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Scully
Joined: 25 Jul 2004
Posts: 634
Location: Manchester, UK
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 Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:03 am Post subject: Playing big aces in NL cash games |
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Hi Sunny
After performing a stat check on Pokertracker of my last 15,000 hands I was disturbed to see that I'm hemorrhaging money with with big aces - AJ-AKs. Overall I'm a winning player at the levels I play at but surely these hands should be green on Pokertracker!!
My general line with these hands, unless I have good reason (i.e.: a read) not to is to open for 3.5xbb, or if the pot has been opened by a limper I'll raise to 3.5xbb + 1bb per limper. If someone has raised in front of me I'll usually re-raise to 3x their original bet (unless it's a min raise in which I'll raise more) in LP with AKs, AK and AQs. With AQ, AJs and AJ I'll either call of re-raise in LP depending on reads. From the blinds I'll usually just call as I don't want to play a big pot OOP with what is currently an unmade hand.
I have two main issues I think. Firstly, if I miss and I'm first to act or the action is checked to me I'm c-betting 95% of the time (this is not much higher than my usual c-bet %age to be honest). The problem is, because I've often created a large pot by re-raising PF, my c-bet has to be increased. For example, CO opens to 4bb, I raise to 12bb, blinds fold. There's 17.5bb in the pot pre flop. I'm going to have to c-bet at least 10bb, meaning I've got 22bb, or 22% of the usual effective stack in play so I'm starting to get committed.
The second issue is when the flop comes A89, two suited (not my suit). If first in I feel I have to lead here to charge the draws. Again assume we have 17.5bb in the pot PF. Surely checking if first to act is a bad idea here, so I bet 3/4 of the pot, or 12-13bb. Again I have a quarter of my stack in play. If someone bets into me just calling seems too dangerous so I'll raise, but this puts even more of my stack in play.
Now if the flop is dry, say A94r, I don't mind check/calling the flop for pot control, but on co-ordinated boards where the draws can't be made at this stage I must bet right?
A further area of concern for me. I have AK OTB, 17bb pot again HU. Flop A94r. This looks pretty dry to me. Villain bets half the pot. I'm not a huge fan of playing monster pots with one pair so I'll just call. 37bb pot now. Turn is a harmless enough 6 for example. Villain bets 15bb. I can't fold this so again I call. River is, say, a T. He bets half the pot. I'm just too priced in to do anything other than call.
I can't post any actual hands at this stage as I am at work (I may post some later if necessary), but what are your thoughts on my standard lines as outlined above? |
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Sunny Mehta
Joined: 30 Jul 2008
Posts: 8
Location: New Orleans
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| Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject: Re: Playing big aces in NL cash games |
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| Scully wrote: | Hi Sunny
After performing a stat check on Pokertracker of my last 15,000 hands I was disturbed to see that I'm hemorrhaging money with with big aces - AJ-AKs. Overall I'm a winning player at the levels I play at but surely these hands should be green on Pokertracker!! |
Nothing should "surely be" anything after 15k hands. It's way too small a sample size to try and discern anything from profit-related stats. There are certainly useful stats to look at after 15k hands, but the winrate type ones ain't them.
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My general line with these hands, unless I have good reason (i.e.: a read) not to is to open for 3.5xbb, or if the pot has been opened by a limper I'll raise to 3.5xbb + 1bb per limper. If someone has raised in front of me I'll usually re-raise to 3x their original bet (unless it's a min raise in which I'll raise more) in LP with AKs, AK and AQs. With AQ, AJs and AJ I'll either call of re-raise in LP depending on reads. From the blinds I'll usually just call as I don't want to play a big pot OOP with what is currently an unmade hand. |
is this 6max or full ring?
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I have two main issues I think. Firstly, if I miss and I'm first to act or the action is checked to me I'm c-betting 95% of the time (this is not much higher than my usual c-bet %age to be honest). The problem is, because I've often created a large pot by re-raising PF, my c-bet has to be increased. For example, CO opens to 4bb, I raise to 12bb, blinds fold. There's 17.5bb in the pot pre flop. I'm going to have to c-bet at least 10bb, meaning I've got 22bb, or 22% of the usual effective stack in play so I'm starting to get committed.
The second issue is when the flop comes A89, two suited (not my suit). If first in I feel I have to lead here to charge the draws. Again assume we have 17.5bb in the pot PF. Surely checking if first to act is a bad idea here, so I bet 3/4 of the pot, or 12-13bb. Again I have a quarter of my stack in play. If someone bets into me just calling seems too dangerous so I'll raise, but this puts even more of my stack in play.
Now if the flop is dry, say A94r, I don't mind check/calling the flop for pot control, but on co-ordinated boards where the draws can't be made at this stage I must bet right?
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I think I see what you're driving at, but it's way too hard to give blanket generalizations about "how to play AJ" etc without knowing more about your specific game. Why don't you post an actual hand you played, give all the pertinent information, and we can discuss it?
You can even use the hand you posted below, but give more details.
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A further area of concern for me. I have AK OTB, 17bb pot again HU. Flop A94r. This looks pretty dry to me. Villain bets half the pot. I'm not a huge fan of playing monster pots with one pair so I'll just call. 37bb pot now. Turn is a harmless enough 6 for example. Villain bets 15bb. I can't fold this so again I call. River is, say, a T. He bets half the pot. I'm just too priced in to do anything other than call.
I can't post any actual hands at this stage as I am at work (I may post some later if necessary), but what are your thoughts on my standard lines as outlined above? |
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