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Edited by Ritu77 at 23-12-2023 05:43 PM
On average, you have a chance of getting pocket Aces (AA) every 221 hands. As discussed in Chapter Five of the book, AA is the best hand, the nemesis of all other hands. When you hold AA, before the flop, you only need to consider two questions: how to build a bigger pot and how to minimize the number of players entering the pot. The first question is relatively straightforward because you have the best hand, maximizing your chances of winning. As for the second question, why minimize the number of players entering the pot? Computer simulations show that AA has a win rate of 31.12% against 9 opponents, 43.57% against 6 opponents (see Table 1 in Chapter Five), and 85.21% against one opponent. In theory, the ideal scenario for AA is to battle with only one opponent, so you should raise to the maximum, even go All-In.
Sometimes the table is very tight, and if you raise, everyone may fold, and you only win a small blind and a big blind. Some people may think that it's not easy to get AA, and winning too little is not satisfying. However, if you adopt a delayed strategy and just call before the flop, you should be prepared to fold after the flop if 5-6 players see it; otherwise, you might lose badly. In most cases, average players find it difficult to fold AA, and even good players, though willing to give up AA when the situation is unfavorable, still feel the pain. Reducing the number of players entering the pot can minimize this pain.
To illustrate the benefits of raising, let's assume you're on the button, and all the players in front of you fold. If you call, the small blind may call half a bet, and the big blind may check. With AA against 2 opponents, assuming they don't hit anything on the flop, you bet after the flop, and they both fold, you win 2 bets. If you raise, the small blind may have to call 1.5 bets, and the big blind may call. If the big blind calls, assuming the flop doesn't help, and they check, you bet, and they fold, you win 2.5 bets. If you raise, and both blinds fold, you win 1.5 bets, no mistake, a clean win. In other words, raising might win you 1.5 to 2.5 bets, while calling might win you 2 bets. However, by simply calling, you make your AA too comfortable for the other two players, especially the big blind, which has no pressure. If, by chance, after the flop, the big blind or small blind hits two pairs, your AA could lose badly. In competitive games, if you make your opponents too comfortable, your strategy is basically wrong. So, raising reduces the risk, ensures minimal profit, and may even bring additional gains.
Therefore, when you get AA, try to build a bigger pot and reduce the number of players entering the pot. The basic strategy is to raise, raise, and raise again. Remember, the more players enter the pot, the easier it is for others to catch up. The opportunity for AA to develop is small, so you must make the most effort to protect your AA. Personally, the only time I might adopt a delayed strategy is if I softly call, knowing that someone behind me will raise. In this case, when it's my turn, I can choose to raise again and build a big pot. If I can't be sure that someone behind will raise, it's better to raise directly.
Some poker experts point out that if you are in a later position and many players have already called, if you raise with AA, you can only achieve the goal of building a big pot, not reducing the number of players entering the pot. The bigger the pot, the better the pot odds, and many players who didn't have a good reason to call might now find it worthwhile. Therefore, in actual play, when you are in a later position and many players have already entered, if your raise cannot drive anyone away, you can consider just calling. Because after raising, if the pot becomes bigger, many players might find it profitable to continue calling after the flop. However, if the pot is not raised, other players might find it uneconomical to call after the flop.
In the situation where many players have entered the pot, holding AA in a later position and not raising but just calling has the beauty that when AA wins, no one can think that you have AA, resulting in a decent pot. If the flop is unfavorable, you can quietly fold AA, and no one knows you had AA. Plus, you only spend one bet, a small cost.
It should be noted that when many players have already entered the pot, and you hold AA in a later position, not raising but just calling is by no means wrong. After all, your AA has the highest chance of winning. At the same time, in this situation, not raising, just calling, is not wrong either. Choose different strategies based on the specific table conditions. |
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Post time 5-12-2023 12:23:45