Monster from BB, only SB calls
 

I'm torn between two ways to play a big hand like AA-JJ from the BB when only the SB calls. There seems to be a lot more action heads up because people figure if they hit top pair they are probably ahead of the only other person in the hand. You could make a lot of money with an overpair when your opponent flops top pair or sometimes even midpair. Also, there's only one opponent to draw out on you, so it can't hurt too much to let him see a flop, can it? On the other hand, if you raise from the BB when only SB calls, it may look like a steal and he will call with lesser holdings. This also makes a flop bet or raise look less suspicious.

I'm also wondering about how to play AK-AT. I always raise these holdings HU against the SB, but maybe they should be limped. Your opponent usually will pay you off if you make TPTK and he has TP as well. You're also last to act, so you can always take the pot if you don't hit and he checks to you. Does anyone limp when you are sur you have the better hand from the BB facing only the SB? What is the argument for raising?

Re: Monster from BB, only SB calls
 

Raise preflop every time. You could do this with a lot of hands plus what do you do if the flop is 338 and he bets. You going to call big bets all the way down thinking he has an 8? This is a recipe for disaster. Take the lead in betting and be happy with a little pot rather than losing a monster one.

Re: Monster from BB, only SB calls
 

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Raise preflop every time. You could do this with a lot of hands plus what do you do if the flop is 338 and he bets. You going to call big bets all the way down thinking he has an 8? This is a recipe for disaster. Take the lead in betting and be happy with a little pot rather than losing a monster one.

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You are a 4.5-1 fav here... a slowplay is not the worst thing in the world... as he didn't raise, you are probably looking at Ax, Kx, etc to one gaps... so you'll have to be vigilant... besides, you should be able to get away from AA in a tiny pot...

Re: Monster from BB, only SB calls
 

i think a lot of this comes down to how u normally play these situations without nice holdings. do u give a lot of walks from the sb? do u normally check playable hands when sb limps. i personally think that strong holding should always be raised from the sb because u r oop. as for the bb i am pretty aggro pre-flop so yes i do almost always raise pre-flop with monsters. i don't think its bad to slowplay them pre-flop to mix it up in position. u must be willing to fold them on those 3-3-8 boards when he keeps firing shells.

so i guess what im saying is if u know u will never get action raising from the bb; it can be profitable to slowplay them pre-flop as long as u r comfortable playing these hands in a lot of akward situations and willing to drop them occasionally.