Smooth calling with AA in late position
 

Happened tonight. Anybody play it differently? What if button had started with $200?

Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (9 handed) converter

UTG+1 ($162)
MP1 ($210)
MP2 ($187.85)
MP3 ($66)
CO ($21.55)
Button ($100.60)
Hero ($208.65)
BB ($95)
UTG ($77.70)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 raises to $9</font>, MP3 calls $9, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises to $31</font>, Hero calls $30, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP2 folds, MP3 calls $22.

Flop: ($104) 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, MP3 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets $69.6 (All-In)</font>, Hero calls $69.60, MP3 calls $35 (All-In).

Re: Smooth calling with AA in late position
 

I play it the same way. The K on the flop is the worst card, but you still have to call, since he could have AK or QQ.

Re: Smooth calling with AA in late position
 

Hard one. What do you gain with smooth calling preflop when he is short-stacked (after his raise) and probably would have called a push? I'm having problems playing AA, so I'm just curios (I usually just push preflop in situations like this.)

I would also call after the flop. You haven't revealed your strength, so he can have AK and play this way (or maybe he also have AA ). I doubt he have QQ, then he would be more scared of the K. Have the table been aggressive? loose or tight? If there is no information, no reads, it's just a coin flip. Not much to do except calling and praying [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

Re: Smooth calling with AA in late position
 

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Smooth calling with AA out of position with three opponents in the pot

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Fixed your post.

Re: Smooth calling with AA in late position
 

i wouldn't smoothcall with AA preflop given the number of opponents in the pot and the huge commitment that button has made to his hand by his re-raise.

hope it worked out though, tell me they all had AK...

fim

Re: Smooth calling with AA in late position
 

Results: Button shows AK. MP2 shows A9s. Evidence that the skill level of online poker has not improved...

As it turns out, smooth calling got me an extra $55 from MP2 and probably an extra $70 from button. I really doubt MP2 would have called a push there. There's a pretty good chance button would have folded pf too. A re-reraise from SB shows a huge amount of strength and almost always means AA or KK. In button's place I would almost always fold AK.

Now, I got lucky in that button made TPTK and MP2 made second pair and was a fish. Still, I don't think it's that dangerous to smooth call here. Given the size of the pot relative to stack sizes, I'm not folding, even on a flop as bad as this one. Nobody's drawing to more than 2 outs, and anyone who's calling for set value is not getting the right price.

Re: Smooth calling with AA in late position
 

With this many opponents, you definetely have to 3 bet. If this is too obvious, and they all fold, do it ten minutes later with 88.

If it was just button in the hand and you were closing action, I like the smooth call occasionally, because it makes sure you get most value out of PP, although it could lose value from strong aces.

Re: Smooth calling with AA in late position
 

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There's a pretty good chance button would have folded pf too.

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You are wrong. Work out the odds he would be offered by calling. Hed be mathematically correct in calling KK here or almost so. Im too tired to calculate them...try it and see.


He is completely and hopelessly pot stuck with AK.