AA in a short handed game.

I was having a discusson with a poker buddy regarding my play of AA. I told him that I play them agressively pre-flop all the time. He said that when you are playing short handed, (i.e 4 or less players) you can slowplay AA. I totally disagree with that theory. What do you guys think?


Chuck

Note: I meant to post thi sin the strategy forum. Please feel free to move it

If you are heads up or 3 handed, I think it makes sense to raise them the same amount you would any other playable hand. If that means you are slow playing, then so be it.

This is especially true for late in SnG's with high blinds. If stacks are like 4000 vs 2000 vs 4000 and blinds are at 200/400, I'll put in a standard min raise or 2x raise. This ensures that if you get a caller you'll probably be able to extract some, and if you get a re-raise you can confidently raise all in.

You are both right but it depends.

You can slowplay short-handed b/c there are less hands out there and potentially less limpers to take the flop which improves the chance of those Aces holding up. Hell, I will on occasion slowplay AA at a full table. I know it is asking for trouble and I am not allowed to cry if they get cracked but it is sometimes a very profitable play. It depends on the table.

What it really depends on is how you and your opponents are playing. How are you playing? Have you been super aggressive, raising preflop on many hands and not showing down. If so, keep up this image and play AA aggressively. If you are lucky, the blinds may wake up with a hand and decide to make a stand against you at a very bad time.

Have you been passive and just limping into shorthanded pots hoping to outplay the others on the flop. If so keep up the image and just limp in.

How are your opponents playing? Are the being overly aggressive. If so, slowplay and let them put in the raise for you. Then you can re-raise them preflop and maybe get all the money in preflop.

Finally, it depends on position. Did you pick up AA in the BB or UTG. UTG I would be more inclinded to raise. In BB, I would not raise and take the flop with a well concealed monster. Similarly, in the SB, you might just complete it depends on BB. Has he been aggressively defending or wilting to any significant pre-flop raise. With AA you are always looking to make more than just the blinds so let the passive big blind see a cheap flop and hopefully catch just enough rope to hang himself against you.

When it's heads-up or 3-handed at the end of an SNG, I raise a standard amt with any playable hand. The actual cards I'm holding are almost completely irrelevant, though I will throw junk away when on the button.

OTOH, slowplaying works too.

PokerStars Game #1250567209: Tournament #5528773, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 18:41:17 (ET)
Table '5528773 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: rbour11 (3135 in chips)
Seat 5: ngericl (10365 in chips)
rbour11: posts small blind 100
ngericl: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ngericl [As Ac]
rbour11: calls 100
ngericl: raises 600 to 800
rbour11: calls 600
*** FLOP *** [4c 4h 9s]
ngericl: checks
rbour11: checks
*** TURN *** [4c 4h 9s] [Jc]
ngericl: bets 1200
rbour11: raises 1135 to 2335 and is all-in
ngericl: calls 1135
*** RIVER *** [4c 4h 9s Jc] [4d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ngericl: shows [As Ac] (a full house, Fours full of Aces)
rbour11: shows [Jd Qc] (a full house, Fours full of Jacks)
ngericl said, "gg"
ngericl collected 6270 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6270 | Rake 0
Board [4c 4h 9s Jc 4d]
Seat 3: rbour11 (button) (small blind) showed [Jd Qc] and lost with a
full house, Fours full of Jacks
Seat 5: ngericl (big blind) showed [As Ac] and won (6270) with a full
house, Fours full of Aces

{Moved from beginners circle at cmg's request}

I think sometimes you can slow-play aces against a single opponent, but I think it requires the right circumstances. If you have reason to think your opponent has an overpair, then they are basically drawing dead to a set, so there's hardly any chance of them outdrawing you. In this case, I might consider playing aces a little slower than usual.