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On average, every 221 hands, you have a chance to get AA. We have discussed in the fifth chapter of the book that 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 get more chips in the pot, and how to minimize the players entering the pot. The first question is relatively easy to understand because you have the best hand, and your chances of winning are the highest. For the second question, why minimize the players entering the pot? Because computer simulations show that with AA against 9 opponents, the win rate is 31.12%, with AA against 6 opponents, the win rate is 43.57% (see Chapter 5 Table 1), and with AA against one opponent, the win rate is 85.21%. The ideal situation for AA is to fight against 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 the winnings are too small. But if you adopt a delayed strategy, just call before the flop, if there are 5-6 players seeing the flop, then be prepared to fold after the flop, or you may lose miserably. In general, ordinary players find it difficult to fold AA, and even some good players, although they are willing to give up AA when they sense danger, still feel painful. Reducing the number of players entering the pot can reduce this pain. To illustrate the benefits of raising, suppose you are on the button, and all the players in front have folded. If you call, the small blind may also call half a bet, and the big blind may check. With AA against 2 opponents, if after the flop, both players don't hit, they check, and you bet, and they all fold, you win 2 bets. If you raise, the small blind may have to call 1.5 bets, and it may fold, the big blind may call, and after the flop, assuming it doesn't help the big blind, it checks, you bet, and the big blind folds, you win 2.5 bets. If you raise and both blinds fold, you win 1.5 bets, without any mistakes, winning cleanly. In other words, raising may win you 1.5 to 2.5 bets, while calling may win you 2 bets. However, if you simply call, your AA makes the other two players too comfortable, especially the big blind, with no pressure. If the big blind or small blind accidentally hits two pairs after the flop, your AA can lose miserably. In any competitive game, if you make your opponents too comfortable, your strategy is basically wrong. So raising reduces the risk, ensures the minimum profit, and may also have additional benefits.
Therefore, when you get AA, try to build a big 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 hit. And AA itself has fewer development opportunities. You should make the most effort to protect your AA. Personally, the only time I might adopt a delayed strategy is if I call softly first, knowing that someone behind me will raise, so when it's my turn, I can choose to raise again and build a big pot. If you can't be sure that someone will raise behind, 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, you can only achieve the goal of building a big pot, but not the goal of reducing the number of players entering the pot. The bigger the pot, the better the risk-return ratio, and many players who don't deserve to call before, now find it worth calling. So in actual poker play, when you are in a later position, and many players have already entered, your raise cannot drive away anyone, you can consider calling. Because after the raise, the pot becomes bigger, and any player who gains a little after the flop may choose to continue calling. However, if the pot is not raised, then it may not be profitable for other players to call after the flop.
It needs to be pointed out that when many players have already entered the pot, and you are in a later position with AA, not raising and just calling is also not wrong. After all, your AA has the highest chance of winning. At the same time, in this situation, not raising, just calling, is also not wrong. Depending on the specifics of the table, choose different strategies. |
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Post time 12-12-2023 07:38:48