AA 5.50 stars

[ThingDo]

I'm fairly certain I played this correctly, but there are a couple ways I could play this flop I think.


I pick up red AA's in the BB w/ T1,120 chips BB is 30. EP raises to T90 and gets a call from a LP . Raiser has me covered by about 1k. He's chip leader and doubled off a flush draw he caught by calling an all in. Folded to me and I raise to T250. Anyone raise more here? I thought I wanted action from this player and thought I'd be able to play for his stack. The original caller was playing tight and this is the first time i'd seen him in a hand. Anyway caller folds, HU to the flop.

Flop is 9hQcTc. This is pretty much the worst flop for AA that I can imagine. I pushed the flop and was called by the raisers K8c and lost the hand to a turned flush. Thats fine, I'm not posting a BB story here. My question is... if I bet this flop anything other than all in and he raises me, can I fold the hand knowing that I'm probably a dog. I honestly didn't put the villain on a hand but I think I might be able to get away from the hand if I bet and am raised. The only problem is how much can I bet w/ out commiting myself while at the same time charging the many draws. I think I made the correct play, but I think it COULD be played differently.

[ThingDo]

Really, this isn't a bad beat post. I don't think the all in bet on the flop is THAT automatic. Anyone?

[MissOt]

pf was fine. you are a little low with 1120. how come you are so low with the blinds 15/30. you should win your first hand or only lose 200 or so if you dont hit. you should only be playing big hands that early. almost auto-win hands.

anyway you shouldnt push on the flop because there is no folding equity. i might even check/call small bets or bet like 50 or so and try to see the showdown cheaply. pushing here doesnt really do much. if you check and a scary card comes you will normally be able to know if they have it or not.

eh i didnt word this right and no one is probably going to agree with me, but at this level there is no way hes folding that hand. he isnt going to bet his draw and if you push he calls. so if you slow down you may be able to get away or just win the 800 pot

[ThingDo]

First of all "you should only be playing big hands that early. almost auto-win hands." I disagree w/ this 100%. Thats all I'm going to say about that. As for why I'm low... I raised PF w/ AK to 100 w/ the blinds were 10/20, called a 320 reraise and folded on the flop.

I also disagree that if I push he's going to call w/ any of his holdings. Just because he called w/ a flush draw before doesn't mean that he'll call w/ any two cards now. Also, I might get a call from a hand like KQ/AQ or any other of the many holdings he might have. Now... as far as checking and callling small bets... this might actually be an option. I'm not sure, this is why I posted the hand. Thanks

[MissOt]

if he doesnt have the flush or the straight you will win the pot... thats why im saying to check it down and try not going broke. a push will only get called by a flush draw or straight or set or 2 pair or straight and flush draw. if he called you pf he hit that flop. just slow it down and see a cheap showdown. if he doesnt have it, you will win anyway and he wont call an all in. on the other hand, if he has it he will call your all in and theres a chance you may get away from the hand with still 500 chips or so which is more than enough at 15/30.

100 raise with AK is good but fold to the raise of 320. 1. you are probably ahead, but you dont know that.
2. you were out of position and cant bet if you miss the flop.
3. he may have you very badly beaten
4. fold and have 1400 chips at 10/20 blinds you will have plenty of other spots to get in as the clear favorite with better hands.
5. you dont need to be playing AK this early out of position facing a 320 raise. you will get much better spots at this level

[ThingDo]

I think that the stars structure really allows for what some might consider "loose" calls early w/ hands like AK. I think the main argument for my folding would be that I'm out of position. I'm generally not willing to muck AK to a re-raise from a normal 5.50 stars player. I'm willing to be corrected here, but I really don't think calling his re-raise was that big of a mistake if one at all. You said that the only hand that will call my all in are hands that have me beat. I really disagree w/ this. I've seen this opp. call an all in that would put him out of the tourney w/ a flush draw, which makes me think that there is no way in hell he'd fold AQ here or KQ. Obviously I want a fold from my opp here but I think that quite often I'll be called by a hand thats dominated here. If he draws out on me so be it. I think I'd prefer to check and fold rather than check and call any bets w/ AA here.

[Galilee]

Here's what I do: if I bet a few hundred with AA and get a caller, I'm going all-in on the flop. Even if he bets to me, he's probably betting top pair, so don't worry about it.

And if I bet with AK and get raised: all-in again! Why the hell not? You've got a 50/50 chance against pairs, and an even better chance against two high cards. What are you afraid of? AA? KK? Well, they won't have them that often!

[Phill S]

this is why:

its not 50/50, your a small underdog. or a large underdog if they have QQ
why put your stack at risk. if your that good you dont need to get involved in coin flips at this point.
there is only one hand you (are likely to and) want to see when you re-raise this raise. AQs.

Phill

[mackthefork]

No folding equity?

900 into a 500 pot i wonder, i think the push is best, you can't put him on K8c surely. 250 preflop is fine too, much more is silly imo.

[ QUOTE ]
i might even check/call small bets or bet like 50 or so and try to see the showdown cheaply

[/ QUOTE ]

So then you give cheap cards to a flush or straight draw, what do you do if he pushes instead of you, fold aces [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]. I don't think; a) you would call the 250 with K8c preflop b) you would call the push with just a draw at this early stage.

The way i see it this is just an unavoidable clash with a complete nutcase.

Regards Mack