Short stacked with AA

[maddo]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (5 handed) converter

BB (t4925)
UTG (t2530)
Hero (t960)
Button (t3240)
SB (t1845)

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

UTG limps

What does hero do here?

Limp/Min-Raise/Standard-Raise/Push?

Cheers.

[SuitedSixes]

Limp, check/call the flop, re-raise all-in any bet after that.

[Mr_J]

How have other stacks been playing? Is a larger raise going to scare away action? Will someone raise late if you limp in?

You need chips so time to gamble. I'd forget a push. I don't like using min-raises. Limp for a weak table and standard raise for a more aggressive table.

[Sluss]

I'd raise this my normal pre-flop raise 2.75 x BB. You might get another call or two and a pretty good shot the limper will call as well. Then I'm pushing any flop that has any semi-scary straight or flush draws. With nothing out there I will wait until the turn to push.

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
Limp, check/call the flop, re-raise all-in any bet after that.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is too slow, and a great formula for busting out with aces.

I might miniraise or standard raise it depends on how the table is playing.

If you think someone is likely to come over the top, you could limp. Open limping from early position going for a reraise is a standard play. Smooth calling an early position raise from early to middle positon with AA is also a standard play. Limping following a limper is not a standard play.

[david050173]

[ QUOTE ]
Limp, check/call the flop, re-raise all-in any bet after that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why check the flop? If the button folds, it seems to me like you want to bet to build the pot. Do some weak bet (100-200) and a lot of people will think the flop missed you and either call or reraise you all in.

Personally I raise preflop to 250 and hope for 3 way action not 5 way. On the flop if I have 2+ callers I am probably pushing. If it is heads up, I am miniraising.My play gets adjusted slightly depending on the texture of the flop but I am almost always going to put a bet in here if it is checked to me.

[citanul]

that's pretty terrible advice. do you play with the original poster alot or something?

citanul

[adanthar]

I just had a very similar situation (7 handed with 200 less chips and an MP limper) and I think I played it wrong.

I went all in, but after thinking about it this is probably one of the few times a minraise is a good idea.

[hurlyburly]

Often enough the BB will defend with more hands with a stack that size and an aggressive button will reraise any limpers, but you need to have a good read to believe that one of the players left to act after you will attempt a steal/bully play (I expect this at stars >60%, so I limp/reraise all-in AA in MP).

The "Gap Concept" can kick in big time here, too, so I think that a push will get called often enough by either the BB or the UTG limper to make that worthwhile (>50% at most tables with those stack ratios).

A min/3xBB raise might encourage action behind you, but you may have 2 callers check it down against you. That's rarely a good thing.

Bottom line is pushing is the best play every time, but you need to know your table to try anything trickier.

[Michael C.]

It depends so much on how agressive the table is. If the button usually raises, I'd probably limp and then re-raise following him, hoping to trap one of the blinds too before the flop. If it's usually limp/call city, I'd make a mini-raise. If the botton is a bully and has been pushing you around, I might make a mini-raise hoping he'd go in over the top. Just depends to me so much on the make-up of the table.