Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

Interesting problem here - for the next 10 days, you get $10 if your aces are cracked at Absolute Poker. Here's the exact terms:

From Midnight Sunday, September 18th to Friday, September 30th at Midnight Absolute Poker will be giving away $10 to players every time they lose with pocket aces on Hold’em tables with limits of at least $1/$2 Limit or $1 NL. Three players must be dealt in the hand to be eligible.

So let's assume a $1/$2 game. (The effect will be a lot less at higher limits.) Does the fact that if you lose with Aces you get $10, change how you play them? Do you limp in rather than raise? Increased action will mean higher pots, at the risk of opponents catching something unconventional. To counter that, you get $10.

Is it worth trying to be tricky, or trickier than normal?

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

no

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

I haven't really thought this out, but at first glance it seems to be -EV. In the long run you'll make more money playing the aces as usual than the ten dollars every now and then that helps offset you loss. Lets say you lose $5 on the hand.(which will be about the least you can lose) You win $10 so you're $5 up when if you played your aces correctly oer the long haul you would be up more.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

Thanks for the HU on that bonus. Can you fold preflop and win, or do you have to make it to showdown? Your EV with aces should be between 2-3 BB. At a 1/2 table, if you can fold preflop and win, you should. At 2/4+, it's more +EV to win.

Generally, getting AA cracked is fairly expensive, so in order to have an EV of 2-3 BB with AA, you'll expect to win fairly large pots when you win, and lose some medium sized ones. Those pots you win will typically be >5 BB, so you should try to win. If you lose, you may still come out ahead, since 5 BB is a fair bit to lose on a single hand. Really, I think I'll play AA like I always do: to win the maximum, but if I lose, it's still OK.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

But remember that one advantage on unconventional play will be larger pots, which you should still win a lot of the time.

BW figures this bonus is worth just under a $1/hr in a full $1/$2 limit game, if that helps. (I assume that's considering conventional play.) If you play it unconventionally, I guess the real question is, how much bigger will the pots be vs. how much more often will you lose? And does the $10 cover the additional loses.

I really don't know the answer, but it's certainly an interesting problem.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

How can your aces be cracked if you fold preflop?

I don't think they'll allow this to get the bonus.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

You definitely shouldn't try to lose. A showdown is required.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

IMO there is no question. It is not worth it to play this way.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

Defienetly an interesting problem, I'm thinking your opponents style may determine the most +EV

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

Happened to me just this morning. Q7o hit quads on the turn. (I did raise pf. And on the flop and turn I think, called the river.) Dude said something about a $10 cracked Aces bonus but I just thought he was being a dickhead and making a smartass comment after I showed my hand instead of mucking. I'll have to check it out.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

In my opinion, you should play them the correct way. If you let a bunch of people in and get to the turn. You may have to pay 8 big bets to get to showdown (hence, you lose money even with the bonus). Where the bonus effects your play is in deciding to hold onto them or muck them when you think you are beat. You should be willing to go to show down (even if you are convinced you are beat) if you can get there for 5 BBs or less (even 5.5 may be profitable because you may occassionally win when you thought you were beat).

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

A just as valid question is how often are you going to lose now because an opponent limped AA and called your pair of jacks down hoping you'd crack him :/

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

At least $1/2 tables means the equity you should get from the pot will almost always be greater than the $10 you get when they're cracked. The only exception would be shorthanded, small pot, and you know an opponent has a draw that will come in a good portion of the time and also that the opponent will not bet but will call indefinitely with his draw.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
A just as valid question is how often are you going to lose now because an opponent limped AA and called your pair of jacks down hoping you'd crack him :/

[/ QUOTE ]

I would thank that player from the very soul of my being for saving me at the very least 2 BB, because I probably would have shown down JJ anyway.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A just as valid question is how often are you going to lose now because an opponent limped AA and called your pair of jacks down hoping you'd crack him :/

[/ QUOTE ]

I would thank that player from the very soul of my being for saving me at the very least 2 BB, because I probably would have shown down JJ anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]

I mean limping, say JTo on the button and paying off a J high flop [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
In my opinion, you should play them the correct way. If you let a bunch of people in and get to the turn. You may have to pay 8 big bets to get to showdown (hence, you lose money even with the bonus). Where the bonus effects your play is in deciding to hold onto them or muck them when you think you are beat. You should be willing to go to show down (even if you are convinced you are beat) if you can get there for 5 BBs or less (even 5.5 may be profitable because you may occassionally win when you thought you were beat).

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe this is the correct answer. Play the same as you always would, but always go to showdown. You won't be behind until after the flop, and even if you are, you should be able to make it from the flop to the showdown in 5 BB or less (assuming $1/$2) simply by check calling. Any money bet before the flop is irrelevant. Only at the point you know you are beat should you go into hibernation mode and start counting the 5 BB.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

Hijacking:

How tough are the Absolute bonuses to clear?

I'm thinking about taking the plunge but I don't want it to become my second career.

Talk to me people.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

It releases every 10 dollars, and is 10x, so if you are having trouble with it, you can give up with something to show for it.

There's usually one Partyish game at 1/2 and 2/4 if you want to try to clear it.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
How tough are the Absolute bonuses to clear?

[/ QUOTE ]
Pretty tough, but neverending. Seems like they're offering a reload of some kind every few days. I think they might be desperate to keep/bring-in customers.

I hate their software (I got kicked off of tables multiple times for no reason), but I'm probably going to start playing there again. The games are pretty good and I like the bonii.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

Absolute bonuses are somewhat slow to clear, but since they don't count against your MGR, make sure you get a good r****ack deal. Your hourly earn from bonus+the unspeakable is pretty good. I tend to clear $10 in bonus every 45 min 3 tabling 1/2 6 max, and $10 every 30 min 3 tabling 2/4 6 max. You can play 3 tables tops. As gharp said, you'll never run out of bonus there. They have something like $200-$400 in reloads every single week, so playing at Absolute could very well be your career. Don't play full ring there, unless you're sitting at a short table beating up on the rocks until it fills up. Play is generally tough at full ring, but there are plenty of donks at the 6 max tables.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

i just started there last thurs. I've played about 2k hands of 1/2 and have $30 of bonus out of $150 left to clear. I don't particularly care for the graphics (what's up with the snack bar thingy?) and it's a pain in the ass to have to request your hh's via email. But I've heard here that they are fixinta go to a save to your harddrive system.

As for the cracked aces thing, you can only cash in once. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
three times for me today.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

If you go to their Cracked Aces promo page, they seem to contradict themselves. At the top it says:

[ QUOTE ]
Every pair of pocket aces that you are dealt on Texas Hold'em tables with limits of at least $1/$2 Limit or $1 NL or higher will earn you $10 FREE if they are beaten or 'cracked'!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Down lower on the same page in the T&C it says:

[ QUOTE ]
There must be at least 3 participants playing the hand, and the hand must be a raked hand to qualify. Head to head tables do not qualify for this promotion. The hand does need to go to a showdown. This is One Time ONLY and MUST occur at Ring Games ONLY.



[/ QUOTE ]

Complain that it says EVERY time at the top of the page and see if you can get them to pay off.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

I just finished my session tonite and when I quit I noticed that I had $10 more than what I had figured in my journal. When I sent in my email I included both hand numbers so maybe they do pay off on every one.

I had one tonite that I'll send in (ONCE I GET THE DAMN HH EMAIL) tommorrow to see what happens.

Re: Cracked Aces Bonus - Vary How You Play Aces?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I had one tonite that I'll send in (ONCE I GET THE DAMN HH EMAIL) tommorrow to see what happens.




[/ QUOTE ]

Dear Bobby,

Thank you for your email.

I'm aware that you have received this bonus twice, although this promotion is a one time offer so I cannot credit the $10 for hand 1908. I hope you understand.

Thanks for playing at Absolute Poker! If there is anything else we can help you with, please let us know. We're here for you!

Sincerely,

Kyoko
Team Absolute ~ Customer Support
"Continuing to be the Best and Most Trusted"
Support@AbsolutePoker.com