KK in the BB with a raise to you

[rdu $teve]

1/2 NL full table live game; you have good reads and knowledge on 7 of the other 10 at the table. You're BB with the illustrious Kowboys and $129, there are 3 limpers, a raise (from a LA-P player) to $12 and then 2 callers to you; you are certain any limper or caller will call with a decent ace. Do you:

1 reraise to ~$30, to thin the feild

2 smooth call, and push on the flop if there is no ace

My thinking is that if I raised to $30, I would get 1 or 2 callers. If the ace falls, I'm likely screwed, and stuck in the pot, because the pot is now over $120 plus my flop bet (or should I not bet, and just give up the pot, like a weak-tight sap), and I only have $90 minus my flop bet. If the ace doesnt fall, I likely have the best hand but dont have enough to push drawing players out. If I only call and an ace flops, the pot is smaller, I can make a reasonable bet , and give up the pot if I think I'm beat.

What I did: I called, the limpers called ($84 total pot). Flop Qxx, I push for $117, AQ called and I won a $300 pot.

[Ghazban]

I'd reraise all-in before the flop. With deeper stacks, I'd make it $50-$60 to go but with only $129 at the beginning of the hand, that's not a good option. Even if everyone folds, you pick up $47, which is not chump change for your stack size.

[BlueBear]

I'll always reraise in the BB with kings for the simple reason to extract value. Assuming you reraise $30 with pocket kings, there's is absolutely nothing to be ashamed or embarassed by being a "tight-weak" and going into a check-fold mode if an ace flops.

[BigToga]

I favor pushing here with your stack size. Raising up to $30 here means that anyone who put in $12 w/ any kind of a hand will probably call the $18 more. The way I read it, there is $45 in the pot when it comes back to you to call/raise. If you had only raised it up to $30, when it gets back to the raiser, there is $75 in the pot. It's only costing the original raiser $18 for a shot at $75 so he probably calls w/ any small pair or decent drawing hand. I think either pushing or raising $50-$60 (as mentioned earlier) is the right move. There's $45 in the pot and, when you call his $12, that makes $57 in the pot. Raising the size of the pot here is $50-$60. That also only leaves you with about $50 in your stack if you do this though. If you get one caller at least, there will be ~$150-$180 in the pot. If you go all-in on the flop, then your opponent will possibly have decent odds to draw to a flush or something else.

Going all-in PF just seems like the correct play here to me. You did well though by hurting that AQ!!!

[FeelGoodAboutHood]

I agree. You have to get it in here. If you think they'll call thirty with any decent ace, they're probably going to call all-in with AQ or AK. It worked out this time, but usually, if you just call your postion throughout the hand is terrible. Get it in there.

[BK_]

the tough part about this hand is the stack size. i might even say that flat calling might be better than making a small re-raise. this would be the case if you think QQ/JJ will not pay you off if you reraise preflop, but would pay you off if the board came low cards and you got all the money in on the flop after flat calling preflop. who knows if that is true here

[ QUOTE ]
I'll always reraise in the BB with kings for the simple reason to extract value. Assuming you reraise $30 with pocket kings, there's is absolutely nothing to be ashamed or embarassed by being a "tight-weak" and going into a check-fold mode if an ace flops.

[/ QUOTE ]

right. you miss value vs AK/AQ/AJ by not reraising, unless they would have hit a K/Q/J on the flop. if you reraised to 30, got 2 callers and an ace flopped, you can fold to a bet with no problem.

however, given these stack sizes, just push it all in anyways. id say pushing is better than flat calling if you think you can get a call with a push from AK/AQ/JJ/QQ enough

[rdu $teve]

Thanks for the replies, several good points. Playing online or against players that dont know me, this would always be a preflop allin for me. Playing in person, against players I see regularly, I try to mix it up and be unpredictable at times.

[phil_ivey_fan]

i like the preflop all in here. I was in the same situation just the other night (sorta). Button raises the blinds to $8. SB calls, I hesitate and raise to $30 w/ black Kboys. button folds, SB calls. flop comes A89r. I quickly bet out $35. SB pushes. I fold. He shows AKo. I would have much rather pushed preflop and let him draw to 3 outs. Even if I had of lost, I'm always happy getting the money in w/ the best of it.

[schwza]

[ QUOTE ]
. this would be the case if you think QQ/JJ will not pay you off if you reraise preflop,

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
you are certain any limper or caller will call with a decent ace

[/ QUOTE ]

so a limper would call a raise and a reraise (with the first raiser left to act) with something like AJo? this does not sound like a table that would fold QQ pre-flop. push it in and let 'em do what they do - call with mediocre hands pre-flop. by flat calling you need somebody to hit top pair (and no better) for you to get the money in ahead.