Pocket Aces on a paired flop?

[or3o1990]

How does a paired board affect the way you play pocket Aces? When I'm playing a SNG I'd usually just jam if the pot is large enough already but i ran into a set last time I did so. What do you think is the best play?

 

[scooba13]

It depends...

I wouldn't recommend having one standard way of playing any hand.

Important considerations include depth of stacks, blinds, blind structure, # of players in the pot, other player's or players' tendencies, pre-flop action, position, pot size....

A paired flop is unlikely to hit your single opponent and make trips - but think about what they would have called your (presumed) preflop raise with. If it comes KK4 that will hit a lot of hands that call you (AK, KQ, KJ depending on how loose your opponents are). If it comes 33J I would be much less worried.

Getting it all in preflop is reasonable with AA but after the flop you only have top pair so don't go wild unless you're already committed. Hopefully you are in position and can see what your opponent(s) do before you have to act.

 

[or3o1990]

I wouldn't recommend having one standard way of playing any hand.

Important considerations include depth of stacks, blinds, blind structure, # of players in the pot, other player's or players' tendencies, pre-flop action, position, pot size....

A paired flop is unlikely to hit your single opponent and make trips - but think about what they would have called your (presumed) preflop raise with. If it comes KK4 that will hit a lot of hands that call you (AK, KQ, KJ depending on how loose your opponents are). If it comes 33J I would be much less worried.

Getting it all in preflop is reasonable with AA but after the flop you only have top pair so don't go wild unless you're already committed. Hopefully you are in position and can see what your opponent(s) do before you have to act.

I wouldn't play every hand the same as you pointed out with kk4 it does totally change the texture of the board. In this case I did raise pre and it was 10,10,4 and I was out of position. It was also a sitngo so we weren't really deepstacked but +20bb for sure. The guy did have A10 however. I don't usually get away from aces unless there's a particularly nasty board (kkx,flush,etc).

 

[Jacki Burkhart]

famous quote "On a paired board, You're either way ahead, or way behind"

so....what does that mean? It means there is no hurry to get your chips in when you're either way ahead or way behind. You don't need to "protect" your hand since you're either already beat, or way ahead. There are usually no good draws on a paired board. So, basically exercise pot control.

When you jam with an overpair on a paired board like that you basically kill all the action you might get from worse hands and you only get called by better hands.

 

[or3o1990]

famous quote "On a paired board, You're either way ahead, or way behind"

so....what does that mean? It means there is no hurry to get your chips in when you're either way ahead or way behind. You don't need to "protect" your hand since you're either already beat, or way ahead. There are usually no good draws on a paired board. So, basically exercise pot control.

When you jam with an overpair on a paired board like that you basically kill all the action you might get from worse hands and you only get called by better hands.

This is an excellent point! The only time I can remember getting a caller after I jam a paired board is when they're holding another pair.

 

[bigjay2007]

I like the idea of controlled betting in this situation. If your opponent has trips, chances are you will get a sizeable re raise. Then you can at least have a decision to fold your aces or sniff out a bluff.

bigjay

 

[hffjd2000]

I would test bet and not jam it.

From there, I would evaluate if Im ahead or behind.

 

[or3o1990]

This sounds more reasonable than my previous strategy. But if you do make a "test bet" that sees a reraise then what? Often times another pocket pair will take a stab at your c bet on a board like 55Q. Wouldn't this bet still be for value considering the unlikeliness that they hold a 5?

 

[love that omaha]

Im never folding vs two or fewer opponents unless the card that pairs is a King or queen and I feel my opponent is a solid player. Against multiple opponents I may check call to the river depending on bet sizing and number of opponents who are in the pot then evaluate on the river. Obviously your action pre flop matters but just assuming you made a decent size raise, the only flops im fearing are KQ10 QQ5 KKJ etc. I do follow the maxim never go broke in a limped pot though - so if you tried the old limp reraise play pre flop but no one raised and you got 4 callers I would play cautiously

 

[joe777]

If you dont raise pre,the reasonable option is

just to check and fold against intense aggression.But if you already

raise pre a 1/3 cbet would be the right option.

 

[or3o1990]

Yeah that makes sense. But if I don't hit the flop and there's more than one caller the c bet isn't usually getting a fold. In the sngs I play 4bb open raise is very often seeing mid suited connectors calling. Even if it's 1/4 of there stack sometimes. It's a hard read imo because you won't see many decent players doing this. But I'm starting to catch onto the fish...

 

[Mylobox]

i think with an aggressive raise you were right... and when you are running in a set, you handled the situation correctly.

 

[romych007]

I would play aces big raise preflop to avoid strong combinations on the board with weak hands

 

[horizon12]

.But if you already

raise pre a 1/3 cbet would be the right option.

Not always, if the opponent very aggressive , better play check/raise,,, But most of the time if our stack less 30bb, we need play on whole stack when board wet....

 

[scooba13]

Just got busted in this situation

Very early SNG.

Board came JJ-x after 2 called my early position 4x BB raise (including small blind).

I was reminded of this thread as I did my post mortem. I got it all in post flop and it turned out the small blind had called with J-9.

In a standard SNG I'm not too worried about stacking off here because a lot of times (at low stakes) the other guy has a pair worse than aces or paired the x card. Still hurts to see those beautiful aces cracked tho'.

However... if I'd paid more attention to missjacki I think I could have kept 1/2 to 1/3 of my stack by giving up on the turn or river.

 

[or3o1990]

Very early SNG.

Board came JJ-x after 2 called my early position 4x BB raise (including small blind).

I was reminded of this thread as I did my post mortem. I got it all in post flop and it turned out the small blind had called with J-9.

In a standard SNG I'm not too worried about stacking off here because a lot of times (at low stakes) the other guy has a pair worse than aces or paired the x card. Still hurts to see those beautiful aces cracked tho'.

However... if I'd paid more attention to missjacki I think I could have kept 1/2 to 1/3 of my stack by giving up on the turn or river.

At the stakes I play I see this stuff all of the time. It's annoying. I'll be moving up in stakes soon. Hopefully I'll be seeing less of this kind of play.

 

[HooDooKoo]

How does a paired board affect the way you play pocket Aces? When I'm playing a SNG I'd usually just jam if the pot is large enough already but i ran into a set last time I did so. What do you think is the best play?

For the record, you ran into trips. Not a set. They are not the same thing.

A set is when you have a pair in your hand and make three of a kind. Trips is when the board is paired and you have three of a kind. For the record, sets are MUCH stronger hands than trips.

-HooDooKoo

 

[Mordecoke]

famous quote "On a paired board, You're either way ahead, or way behind"

so....what does that mean? It means there is no hurry to get your chips in when you're either way ahead or way behind. You don't need to "protect" your hand since you're either already beat, or way ahead. There are usually no good draws on a paired board. So, basically exercise pot control.

When you jam with an overpair on a paired board like that you basically kill all the action you might get from worse hands and you only get called by better hands.

Wise words from the Mrs. Poker goddess Jacki.
Pot control, use it effectively.
Most players will chase away after a paired board if they have hands like AQ AK KQ Kj if the board has no paint cards that is.

 

[or3o1990]

For the record, you ran into trips. Not a set. They are not the same thing.

A set is when you have a pair in your hand and make three of a kind. Trips is when the board is paired and you have three of a kind. For the record, sets are MUCH stronger hands than trips.

-HooDooKoo

Thanks for clearing that up. That's some very useful stuff.. -_-

Wise words from the Mrs. Poker goddess Jacki.
Pot control, use it effectively.
Most players will chase away after a paired board if they have hands like AQ AK KQ Kj if the board has no paint cards that is.

She's definitely right about that.. And when someone does hit trips (props to my man HooDooKoo) they'll usually let you get a free card unless there's some nasty draws and sometimes still.. Even when there's no face cards it's hard to get a read off of some of these nits calling 4bb raises with mid suited semi connectors. So I tend to slow down on any paired board now with the intention of getting to the river one way or another..