Problems with Pocket Aces

JacksMighty · #1 09-24-2006, 10:31 PM

Hey guys. I've played almost 10k hands at NL5. AA is losing me the most money out of all my hands. I'm trying figure out what I'm doing wrong with them. Here's an example:

I was not using PAHUD at the time, but most players at this level are loose.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

MP3 ($3.46)
CO ($1.62)
Button ($3.06)
SB ($2.09)
BB ($4.61)
UTG ($2.96)
UTG+1 ($3.84)
MP1 ($0.98)
Hero ($5.06)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.02, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.08, MP3 calls $0.08, CO calls $0.08, 3 folds, UTG+1 folds.

PFR BIG ENOUGH?

Flop: ($0.29) 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $0.1, CO calls $0.10, Hero raises to $0.2, MP3 calls $0.10, CO calls $0.10.

Turn: ($0.89) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero bets $1, MP3 raises to $3.18, CO folds, Hero calls $2.18.

SHOULD I HAVE BET THE TURN? FOLD AFTER RERAISE? HOW WORRIED SHOULD I BE ABOUT A SET, TWO PAIR, STRAIGHT? DOES THIS PROBLEM STEM FROM NOT BETTING ENOUGH PREFLOP?

River: ($7.25) 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)

Final Pot: $7.25

Any comments are appreciated. Thanks.

ImsaKidd · #2 09-24-2006, 10:36 PM

I make it .10 preflop, 4x BB+ 1 BB per limper.

Flop: You were the PF aggressor. This is a moderately drawy flop. Bet full pot to protect your hand. Your check minraise is very bad because you are still giving draws odds to call. If you were going to CR, you need to make it probably .50 or .60.

I'll let others comment on the turn, cause i dont know what to do as played.

Shaddux · #3 09-24-2006, 10:38 PM

Minraise on the flop is bad. raise to .5.

Antinome · #4 09-24-2006, 10:41 PM

That flop raise is a joke. Raise at least pot.

He set his price to draw, and you basically let him.

while there are applications for flop minraises, they are very, very rare. This is definitely not one of them.

If you never, ever minraised in your entire NL cash game career, you would lose very little value.

Dan Bitel · #5 09-24-2006, 10:41 PM

flop play is so so so so so bad

why the check?

why the minraise?

more preflop

lead flop for a PSB

as played, C/R flop BIG

Acein8ter · #6 09-24-2006, 10:50 PM

Raise PF large enough so you get at least one caller. (Not AI)
You want to go against 1 player, max 2. The more you go up against w/AA, the more chances that they hit the flop.

With a 2 flush on the flop, you need to bet at least the pot. The micro limit players are not using pot odds, so you want them to call your over bets.

Do not slowplay AA... Or, you can learn the hard way.

kbinder · #7 09-24-2006, 11:01 PM

The flop contains many draws, so you must bet, and bet big. Since you have two villains, your bet should be large enough so that CO will be getting bad odds to call even if MP2 calls as well. Thus, your flop bet should be at least 3/4 the pot.

I'll reiterate that your minraise was horrible, horrible, horrible. Sure you've got the best preflop hand, but it's not as robust on the flop. I'll reiterate that the minraise gives straight and flush draws excellent calling odds. You cannot let this happen.

On the turn, one of the draws got there, but it's one that completes very few of villain's possible holdings. So I actually don't mind your overbet. But you need to fold to the reraise, unless you've seen evidence that MP3 is one of those super-donkeys that will go all the way with K9o.

JacksMighty · #8 09-25-2006, 08:26 AM

I definitely agree with how everyone has been suggesting that my flop bet should have been big. As far as trying to get only one caller for AA though, I don't agree. If I have AA, shouldn't I try to get as much money in the pot as possible, whether more people call or not? Isn't the best possible result to get every single player at the table all-in against my aces since my pot equity is higher than everyone else's? I understand that the more players that see the flop, the lower your chances of winning. But the pot will be bigger for the times you do win? I believe I've definitely learned to not let players draw out without paying, this hand was kind of old.

So the best draw hand on this hand would be QcJc or 7c8c? They would need 2 to 1 odds to be profitable. So even a pot sized bet would give the first player 2 to 1. So should you really be worried about those 2 hands or should you just bet to make the straight or flush draw unprofitable, since they are more likely?

Thanks for all the comments guys.

Galilee · #9 09-25-2006, 09:56 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Isn't the best possible result to get every single player at the table all-in against my aces since my pot equity is higher than everyone else's?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, everyone all-in is the best result, but if you make a small raise and everyone just calls instead then it's a completely different situation.

With one opponent you can be fairly sure you still have the best hand on the flop (unless he tells you otherwise). Invite five callers and not only are you probably beaten, but if you are you won't know by who, and you might not find out until it's too late!

Vammakala · #10 09-25-2006, 10:07 AM

Raise bigger preflop.

For the LOVE OF GOD @ flop play. I think playing those differently will again affect the rest of the hand and save you from nasty decisions later in the hand.

You should try open pushing preflop with AA [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] That works surprisingly well on that limit [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]