all-in with high pairs?

[hYrsch]

Hey!

I've recently lost a lot of money in cash games because I pushed all-in with hands like QQ KK and AA. I did that because my image is rather loose and I was pretty sure that someone would call. As things went I lost AA one time against 98 suited, KK two times against AK and QQ once against KJ and another time against A10.

Do you think it's better to raise just a small amount and decide what to do after the flop? I mean if there aren't any overcards you can go all-in and probably nobody will call you or someone will call you with something an underpair. If you see overcards you can just check and fold if your opponent bets.

What's your oppinion?

Greetings
hYrsch

[scrawnybob]

hi

interesting allin dilema - I would say that you should be pleased you got called with all of those hands against you premium pocket pairs

just unlucky to get badbeats with them

that said I wouldn't be keen to go all-in (I assume your talking preflop here) with QQ

yes with AA KK if you really think you will get a single caller but my personal worry with AA KK is that an allin is very likely to get zero callers - which is a waste of the top 2 best hands

Quote "I lost AA one time against 98 suited, KK two times against AK and QQ once against KJ and another time against A10"

as far as I can see you must have got yourself a very loose table image to have got allin calls from above hands with the exception of maybe QQ and players with AK like to call all-ins (maybe not the best play BTW)

I would look at where you were in position - and importantly how much your all-ins were relative to everyone elses stacks

For me if someone goes all-in and I have them as a loose player and its not costing me more than 5-6 times BB and I have half decent hand sometimes I like to gamble - especially if I think other players will do the same and pump up the pot

so much of poker is very situational - against other players I wouldnt even think about it with anything less than AA, KK
maybe at a push if I had them down as mid pocket players or suited Ace kicker then I'd call with QQ AK JJ.

but all things considered - In a cash game I am not a big fan of an all-in push with anything preflop

You really should look at it like this -

What is the most I can bet preflop to still get one caller - BUT ONLY ONE CALLER

If your at a table where you can go allin and know you will get a caller then great - but alot of the time 3x 4x BB is going to cull the field just as effectively

Then when you see the flop your KK / QQ may look less good with an Ace or King or pair on the board

I am definately NOT saying slow play AA, KK, QQ, KA, JJ, 10 10 - In fact you shouldnt - but maybe not all-in so often

There are alot of occasions where you can make an early position raise which you are certain will be re-raised and called by say two other players which leaves you then able to re-re-raise all-in preflop and pick up alot more cash and one caller

hope thats a help

cheers scrawnybob - webmaster

[hYrsch]

Thanks for the replie!

I think I haven't given enough information

Yes, my table image was pretty loose. I never pushed all-in right away, but people reraised me because they thought I was just trying to steal their blinds.

With QQ against KJ it was something likes this:

5 players on the table
Blinds .50 / 1
My money: ~110$

I'm the dealer everyone but me folds
I raise to about 6$
SB folds
BB reraises to 20$
I move all-in because I don't really want to see a flop with QQ as there could easily be overcards.
He calls me and hits his King

Do you think the play was correct?
Many people say you should see what the flop brings with QQ. I don't like that idea because there are going to be overcards on the flop more than 30% of the time and you can't really know what you should do then.

[finnsen]

hi hyrsch, nice to meet u here

wow... generally all in with premium pockets? I say NO.

Best way for me was to raise minimum 3x big blind. If someone calls, you will have a look in the flop. If you have the top (pocket) pair after flop, you will have to limp or to go all in.

This all in is more safety than preflop allin. If he folds, you won some money. If he calls, the chance is high that u will win
To limp is a good option to get all his money.

[pestediablo]

I always thought about what's the best manner to play high pairs. I loose with high pairs too but a small raise can be more dangerous. For example if you have not so many chips play it all in if you have same number of chips or echilibrate play it all in because if somebody calls you and let you out this is unlucky situation, poker it isn't an exact sport at final no? but in situation you raise a little quantity of chipsit is possible that more than 2 players call you and appears the dangerous situation to loose control of the hand. I hope I was helpfull

[m1r4cl3]

i dont know

sometimes i go all -in with 3-3


sometimes i raise x3 with Jacks



sometimes i raise x4 with 2-7 off


a-a ... i limp in early position if i really expect some raise, so i re-raise all-in



i dont know ... i make my decision hand by hand ;;;

[ByteMe]

I think you just forgot... that it depends on you seat.
if you are close to the button, then you can get reraise on your small raise.
but if you seat far away from the button, and you raise or reraise, probably you will get the effect you want.
if you go all in preflop, no matter what your cards are, it's like a bingo... some1 with 2-2 can beat you.
that's why i think all ins are not so good, no matter what cards you have, and i'm trying to avoid that.

[FagUnDeSF]

Just raise...all in just after the flop...and dependes the reaction of the other players

[dartpal3]

On high pockets,I would limp in maybe raise 2x but usually limp.This way I'll know if there is an overcard. If there's no over card on the fold ,then I would raise or re-raise. By doing this I can draw as much chips as possible from the other players without commeting too much of my own.

Everyone as their own way of playing high pairs. What works once maynot work agan.

[stud]

well. its purely a matter of choice. there can be no hard and fast rule.

everyone plays differently so all the amswers you get are gomma be diferent with slight watiations.

You might as well have asked the same qustion about AQ suted. The answwers would be as above.

Play the game in your own style and remember the percentages. Pre flop. packet aces will win approx 28 % of the time. That also means that they WILL lose 72 % of the time. Included in that 72 % will be 7 2 off, 9 3 off and every conbination of everything.. There is NO such thing as a PRE flop winning hand.

If you go all in pre flop - then be prepared to LOSE. and dont complain about it

It really ticks me off when all in AA preflop complains bitterly and calls me names when i call him and beat him with 82 offsuit. .... statistically he WILL lose 72% of the time. Which part of that doesnt he understand ??