Not raising big aces pf?
 

So I am relatively new to NL and I have now played a few thousand hands. I felt I have done OK except for my big aces which I have lost a lot of money with, especially AK. Now I understand the value of raising pf because this is for value and we are dominating any other aces at the talbe.

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.

Here is a fine example of me on one such butchered hand [not for the faint of heart]

Party Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
4 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $53.51
Hero: $58.06
SB: $28.14
BB: $67.45

Pre-flop: (4 players) Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
UTG calls, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises to $2.5</font>, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls.

Flop: A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ($10, 4 players)
SB checks, <font color="#cc0000">BB bets $9.5</font>, UTG folds, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises to $22</font>, SB folds, BB calls.

Turn: 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] ($54, 2 players)
BB checks, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises all-in $33.56</font>, BB calls.

River: 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ($121.12, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $121.12)


Results:
Final pot: $121.12


So, for the time being that I am still trying to learn pot control and playing OOP, is it absurd to suggest that I don't raise AK and AQ OOP, possibly only raising from the button. These hands are really hurting me at the moment. Can I play more conservative for now or just face the growing pains?

I feel dirty for having written this post...

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

I propably check behind on the turn and call a small bet on the river.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

It just sounds like growning pains. I think you need to remember though that TPTK isn't the type of hand you want to get in the habit of going broke on.

On this particular hand I'm probably checking the turn. One of the two legitimate draws just got there, so it looks like your opponent made his straight, outflopped you, or is holding a weaker ace.

I think with your turn play all hands you beat are folding and only hands you're way behind are calling.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

You don't want to be playing AK multiway so your pfr is fine. I also think you played the rest of this hand well.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

I see nothing wrong with the play on any streets.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I propably check behind on the turn and call a small bet on the river.

[/ QUOTE ]

Small bet = all in. He has to push the turn really.

OP,

Flop raise is rather small, but a sensible raise is all in. I probably just call the flop on this board.

If you went broke here then you probably did OK. The fact that you got so many callers was what bloated the pot. You either fold to the flop lead or go broke, and folding is horrible.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

I don't understand... you're talking about not raising AK,AQ OOP in a post about you raising AK on the button?


As far as this hand goes. What's the read on BB? Does he habitually lead into the PF raiser? If not a case could be made for calling his flop bet to keep the pot small and re-evaluating on the turn.

As played, why not check behind on the turn? A backdoor flush draw is an unlikely holding as is a gutshot straight. My thinking is that you're either killing a small A or getting killed by a set.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

Why is everyone raising this flop? Is this a six-max thing? I only play FR, so maybe TPTK is a little weaker, but why not just call and play it WA/WB. A good player is leading a set into this flop, right? The other candidate is a weaker ace, so by playing passively don't we encourage a weaker ace to stay with us and keep the pot smaller against a big hand.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

I understand that people want to address the hand, but even more than that I want to know, most especially, if NOT raising AK or AQ out of the blinds is stupid.

Re: Not raising big aces pf?
 

I don't think this is a typical AK hand. I very very rarely get 3 callers.

Your small flop raise screams weakness. Either call only or make it 3x his raise, which is $30 here. You effectively min-raised him which is used purely to grow the pot - which you are not looking to do with one pair. Unfortunantly $30 makes you pot committed, so I prefer to control the size of the pot and call the flop here since you have position.

As played, I would check behind on the turn also for the same reason - pot control.

[ QUOTE ]
I feel dirty for having written this post...

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh.