AA is only a pair, but I can't fold it.

Even when I know I'm beat.. I.. just.. can't.. fold..

***** Hand History for Game 2507925725 *****
$50 NL Texas Hold'em - Tuesday, August 09, 21:59:23 EDT 2005
Table Table 37025 (6 max) (Real Money)
Seat 5 is the button
Total number of players : 5
Seat 3: Ollibrb ( $46.85 )
Seat 4: Bail3232 ( $52.19 )
Seat 5: JEstrop ( $64.85 )
Seat 1: daworm001 ( $63.05 )
Seat 2: Dragun32 ( $48.25 )
daworm001 posts small blind [$0.25].
Dragun32 posts big blind [$0.50].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to JEstrop [ Ac Ah ]
Dragun32: sure
Ollibrb folds.
JEstrop: cool
Bail3232 calls [$0.50].
JEstrop raises [$3].
Ollibrb: bye - good luck!
daworm001 folds.
Dragun32 folds.
Bail3232 calls [$2.50].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 8d, 4s, 3h ]
Bail3232 checks.
JEstrop bets [$6].
Bail3232 calls [$6].
** Dealing Turn ** [ 7d ]
Bail3232 checks.
JEstrop bets [$10].
Bail3232 is all-In.
JEstrop calls [$33.19].
** Dealing River ** [ Js ]
stallion330 has joined the table.
JEstrop shows [ Ac, Ah ] a pair of aces.
Bail3232 shows [ 7s, 8s ] two pairs, eights and sevens.
Bail3232 wins $103.13 from the main pot with two pairs, eights and sevens.


***** Hand History for Game 2498992645 *****
$50 NL Texas Hold'em - Monday, August 08, 11:01:51 EDT 2005
Table Table 36641 (6 max) (Real Money)
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 2: bbone ( $88.02 )
Seat 4: JEstrop ( $55.63 )
Seat 6: sandakern ( $76.30 )
Seat 3: sirch1 ( $64.75 )
Seat 1: m1ke5 ( $48.25 )
Seat 5: PIMPWHITEY ( $19 )
bbone posts small blind [$0.25].
sirch1 posts big blind [$0.50].
PIMPWHITEY is sitting out.
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to JEstrop [ Ac Ad ]
JEstrop raises [$3].
sandakern calls [$3].
m1ke5 folds.
bbone folds.
sirch1 folds.
** Dealing Flop ** [ 8h, Ts, Tc ]
JEstrop bets [$3].
sandakern calls [$3].
** Dealing Turn ** [ 9c ]
JEstrop checks.
sandakern bets [$3].
JEstrop raises [$8].
sandakern calls [$5].
** Dealing River ** [ 7s ]
JEstrop checks.
sandakern bets [$5].
JEstrop calls [$5].
sandakern shows [ Qh, Jh ] a straight, eight to queen.
JEstrop doesn't show [ Ac, Ad ] two pairs, aces and tens.
sandakern wins $36.85 from the main pot with a straight, eight to queen.


***** Hand History for Game 2482257128 *****
$50 NL Texas Hold'em - Friday, August 05, 13:58:09 EDT 2005
Table Table 36641 (6 max) (Real Money)
Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: LavaLamp30 ( $58.45 )
Seat 4: JEstrop ( $50 )
Seat 6: Lowman777 ( $50.25 )
Seat 2: LoRDVaLoRiaN ( $43 )
Seat 3: The_Rake3 ( $10.75 )
Seat 5: WildcatAJH ( $30.97 )
LavaLamp30 posts small blind [$0.25].
LoRDVaLoRiaN posts big blind [$0.50].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to JEstrop [ Ah Ad ]
The_Rake3 calls [$0.50].
JEstrop raises [$3].
Lowman777 folds.
LavaLamp30 calls [$2.75].
LoRDVaLoRiaN folds.
The_Rake3 folds.
** Dealing Flop ** [ Th, Qd, 3h ]
LavaLamp30 checks.
JEstrop bets [$6].
LavaLamp30 is all-In.
JEstrop is all-In.
** Dealing Turn ** [ Kd ]
** Dealing River ** [ 7c ]
JEstrop shows [ Ah, Ad ] a pair of aces.
LavaLamp30 shows [ Qc, Tc ] two pairs, queens and tens.
LavaLamp30 wins $8.45 from side pot #1 with two pairs, queens and tens.
LavaLamp30 wins $99 from the main pot with two pairs, queens and tens.

I think I'll write "AA is only a pair" on my multipoker table..

You are tipping your hand by raising to 3$ every time pre flop with AA. Granted its unlikely the same players are gonna see you dealt AA more than once or maybe twice in a session so they might not pick up on it...but its just something to consider.


The first hand - if you're willing to call an all in, you might as well just push yoursel fwhen you're first to act. It's hard to tell you're beat there, the guy made a weird call pre flop and got lucky. When he smooth calls your flop bet it could be a set that you have to be careful of...Your turn bet looks good, if you are just betting it for information. He pushes over the top of you and you dont use the information you paid for (his push) to find a fold. I'm thinking he has a set from the flop when that happens and sadly letting AA go. Turns out he made a lucky two pair, but either way the turn says you're beat. If you were willing to call that, you should have been the one to push.

Second hand the guy made a bad call with the gutshot+overs and got lucky. To me you're play on the flop and pre flop basically says "hey man i have KK or AA, do you really wanna stay in this hand?" and he says "yes." So here i'm thinking he has a ten. He catches a lucky turn to make his gutshot, but i feel like i'm beat when he calls the flop already. You check raised the turn and he called...AA just isnt good here any more. But you dont figure that out for sure until the river, where he makes such a small bet, its hard not to call. Nh i guess, the guy got lucky.

If this lavalamp guy is real loose, i'd make the call too. He could have KQ, AQ, KJ and be putting a move on you...any number of hands that you have beat. If he's tight, i'm putting him on a set or QT and letting it go. Its a big checkraise, AA just looks bad against a tight opp when they pull a move like that.

AA is the hardest thing to fold, beacuse the hands that wind up beating it are the harder hands to detect like sets and lucky straits or random two pairs.

Originally Posted by PokerPatNEU

You are tipping your hand by raising to 3$ every time pre flop with AA. Granted its unlikely the same players are gonna see you dealt AA more than once or maybe twice in a session so they might not pick up on it...but its just something to consider.

Hey, thanks for the reply. Some good things I should think of. Most of the time when those people push I instantly call, without even thinking it through. If I just stop to think I can let them go.

The reason I raise 6xBB preflop on most 50NL 6max tables because pretty much all of them are fish. If I'm at a tougher table I'd probably raise it differently to not give out too much info.

I dont think 6xBB is necessarily a bad raise, as long as you're doing it with every hand that you raise pre flop...If you raise KQs pre flop in position, you have to make sure that is consistent, or people will pick up on it. Raise only 4x with KQ, then 6x with AA and wind up showing both down...an observant player is going to come over the top of you next time you only raise 4x BB knowing you arent holding AA/KK and drivign you off it. Thats why most people will recommend a standard pre flop raise size, or to vary it as randomlly as you can.

#1 and #3 are easy. Guys hit you with massive raises - especially check-raises - on the flop or turn, they generally have the goods. Must fold situations. #2 is a little trickier, but look at it carefully. You bet out on a board of 8TT rainbow. What is he likely to have that he might call with - either for a draw or on a slowplay? The possibilities: any ten, pocket eights, JQ, J9, JJ, QQ, KK. The first two have you in horrible shape from the outset. The third has you in bad shape after the turn card. After you check and he bets a modest amount on the turn, don't raise - call or fold. Check to him again on the river and look for the cheapest possible showdown. This board is an ill wind blowing you no good, and all you want to do is minimize the damage. If it turns out he's an idiot who was calling you down with overcards or something, you can be happy to win a smaller pot.