Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

I see nothing wrong with the way you played this hand against a typical player. Big pot pre-flop puts you in a tough spot. Thats it.

You MUST raise AK and AQ OOP both for value against weaker aces. And the other reason is to keep limpers from busting you, say for example, w/ 68s on this hand.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

If you do not narrow the field by raising remember villians could have a lot of holdings and treat your AK accordingly be prepared to ditch it even quicker than usual if the heat is applied.

However doing anything on auto-pilot is a poor idea.

Raising every time you get AK is about as bad an idea as flat calling it everytime.

I have certainly limped in with AK plenty when the table is simply not respecting raises, about the last hand anyone then puts you on is AK and a lot of poorer aces get burnt.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

[ QUOTE ]


Raising every time you get AK is about as bad an idea as flat calling it everytime.

[/ QUOTE ]

No [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

All,

Forget pot control on the turn!!!!! The pot is twice our stack, we are totally done with pot control. We are getting all in 100% against better hands, we need to push here for value rather than letting him get scared/miss his 75 on the river.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

[ QUOTE ]

I have had a very difficult time though because when I raise pf, a few people call, someone bets into me on the flop, I raise and suddenly the pot is out of control.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then don't raise the flop. The pot control line is to call flop, check behind blank turn and valubet river if checked to again. Or call flop, bet turn, and check behind river. I think both lines are better than raising this flop.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

Emmitt, AK is a Top pair type hand. One thing I have had to adjust from limit to NL is how to play this hand.
If you find yourself playing with a table of players who are going to see a flop, regardless of the raise, then it seems that it is beneficial to not start building a pot OOP with this hand. Knowing your table I think helps control how you play AK. If I am wrong on my line with this, please correct me, but I have noticed my winrate go up with this line with AK.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

Isura,

In position, if bet into on the flop, just call to control the pot and then fold to another reasonable turn bet?

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Isura,

In position, if bet into on the flop, just call to control the pot and then fold to another reasonable turn bet?

[/ QUOTE ]

don't fold on the turn. Also, smooth calling the flop is only for dry flops like this one.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

6-max you should be pounding AK pre-flop EVERY TIME. Any ace and a LOT of kings are calling a good flop. Even more so when you have position.

5BB with 4 callers to the flop is killer. If this happens frequently, you need to hit it harder preflop. Whatever it takes to get HU. You can live with 2 callers, more than that and you are in trouble.

BB is NOT making a PSB out of position without a hand. Sometimes it is AT-AQ. But 4 way you could be up against 2 pair, set, oesd + pair. If you are going to raise this flop... you are pretty much putting your stack in. You better have a read.

If it goes multi way and someone c-bets... just call, check behind on the turn. Call reasonable river. Small blocker behind on the turn is OK too.

Pounding big one pair hands is definately +EV. Who cares if you fold everyone out and take a medium or small pot. Multi-way making a decision for all your chips just sucks. At least if you're HU you can 3-bet or CRAI in reasonable comfort.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

[ QUOTE ]
6-max you should be pounding AK pre-flop EVERY TIME. Any ace and a LOT of kings are calling a good flop. Even more so when you have position.

5BB with 4 callers to the flop is killer. If this happens frequently, you need to hit it harder preflop. Whatever it takes to get HU. You can live with 2 callers, more than that and you are in trouble.

BB is NOT making a PSB out of position without a hand. Sometimes it is AT-AQ. But 4 way you could be up against 2 pair, set, oesd + pair. If you are going to raise this flop... you are pretty much putting your stack in. You better have a read.

If it goes multi way and someone c-bets... just call, check behind on the turn. Call reasonable river. Small blocker behind on the turn is OK too.

Pounding big one pair hands is definately +EV. Who cares if you fold everyone out and take a medium or small pot. Multi-way making a decision for all your chips just sucks. At least if you're HU you can 3-bet or CRAI in reasonable comfort.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is silly as both weak Aces and sets/two-pair are betting the turn too. You're getting your stack in either way. Why should you let another player take initiative? If 2 pair/set is checking the turn, why the hell should you check behind and give them a free card!?

Playing this passively is just wrong. If you called, then checked behind on the turn, then if the OOP player hits his kicker on the river I say he DESERVED to stack you.

If you are suggesting calling the flop then mucking the turn -- that's insane. Muck preflop if the only flops you like with AK are QJT rainbow.

Fact of the matter is, the whole "you don't want to risk your stack with one pair" logic is just bull here -- that only applies in situations where the pot started out small because you were heads up.

The pot is already big on the flop because we got so many callers. We don't have a big stack in relation to the pot, so we need to play the flop aggressively.

If you call the flop, it should be for one reason: because you think that weak aces will not call, and you would rather get all in on the turn.

I go broke vs. a set here all day. I wouldn't if it had been two players to the flop.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

It's more important to find the best way to extract against worse aces then it is to protect against these hands.

PS: I'm also getting stacked here anyday.