Smoothcalling preflop with monsters

SossMan · #1 07-23-2004, 04:24 PM

I'm interested to hear people's opinions about smoothcalling preflop with AA/KK.

Let's say the stacks are deep (25x-30x'ish) and you open raise to 3x from EP w/ AA.
A tight aggressive player reraises to 7x. From this raise you can confidently narrow his hand down to AA-JJ,AK, maybe AQs.
It gets folded back to you.

Do you let him off the hook by reraising now, or do you call and checkraise him all in on the flop?

How does this change if you have KK?

Let's assume that by not puting in the last raise preflop, he does not put you on AA/KK.

Jason Strasser · #2 07-23-2004, 04:44 PM

It's almost routine for me to call a reraise with AA and check-raise most flops. I just feel like my reraise is too much like a telegraph here, any thinking player can make really good folds because I insist on showing him the exact two cards I hold.

I mean seriously. How many hands can you raise, get reraised with, and come back over the top with deep stacks?

Call, and I think it should be routine HU with stacks this deep.

schwza · #3 07-23-2004, 04:59 PM

so is there anything you reraise with?

Jason Strasser · #4 07-23-2004, 05:07 PM

Hrmm... With smaller stacks I'd RR all-in with AA/KK, and lesser cards depending on my read of the opponent. With really really deep stacks, and I'd say 20x is fairly deep, I think I'd think about reraising with KK or even QQ.

tripdad · #5 07-23-2004, 05:08 PM

w/AA, i will call and c/r the flop. w/KK, i will usually push preflop, depending on the player. if it is someone i know will only do this w/AA, i will fold. obviously, i need to be absolutely sure before i do this.

also, if it is multi-way, and feel confident enough that at least one will call all-in, i will push with either.

cheers!

SossMan · #6 07-23-2004, 05:56 PM

I like your line here.
Let's say you smoothcalled preflop w/ AA/KK and the flop came all rags (8,5,2 rainbow). The pot is about 18x. You both have 20x. Do you ever underbet the pot representing a whiffed AK or TT? I think this gets him to push or at least greatly PC himself with a big raise and you, obviously, push as well.

Jason Strasser · #7 07-23-2004, 06:13 PM

I really dont get too cute with the whole underbetting thing in this spot. I often take the attitude that pushing on a flop like this is the way to go, or check-raising all-in. Mini betting sucks because I hate getting called. I agree it encourages TT and so on to get aggressive, but I feel like a loose-passive TT player will call your all in on the flop if you push, and fold if an overcard scare card comes on the turn after he calls. To me, a mini-bet here also screams more strength than anything... Not as a missed AK.

SossMan · #8 07-23-2004, 06:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I really dont get too cute with the whole underbetting thing in this spot. I often take the attitude that pushing on a flop like this is the way to go, or check-raising all-in. Mini betting sucks because I hate getting called. I agree it encourages TT and so on to get aggressive, but I feel like a loose-passive TT player will call your all in on the flop if you push, and fold if an overcard scare card comes on the turn after he calls. To me, a mini-bet here also screams more strength than anything... Not as a missed AK.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that depends....how much are you betting here when you DO have AK??