[123Law]

Ok, here is a situation. I am playing a SNG, and the very first hand I get is AA.

In my opinion, AA is a great hand (others would dispute that). Anyway, I bet 4 times the small blind. And guess what.... Everyone folds.

Later in the tourny, I get AA AGAIN. Again I bet 4x BB, and yet AGAIN, everyone folds.

Is 4X bb too much to bet with this monster starter? Table was playing very conservatively, but still.

[sensei24]

Originally Posted by 123Law

Is 4X bb too much to bet with this monster starter? Table was playing very conservatively, but still.

Yes , you got it.
THe 4X bb is the best bet to scare someone from the table. Many players prefer to call a 6X bb or a 2X bb or even an all-in but never an 4X bb bet. i really don't know why, but try it for yourself and see in how many cases players will fold.

[Acorn89]

What postion were you in?

I really dont think that 4x the BB is a bad raise, its a standard Preflop raise for most player. The other player probaly just didnt have any hands that they wanted to call you will.

Try not to beat yourself up too much because I really dont think that you did anything wrong. Heres another way to look at the situation, the BB was debating to call with 22 and the flop would have been A22 and he would have busted you. (I know its a long stretch but sometimes you just have to settle for the blind)

[SLNiaboc]

all in no matter what is the way i do it...

[karafran]

i think it`s a decent bet u have simply the best starting hand.. over the last few days i have had AA a few times and i have small raised the bb and still had no takers, just bad luck that someone at table didn`t catch a pair or Ak etc etc.

[Irongirl]

I just discovered this in my live league. The players are very loose and passive they dont like 4x BB raises with KK or AA or even AK or JJ or QQ for that matter. Undoubtedly they will fold. The saying is you will either only win a little bit (the blinds) or possibly take a big hit should you get outdrawn. And sensei is right on going higher. If I go higher to say 5x or 6x I am likely to get more callers. Happens all the time in a league I play with the same players.

[iceberg]

A 4xBB bet with a premium hand will keep out a lot of trash. You don't want someone to flop trips or two pair with trash. You definitely need at least a 3xBB bet to gain some information. Many times with AA, you either win small OR lose big. Such is Poker.

I used to slow play premium hands, until I lost a few too many times to trash hands. School of hard knocks.

[dconnerii]

I usually let the other people tell me how to play(that wouldn't help you in the first hand) but if you are playing against of agressive players I would try to put out a small raise and usually they will reraise then you come over the top with another raise if they are passive you need to try to thin the field a little so that you don't lose to some suited connectors but you also don't want them to fold either so I would just double the big blind and hope for two maybe three callers. I hope this helped some I know it has usually worked for me especially if I'm playing against agressive players because they think I'm just taking a stand with something alot less than AA so they aren't given me credit for that big of a hand

[123Law]

I hope this helped some I know it has usually worked for me especially if I'm playing against agressive players because they think I'm just taking a stand with something alot less than AA so they aren't given me credit for that big of a hand

Thats usually my problem. I usually seem to find myself playing with non-aggressive players who only play bigger hands. Hitting AA, and then betting 4bb, usually pushing them right out the hand.

Or, if I slow play it, I get busted when someone picks up an impossible straight or low trips.

[IvanDrago]

Here is my opinon on this subject. As for what i've known early in the game when everyone still has a bunch of chips and the blinds are low a raise like 4x or 6x bb isnt really that much yet. So more people are still willing to gamble considering like 6xbb is like what 1/15th of there stack or something, all depends on where you play. You did nothing wrong at the beginning because you want to put in a descent bet that you'll know will get callers but not to many callers because then odds of winning decrease which isnt very good for ya. 4x the BB or 3x BB is usally the standard raise i see. NOW! for later on in the game though. Usually 4x the BB will scare a lot of people off unless they have a monster. So I try to raise 2.5x or 3x bb usually so that Its not to much more to call for someone in BB if they're like there pot odds, and the pot will still be descent big which is better than nothing. Also a small raise like 2.5x seems weak to a lot of people so i wouldnt be too surprised if someone decided to go over the top of you for all in. Also 2.5x or 3xbb is usually good enough for someone to even call with a small pocket pair. You are playing it agressive enough, dont get me wrong. Just your getting very unlucky no one else is a donkey who plays any two cards, or unlucky that no one catched a marginal hand. Just make sure though you do play AA with atleast some agression or you will most definitly regret it. A lot of times i see people just limp in with AA or KK and it happens all so well for them. But for me its kind of the opposite and i will never slow play AA again. I get like to 2nd FT and i'd say 5 times out of 7 i'd just call with AA and i's lose to an all in on the flop to a guy hitting a miracle on the river. Its just crazy so now i will atleast min raise. But calling a raise with AA and not reraising is a different story . That is a good move because you know the person will bet on the flop and you'll get more chips. Wow this is a nice long post too i wonder how many points im going to get. Maybe i should just keep on typing like this so i can score myself some more points... What else can i add to milk this bad boy... Oh yeah. Just try to make sure that with AA that you isolate yourself so that your only up against 2 other players, for mnimal chance of losing. Because if more people get in obv your odds decrease and you could be out of the tournament right then and there. And this concludes my opinion on the Thread: AA to aggressive? My answer would clearly be no you were not to agressive. Just plain unlucky. Keep up the good work.

-Drago

To the End!