Introduction
The chances of receiving a pocket pair are almost the 5.88%, while receiving a particular pocket pair (AA, KK or QQ exc.) is: 5.88 / 13 = 0.45%. So, odds of getting the best hand in Texas Hold’em are just 220:1; on 220 hands, you should see the Pocket Aces just once. Even if is quite rare have the Pocket Aces as starting hand, is basic for all the poker players know how to play them in the best way possible. In any position, any level of blinds, any moment of the tournament, you have to defend your strong hand. Let’s see, through a short analysis, how to earn more chips you can.
Playing the Pocket Aces Pre-flop
Early Position
Playing the pocket aces in early position is quite easy; the best way is obviously raising the pot, from 3 to 5 times the BB. If someone re-raise you, you can consider yourself as very lucky, because that would be the right moment to say “I’m all in”, that’s because just calling on a re-raise with A-A is quite wrong, and you could be bluffed on a scary (or not so scary) flop, or forced to make hard decisions. But at the same time, you’ll probably not be called by the re-raiser, who won’t mark your playing as a “position play”; in fact you’re holding the best starting hand. That’s another way of playing: limping and hoping that someone will raise the pot. I don’t really suggest this option; you could find yourself in multiplayer pots, reducing your percentage of winning.
Middle Position
If you’re playing on a table with many aggressive players (very common online), a standard raise (3 times the BB) is the right move to do, you want to get re-raised by players that have position on you. If you think you have very loose opponents, raise 5/6 times the BB, trying to “clear the field”.
Late Position
In late position, your raise can be marked as “steal raise” by other players, obviously that’s a great advantage for you, if you have maniac-aggressive players on the blinds and you’ll sure they will raise you, you can just limp.
The Blinds
Playing on the blinds with the pocket aces is very good Pre-flop, and it’s better if the table is well-skilled and tight-aggressive. Following the “classic strategy” of Texas Hold’em, if no one entered the pot (or just limped), on the small blind, you have to attack, raising 4 or 5 times the BB, this will certainly be interpreted as the beginning of the “blinds battle”, and the big blind would probably shove any pair or any 2 “paints”. On the big blind the way of playing is almost the same.
Did you find the article interesting? You can choose what will be the next one!! Post your comments and vote the one you want to be published next week!
Choose Next Week's Article Total Voters: 14
Loading ...
Popularity: 10%
Nice article Giovanni!
I am waiting for the second part…
ty Marios!!
IMO very bad advice re AA in EP
“Playing the pocket aces in early position is quite easy; the best way is obviously raising the pot, from 3 to 5 times the BB”
The best strategy is to limp in. 9 times out of 10 someone will raise, someone will reraise, or even go all-in. So long as there is some kind of raise you can reraise to reduce your opponents to two or three at the most, or simply go all-in if the raises or reraises are quite large
Raising 3BB in EP with Pocket Aces is amateur and foolhardy. It will often win you only the Blinds or a small to moderate pot. You have to maximise the value you get from your 1-in-220 Pocket Aces hand
i hope you’re kidding!!
how can you say the best strategy is to limp in?! that’s just wrong.
No, it’s correct. Raising in Early Position with Pocket Aces is poor poker, particularly 5BB
However, in Mid to Late Position raising or going all-in is generally correct
so you play the pocket aces just limpin?
ok!
If you right down the numbers and do some calculations… The best strategy is “raise”. That is generally accepted.
A good spot to limp with your aces though it when you are in late stages in a (low buy-in) tournament with a small stack and you have a lot of shortstacks after you looking for double up opportunities. (In higher buy ins your limp will be noticed!)
In cash games and early in tourneys is better to raise for a lot of reasons.
limping w AA in any position is NOT the best decision. by all means, if you are ever at a table with me, please limp.
.
the one time i would maybe just double the BB is on the button with an agressive short stack sb or bb. i would want them to think I am weakly trying to steal the blinds. but never ever limp.