Two Kings

Guy McSucker · #1 12-23-2003, 04:06 PM

Pokerstars 25c-50c NLHE. The game has been mostly passive, no big preflop raises, no big bets on any streets really. I haven't seen a hand worth playing yet.

I have $50, UTG+1, and pick up not three, but two kings. UTG limps. I make it $2 as is my wont when raising. Next player, who also has $50 and is someone I see quite regularly in the 50c-$1 game, and who doesn't seem to get out of line, makes it $16. Strangely enough it's folded back to me, although one player did run his clock right down before folding.

That's a big old raise. What to do, what to do?

I see three options:

- push

- fold

- call and push on an aceless flop. If an ace hits, probably check and fold.

What do you think?

Guy.

Guy McSucker · #2 12-23-2003, 04:09 PM

I had plenty of time to consider my play while the guy in the middle was considering his.

Eventually I decided that if I couldn't bet a mere $34 more with two kings in this game I need to take five years off poker, so I pushed.

He folded instantly, so quickly it looked like it was set up with the advance-action checkboxes.

Most odd.

Guy.

PokerSlut · #3 12-23-2003, 04:14 PM

The third option doesn't make any sense to me. If he has AA it doesn't matter if an A flops, and if he has AK or worse you want all your money in preflop anyway.

SomeName · #4 12-23-2003, 04:38 PM

Ive pretty much decided that if the guy has AA then hes taking one buyin off of me. Its not that hard to win back one buyin and im sure in the long run the guy has a different hand enough to make it fine to lose the the AA once in a while. Push it in and make him pay.

Magician · #5 12-24-2003, 05:15 AM

It is player dependent. If he seems to be one of the regular winning players (who I find at the lower limits wait for big hands and only bet with the nuts or close to it) I would fold.

If he is an unknown or a regular who I know to be a non-winner, I likely call.

illmatic · #6 12-24-2003, 01:12 PM

I'm not sure you can set up to auto-fold in this way when there is no re-raise locked in yet. For example, if I bet and then decide I want to fold to a reraise, I have to wait until the re-raise is actually made by another player for the auto buttons to pop up. On Party it is this way (correct me if I'm wrong). So it looks like all that thinking by you and the other guy scared him off his mid pair to QQ (maybe AK) and he decided he would fold if reraised.

later,
illmatic

Huskiez · #7 12-24-2003, 05:25 PM

I will almost always push all in. You never know what they are raising with, and why doubt yourself? Whenever dealt AA or KK, I try to get all my money in preflop, and you have a golden opportunity to do it.

Jon Matthews · #8 12-26-2003, 04:12 PM

Push. You stand to win the most this way. You will probably lose your stack to AA no matter what but this is the best way you can get AK to call all in as he likely won't if the flop is low. You will likely win a smalll pot or lose a big one if you call and push.

Barry_G · #9 12-26-2003, 06:06 PM

Happened to me earlier today. Party NL $25. Button raises me $20 (has me covered) and i push all-in. He has QJo. catches Queen high str8 on river. I lose $80. Would do it everytime pre flop. I'll make my money back next time.

theriverwild · #10 12-27-2003, 08:58 PM

In most NL games when I'm UTG or early position I'll limp with AA or KK in hopes of hitting them with a monster rr when it's raised by another player. It's the best way I know to play AA or KK fast and that's the best way to play em in my opinion. Of course if there's never raises preflop that's a different story.