All In preflop

martinf1971 · Mar 2, 2020

The problem with going in pre flop is that you are semi blind you don't know what you're up against so I think it's not a good idea but on the other hand going in after the community cards have been dealt you are always wondering as someone got a set as someone got the flush as someone got a full house has someone got quads it's always a risk unless you're holding the best hand

nikoszwtos93 · Mar 2, 2020

If you have an opportunity to get all in with AA, KK, QQ, AK, or AQ in a tournament, go ahead. But don't go all in immediately, you lose too much value that way. Depending on against whom you are playing, you may want to increase that range down to 99 and A10; that's up to you to decide based on what you've seen of their ranges.

In a cash game as stacks are deeper you probably should take AQ off that list just because people aren't going to stack with anything you beat. Cash games aren't about risk - they are about expected value. Don't worry about losing with AQ to K5, in the long run if you use bankroll management you'll be fine.

Rosxana13 · Mar 2, 2020

nikoszwtos93 said:
If you have an opportunity to get all in with AA, KK, QQ, AK, or AQ in a tournament, go ahead. But don't go all in immediately, you lose too much value that way. Depending on against whom you are playing, you may want to increase that range down to 99 and A10; that's up to you to decide based on what you've seen of their ranges.

In a cash game as stacks are deeper you probably should take AQ off that list just because people aren't going to stack with anything you beat. Cash games aren't about risk - they are about expected value. Don't worry about losing with AQ to K5, in the long run if you use bankroll management you'll be fine.

Stronly agree with this nice and simple explanation ... only my observation would be that if is on the very first levels of an MTT I would only go all in preflop with AA and maybe Kings if I see a crazy player gambling all hands all in but of course later when blinds are up and you have between 20-30BB it would be normal to put all in with AQs+, QQ+ and really sometimes like on bubble situations (if your tourney life is on risk) you should only pay All in Preflop with KK+ well is kind of my strategy simply like most of times on tourney the chips you win at that moment are worth less that the ones you have/lose (some basic ICM study will help with this)

about Cash games totally agree 100%

Vlad Nesterenko · Mar 2, 2020

the longer I play poker, the more I’ll be convinced that all-in preflop is a bad idea, how are you?)))

A fox 666 · Mar 2, 2020

The whole problem with pre-flop Allin is that lately, putting up trash with your hands has become fashionable! And it’s okay only in freerolls, but no, in expensive tournaments the same trend. Therefore, in the early stages I sometimes even throw a couple of aces half-table goes allin!

BasTid · Mar 2, 2020

nikoszwtos93 said:
If you have an opportunity to get all in with AA, KK, QQ, AK, or AQ in a tournament, go ahead. But don't go all in immediately, you lose too much value that way. Depending on against whom you are playing, you may want to increase that range down to 99 and A10; that's up to you to decide based on what you've seen of their ranges.

In a cash game as stacks are deeper you probably should take AQ off that list just because people aren't going to stack with anything you beat. Cash games aren't about risk - they are about expected value. Don't worry about losing with AQ to K5, in the long run if you use bankroll management you'll be fine.

This is a perfect answer to all in pre. Naturally when you are close to the bubble and still outside it can change your shoving range drastically as it does when you are short stacked.

manzanillo53 · Mar 2, 2020

going all in pre flop only makes sense if you are short stacked late in the game. The purpose is to take as many chips as you can. As all books tell you, 4 bet get marginal hands out and if the flop helps go all in or slow play the nuts if you think it is possible to extract more chips.

martinf1971 · Mar 3, 2020

Love all the replies I have got here. Off Course if I have AQ AK TT JJ QQ KK AA and I have the other stacks dominated I will call an all in. But early stages off a tournament with anything less than AA or KK I would need to see a flop AK v TT. and TT is slight favourite to win, For me to win I still need to hit my A or K and yes it is so hard to fold , but so many times I have lost to a person who has a pair already with this or someone has AA or KK. So at all times I think you need to see a flop to see where you are at. I think it is safe to say with AK os or suited you can raise 4 x BB and then continuation bet of 4 x BB after the flop and quite a lot of the time everyone will fold round you. But If i am reraised after the flop and I have not connected its a fold. Later on in MTTs no matter what stack you have though with AK AQ AJ AT KQs KJs KTs QJs QTs JTs TT upwards you are all in.

MishkaZL · Mar 3, 2020

martinf1971 said:
The problem with going in pre flop is that you are semi blind you don't know what you're up against so I think it's not a good idea but on the other hand going in after the community cards have been dealt you are always wondering as someone got a set as someone got the flush as someone got a full house has someone got quads it's always a risk unless you're holding the best hand

This is certainly a risk, but the very essence of poker is to take risks when your chances of winning are greatest.

neptun1914 · Mar 4, 2020

It very much depends on the situation. If you are under 10 big blinds deep (or even under 15 according to other players) your choice is to go all in or fold. There is no other possibility. And doing it preflop is good way to isolate the limpers. On the other hand i never understood the reason why some players go all in preflop in coin flip situations while they are 50BB deep or even deeper risking their whole tournament life.

This Fish Chums · Mar 5, 2020

I dislike going all in preflop. I still do it, but the absolute best hand you could possibly have is top pair in that situation. How many people would shove on the river with just top pair?

Richardszabo · Mar 5, 2020

As described, your playing style is loose passive. I think passive play is the biggest mistake you can make in poker. If my diagnosis is correct, you will face many problems in the long run.

Liru · Mar 5, 2020

In freerolls I go all in most of the time (gotta work on that) preflop, and if I'm holding an A or K and I'm in the money in a tournament will also go all in preflop.

AsbestosInferno · Mar 6, 2020

Liru said:
In freerolls I go all in most of the time (gotta work on that) preflop, and if I'm holding an A or K and I'm in the money in a tournament will also go all in preflop.

I think you really really need to work on that! Just because you're ITM doesn't mean you should loosen up your playstyle. Yes you should increase your range a little (I do this if only to relax a little after going mega tight at the bubble - recently I went so nitty that I actually folded pocket Aces UTG because there was only one person left to go before I won an entry to the Sunday Millions Anniversary), but not the point that you want to be flipping a coin to remain in the tournament.

You can be in the money, and then you can be in the money. Go for gold, not bronze

dimon4ik89 · Mar 6, 2020

If this is a freeroll, then you can take risks more often and go all-in on AJ, AQ, AK, JJ, QQ, KK, AA and sometimes 99 and TT. Well, if this is a tournament with a cash buy-in or cash, then you need to play more carefully. I tried different strategies and styles of the game, and such a game strategy brings the best result. Sometimes I’m in a bad mood and I start to play loose, but it’s not often)

Edgerik · Mar 6, 2020

With less than 15bb you have to do there with premium hands at the beginning and in the middle part of the tournament to try to win chips for the final part, with more than 15bb for me it is not recommended, I prefer to see the flop and make the appropriate decision.

pepomjp · Mar 6, 2020

Only QQ +

SPANKYSN · Mar 6, 2020

After turning AA into a losing hand many times by slow playing them, I have learned to take the small win, sometimes just the blinds, instead of taking a huge loss to 8,6 offsuit which invariably hits an 8,6 on the flop.

deeznutzz · Mar 6, 2020

nikoszwtos93 said:
If you have an opportunity to get all in with AA, KK, QQ, AK, or AQ in a tournament, go ahead. But don't go all in immediately, you lose too much value that way. Depending on against whom you are playing, you may want to increase that range down to 99 and A10; that's up to you to decide based on what you've seen of their ranges.

In a cash game as stacks are deeper you probably should take AQ off that list just because people aren't going to stack with anything you beat. Cash games aren't about risk - they are about expected value. Don't worry about losing with AQ to K5, in the long run if you use bankroll management you'll be fine.

If your stack is 20BB or more shoving with AK is usually a bad call. AK is a strong starting hand but that's relative to all possible hand combinations. But against the near range of cards that you would go all in with. AK is a marginal hand at best. All pocket pairs QQ-22 or slightly stronger hands then your AK. While AA and KK will have you dominanted. Thats 13 hands that are stronger than yours. What's left AQ? I mean you can hope your opponent is reckless and plays maybe AJ or KQ. You're going to risk all your chips and your tournament hopes that you connect on the floor.

antonis32123 · Mar 8, 2020

It depends I think/believe on how many blinds you have , your cards , your position , whether ITM or not , if a 3 bet or 4 bet is needed before we actually see the flop if this is desirable or cannot be avoided to minimize the postflop number of players , or if we are deep and we would like to see a flop as cheap as possible and with many callers or too many callers with drawing cards especially oop , the previous actions by the first to talk players , the number of players at the table etc . The more deep stack the less I am willing to go all in for less than AA or KK , I prefer seeing a flop , most of the times it's good then to trap other big stacks and get their chips . It really depends my humble opinion ....

T_Dawg · Mar 9, 2020

Statistically, the 2-2 has a better chance of winning against a big slick when you go all in preflop. This is because A) you already have a pair, and B) you chase out far superior hands. But it's a huge risk and I never do that. I would rather win big money than simply win the hand. You can only do that by fleshing out what's in the community pile.

martinf1971 · Mar 9, 2020

I always find that if I dont go all in with my unpaired AK , AQ , AJ , KQ , QJ , KJ , KT , JT , QT , AT , Then you always have the ability and sense to say right I have not connected I am not wasting any more money on this hand if I get bet I will just fold. Which is I believe called Tight Passive. But then if I hit on the flop I either do a C-bet around 4 X BB if the action is in ront of me, but if the action is after me I will check hoping someone will bet if they dont bet then the downfall is I have lost 1 street of value. It is so hard to get the balance so I try to mix it up a bit. If I am beat on the board I am not scared to fold. This style of play does work for me. But like all amatuers I make silly mistakes and lose my stack far too often because I have not paid attention to what is happening around me.

Tero · Mar 9, 2020

martinf1971 said:
...lose my stack far too often because I have not paid attention to what is happening around me.

That is the true wisdom right there.

qbvbsite · Mar 10, 2020

martinf1971 said:
The problem with going in pre flop is that you are semi blind you don't know what you're up against so I think it's not a good idea but on the other hand going in after the community cards have been dealt you are always wondering as someone got a set as someone got the flush as someone got a full house has someone got quads it's always a risk unless you're holding the best hand

Going all-in with AA/KK pre-flop is usually the correct play (with AA it's always the best play). With AK/QQ it can be situation dependant such as how far along you are in the tournament, are you short stacked/big stack, how are other chip stacks ahead of you, how do those ppl play, etc.

Schrubbler · Mar 10, 2020

Going all in preflop , is sometimes just the right play... For example when you fall under 15 bb you start jamming in most tournamant spots. Beeing a Cash Game donk is a different story tho....

All In preflop

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