Smooth calling AA or KK pre-flap?

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

"Occaisionally" in middle-limit games. At stakes below 20/40, the odds are your opponents aren't paying attention. Maybe I'll raise 87s once if the table seems too tight, but unless I've got a total LAG behind me, I'm playing aces like a monkey 99.9% of the time.

[m2smith2]

I think it's usually a bad idea in limit to limp with these hands unless you're willing to throw it away if you don't improve and the board looks scary. And, with no raises, lots of boards can look scary since you'll face all kinds of hands. In limit, even if someone raises and gives you the chance to three bet, you might get called by some suited connector that can hit out if they're in late position and the pot is big enough. Of course, you want action from these hands, but you'll have a tough time putting them on their, say, two-pair, later in the hand.

In PL and NL it's usually worth the risk to limp if you have a reasonable expectation that someone will raise, giving you the chance to jam it. Then you either pick up a decent pot uncontested, or you get someone heads up who's probably holding AK, KK, or QQ (the only likely hands to think about calling you're big re-raise).

If you limp in PL or NL and don't get a raise, then it's even more important that you're able to throw it away later since if can cost you your stack.

[Louie Landale]

The raise with your AA and KK, and yaddy and JTs and 76s and 44. Until you DO get a play and they see one of these funny hands. Then go back to your ABC standards.

- Louie

[PuppyKicker]

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BTW, this type of question probably belongs in the Texas Hold 'em Mid- and High-Stakes forum. It is a hold 'em question at heart.

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Why are there so many godamn forum cops on 2+2? Seriously, it's not like the boards are burning up with posts and things are getting lost because of too many posts. So someone posts something in the "wrong" forum once in a while. Why in the HELL does someone always have to be a douchebag about it? Effing relax.

[bernie]

The time to do this is when you think there's a good chance to limp reraise. Otherwise, raise it.

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Seems that almost everytime, especially in a tighter than usual game, everyone will fold to the raise. Sure, it's great when I'm in late position with a few limpers, but it just is disheartening to see all those players doing the right thing by not cold-calling.

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It's very likely you're not raising enough hands in this spot. Up the preflop aggression.

b

[Jekyll]

it really depends strongly on the game.

if i'm playing a limit game, and everyone's playing so tight they fold to most early position raises, i'm raising every time, aces or not. the only time i start limping is if i find myself with a highly aggressive player on or near the button, so i can re-raise the likely raise.

the same principle can apply in no-limit, but the dynamics are a little different. because of the ability to increase the size of the pot much faster, you can sacrifice the opportunity to re-raise preflop to disguise your hand. BUT, you must have the discipline to fold to an unfavorable flop.