AA in SB : N00b/Donk/Fish post -- you have been warned.

[me1tdown]

My joy at getting AA in the SB quickly evaporated when everyone went away. No real read on BB at this point, but the truth is I fired off a raise without even thinking. Is there a better ( or is that "bettor" ) way to maximize chip extraction, or do you just play this straight up and move on?

Level 1 $11s at PP No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (9 handed)

UTG (800)
UTG+1 (1610)
MP1 (760)
MP2 (860)
MP3 (715)
CO (730)
Button (760)
SB (840)
BB (925)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

7 folds, <font color="red">SB raises (50) to 60</font>,
BB folds...

[lastchance]

Well, you could complete and check-raise the flop...

Or you could raise to t45 instead of t60 (which is what I'd do).

Meh, just me.

[Bigwig]

Raising here is fine. It's too early in the tournament to limp trap. Limp trapping in this spot will often result in you going broke when the BB flops a monster with his rags, and you can't get away from AA. By raising you're forcing him to define his hand, and building a pot.

That doesn't mean that limping with AA in the SB is always a bad play. I just think it is at Level 1.

[pergesu]

Sometimes your opponents just don't got somethin when you pick up aces. Just gotta live with it.

[playtitleist]

Agreed. To early to lose it all to 2 pair of rags with a call.

You made a fine play. Sometimes the right play nets little chips. Hopefully you were able to make up for it later, as these type hands don't come around often.

[Insomnia]

My last tournament it was on the bubble and i picked up aces TWICE!!! Unfortunatly one was in the BB and every1 folded to me, and the other was from small blind and i min raised and he folded BB to me [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]! so they really made me no money, but they sure are pretty too look at [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[The Don]

Your play is fine, you won't get action from the BB normally unless you are beat (after completing).

[KingDan]

Don, you are dead wrong.

People love to overplay TP, or even middle pair HU.

If you had AK/KK or another big hand I sometimes push, people will call your'steal raise' with as low as any ace.

[curtains]

Just remember that a lot of the time when you get AA-KK you are going to win the blinds without a showdown and most of the time there is simply nothing you can do about this and thus it's nothing to be upset about.

I would raise to 45 in this spot.

[The Don]

[ QUOTE ]
Don, you are dead wrong.

People love to overplay TP, or even middle pair HU.

If you had AK/KK or another big hand I sometimes push, people will call your'steal raise' with as low as any ace.

[/ QUOTE ]

True, but given the pot size to start (30 chips) there isn't a lot to be gained from betting into a calling station and there is a LOT to lose if they hit their hand for cheap.