Should you sometimes limp in with pocket aces or should you always raise? That's a common question and Ed Miller addresses it in the Feb. 11 edition of Card Player Magazine.
(See my scan of the cover of that issue of the magazine shown to the right or you can go to their web site if you click here.)
"Aces are a potent weapon. When you get aces, attack. Bet them. Get value from players with top pair and draws. You'll be surprised at how much you can win with them, even if you don't hit a set.
"If you're a good player with an edge on your opponents, you're almost always better off raising preflop than limping in. Although there are theoretical trade-offs for either decision, in most games, you'll do better by raising simply because you're building bigger pots. Bigger pots mean more money out there to win. I think the balancing considerations just don't matter enough to change it up. Build yourself some nice pots, and the money will come your way."
I agree completely, post that 3XBB raise, assuming you do that for any hand you want to pay. If somebody re-raises, make them pay.
ReplyDeleteNow, postflop, I tend to let the board, the opponent(s), and the action determine if I stay aggressive or ease up.
Nothing makes me happier than a wide rainbow spread of a flop. If somebody called my raise with a low pair and made trips that can't be helped, what I don't want to do here is give one of the blinds an opportunity to hit a monster on me.
"what I don't want to do here is give one of the blinds an opportunity to hit a monster on me."
ReplyDeleteGood point. Last night in a sit and go, with three players left, a guy limped in with aces. I was in the big blind with 5-2 and flopped a boat!