Deep Stack Poker - Playing Big Pairs

[PokerN00b]

Sorry if this has been discussed, but I have searched and been unable to find a relevant thread.

I've started playing in a private $5-10NL game about six months ago. I am about even in the game, but just about every big pot I've lost has been with pocket aces. Whereas I would make most of my money with big pairs in the $1-2 and $2-5, it seems that now I would almost be better off folding them pre-flop.

It's been difficult for me to fold aces on the flop aggainst opponnents that will many times put their fairly deep stacks all-in on the flop with hands as weak as KQ on a Q high flop (and I'm talking about a pot that was reraised pre-flop).

To keep myself from "falling in love" with pocket aces, I've developed the following strategy. I am looking for thoughts and comments on it:

Most of the players in this game seem to always call with a pair as long as the bet represents less than ~15% of their stacks. Unless the texture of the flop is extremely bad (and assuming we are heads-up on the flop), I usually am trying to get my opponent all-in if the bet he called pre-flop represented more than 10% of the effective stack sizes. But if we are deep-stacked, I put a cap on what I'm willing to lose with the hand based on the size of the bet my opponent had to call pre-flop.

For example, let's say I have AA in the BB with $3000 at this $5-10 game (8-handed). There's a raise to $45 from MP. I reraise to $200, opponent calls (he has me covered). Opponent's range is any pair up to JJ, JTs+, and QJ+. Most of the time, I am telling myself that I am losing no more than ~$1000 and playing accordingly. Basically, if I can keep the pot smaller than $2500, I am willing to take it to a showdown, if not, I am letting it go. Any thoughts on this strategy?

[MoDOH]

seems to me you are being outplayed postflop...

[PokerN00b]

I am not denying that I am being played post-flop, but I doubt I am the only one who has trouble with this particular situation. When playing in a pretty loose, deep stack game, do you just play big pairs for set value? That doesn't seem right, but I also don't like going to the felt with one pair.

[Big_Jim]

[ QUOTE ]
Opponent's range is any pair up to JJ, JTs+, and QJ+.

[/ QUOTE ]
No it isn't.

How on earth do you leave out SCs? And suited As? Do you REALLY think he's calling that raise with QJo? KTs?

Also, he'll have pairs >JJ too.

[ QUOTE ]
Basically, if I can keep the pot smaller than $2500, I am willing to take it to a showdown, if not, I am letting it go. Any thoughts on this strategy?

[/ QUOTE ]
It's terrible and ridiculously exploitable.

How about you just learn to read hands? Either that, or buy in short

Barring either of those, I suggest moving down.

[KRANTZ]

http://archiveserver.twoplustwo.com/show...rt=all&vc=1

youre welcome

[smartalecc5]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Opponent's range is any pair up to JJ, JTs+, and QJ+.

[/ QUOTE ]
No it isn't.

How on earth do you leave out SCs? And suited As? Do you REALLY think he's calling that raise with QJo? KTs?

Also, he'll have pairs >JJ too.

[ QUOTE ]
Basically, if I can keep the pot smaller than $2500, I am willing to take it to a showdown, if not, I am letting it go. Any thoughts on this strategy?

[/ QUOTE ]
It's terrible and ridiculously exploitable.

How about you just learn to read hands? Either that, or buy in short

Barring either of those, I suggest moving down.

[/ QUOTE ]

[stinkpaw]

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry if this has been discussed, but I have searched and been unable to find a relevant thread.

I've started playing in a private $5-10NL game about six months ago. I am about even in the game, but just about every big pot I've lost has been with pocket aces. Whereas I would make most of my money with big pairs in the $1-2 and $2-5, it seems that now I would almost be better off folding them pre-flop.

It's been difficult for me to fold aces on the flop aggainst opponnents that will many times put their fairly deep stacks all-in on the flop with hands as weak as KQ on a Q high flop (and I'm talking about a pot that was reraised pre-flop).

To keep myself from "falling in love" with pocket aces, I've developed the following strategy. I am looking for thoughts and comments on it:

Most of the players in this game seem to always call with a pair as long as the bet represents less than ~15% of their stacks. Unless the texture of the flop is extremely bad (and assuming we are heads-up on the flop), I usually am trying to get my opponent all-in if the bet he called pre-flop represented more than 10% of the effective stack sizes. But if we are deep-stacked, I put a cap on what I'm willing to lose with the hand based on the size of the bet my opponent had to call pre-flop.

For example, let's say I have AA in the BB with $3000 at this $5-10 game (8-handed). There's a raise to $45 from MP. I reraise to $200, opponent calls (he has me covered). Opponent's range is any pair up to JJ, JTs+, and QJ+. Most of the time, I am telling myself that I am losing no more than ~$1000 and playing accordingly. Basically, if I can keep the pot smaller than $2500, I am willing to take it to a showdown, if not, I am letting it go. Any thoughts on this strategy?

[/ QUOTE ]

Your strategy will be exploited, especially if you play with the same people in this game.

Until you improve your postflop skillz, why don't you just push your deep stack AI PF with your AAs. I'd rather pick up that $45 then get outplayed for $2000 after the flop.

Or you could make a huge reraise (let's say to $1000) and auto-push any flop. Your big reraise essentially makes it a short stack game: you are not giving any opponent proper implied odds to call, even if you will always stack off to a better hand on the flop. Now you don't have to think about anything post-flop. Math will do all the work for you. You just have to handle the swings.

[kagame]

make it ALOT more pf or dont bother raising

your strategy is for small pots, no problem here on face, but then you inflate the pot and reveal the strength of your hand as I am almost positive you dont also do this with air like you should :-)

[SA125]

Knowing your opponents and how they see you is the most important thing. I doubt every one of them goes AI with just a Q on a Q72r board. The ones who do you can gamble with. The ones who don't maybe you don't.

Many on here probably won't agree, but I play big pairs pf simply by position. I always limp in EP hoping to re-raise. If I'm in LP I always raise.

The key thing is my hand can't always be face up. I'll sometimes play hands like AK, JTs or 99 like that also. Although, unless the pot has grown huge multi-way, I'm only going to push AK. I win a lot of pots with JTs when they fold and get all the money in a lot with AA when they think I have AK.

[DJ Sensei]

the key to deepstack poker is playing hands that can make the nuts, and playing them in position.

also, you shouldn't normally expect 3 postflop streets of valuetown from one pair hands like AA unimproved. obviously thats too simple of a rule, but you know what i'm talking about.