuff if the blinds are tight. Hopefully they choose to play back when you have AA.

One thing is certain, if always raising is a mistake, it is very small compared to the mistake of limping too much.

Bodhi · #5 07-13-2005, 06:18 PM

I limped once with AA in LP after no callers; I wouldn't do it again. It's way better to take their blinds than let them see the flop cheaply. Also, they will likely put you on a steal and you will occasionally get a lot of action (I've been on the wrong side of this situation, too).

nomadtla · #6 07-13-2005, 06:18 PM

[ QUOTE ]
One thing is certain, if always raising is a mistake, it is very small compared to the mistake of limping too much.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bingo

JKDStudent · #7 07-13-2005, 06:19 PM

I raise anyway. It'll look like a steal, getting more calls all the way to the river. And I hate letting the BB in for free. I think my biggest losses in the blinds have been "defending my blinds" against AA-QQ.

Hojglad · #8 07-13-2005, 06:23 PM

No, I don't. In my experience, when I raise on the button, most players view it as me taking a shot at their blinds. I often get a LOT of action on my big pairs when this situation arises from someone who over defends his/her blinds. Raise it up.

With regards to your question "am I making a bad mistake by limping when no one else has entered the pot?": well, yes and no. Sometimes it IS correct to limp Aces on the button. However, know that you have an enormous equity edge preflop. Limping with aces does not serve to exploit that edge.

Let's get to the deeper issue here: table selection. I am assuming you are playing at 0.5/1 or 1/2. If this situation comes up often enough for you to honestly worry about which course of action is the best, you need to find better games. This situation should come up so infrequently in the games you play in that whatever you choose to do should have almost no effect whatsoever on your longterm winrate.

Rayek · #9 07-13-2005, 06:23 PM

Alright, thanks for the replys guys, guess I wont be limping anymore. I guess it really makes sense about people thinking that you might be stealing the blinds, im always tempted to call when its a blind steal situation, as Im always suspicious. However at .5/1 im not sure how many people even know what a blind steal is? Anyways, thanks again.

In regards to the previous post about table selection, I really dont have much choice on poker rewards. Its part of the prima network, and they generally only have 3-4 .5/1 tables going at any given time. Maybe the tables are a little looser than I said, but I dont think by much, maybe 4 to the flop is average.
Anyways, I wont be there all that much longer but it was a 100% matching up to 200$ bonus, which isnt that bad. only 1k more raked hands to go. Thanks again for the advice.

TripleH68 · #10 07-13-2005, 06:24 PM

I don't think the risk is worth the reward, especially with KK.
You should get some action if you are regularly steal-raising form LP.