Playing big aces in early position

[McDirk]

Does anyone have any tips on playing these? I run into this problem often, especially at the 25 and 50NL games I frequent where I won't have any information on my opponents. I'll have AJ/AQ or even AK in early position, raise (or often limp with AJ) and catch an ace or TPTK. Then I'll make a continuation bet on the flop and get a caller in LP. What's the best way to proceed from here when you've got a good hand that can extract chips from those people who think any paired ace is a good ace, but also avoids losing a big portion of your stack to someone playing Ax who caught two pair on the flop or happened to have a bigger ace than you? Thanks.

[Gonso]

Full ring?

AJ - let it go. If it's a weak game preflop and stacks are decent you could do whatever. If suited you have a decent hand for a multiway pot if you can get one. Tough to play these OOP though.

AQ - whatever. Again, in EP full ring, I may not even play this at some tables. You could raise big to try and take it down, you could limp, any raise size is respectable depending on circumstances.

AK- raise a lot in EP.

After the flop: keep the pot small if you spike a pair. KQ7 is a decent flop for AK if you raise preflop, so make your normal raise and don't go for a mega pot pot here. If you're short, no big deal.

I don't like big pots for TPTK, TPQK type hands when deep. I'll play some now and then to mix it up, but that's about it. Make smaller value bets, unless you think he's drawing, then make a bigger bet on the turn.

[JLimbs]

At the lowest limits, these hands should be consistently profitable for you. Your value will obviously come when you hit, but when you do I think that depending on the texture of the flop you should play them strongly for value.

AJ is a rung below the other two and should either be folded, or not played too strongly in early position to avoid sticky situations.

AQ and AK on the other hand you should raise for value. If you get more then one caller (two players with position on you) then if you don't improve you should normally check out. With only one caller you can continuation on the flop to try to take it down. If you get called and haven't improved you should shutdown, at those limits bluffing generally pretty hard to do and isn't worth it.

When you do hit with these cards on unscary flops, A-8-4 and K-9-5, you should jam the pot and not look back. When you hit and the flop is more connected, you should be more careful. Flops like K-Q-9 or A-J-9 you should be more careful with. Bet the flop and then slow down on the turn and river as neccessary.

Obviously these are very specific situations, and the advice I've given shouldn't be used as a guide but rather as an idea of how you COULD play the hand, not how you SHOULD. The general concepts are more important then the specific advice.

Basically just try to jam it when your good and don't be afraid to fold when your not. Hope this helps.

-Jerry