How do you extract the most chips with your good hands?

[LD_dsm]

I play a tight aggressive game, but it seems when I get a great hand AA, KK, QQ, I seem only able to pick up the blinds. When I try to limp in, my aces get cracked. How do you guys play your premium hands?

[Scuba Chuck]

I play a tight aggressive game, but it seems when I get a great hand AA, KK, QQ, I seem only able to pick up the blinds. When I try to limp in, my aces get cracked. How do you guys play your premium hands?

I remember when I used to think about this. I now don't think those are great hands, fwiw. Just keep playing them strong. There value tends to fall dramatically once you see a flop.

[A10Chief]

Yeah, I've found that I win the biggest pots from the blinds. In L1-3 I pretty much complete w/ any two if it's an unraised pot, and so I make a lot of well-hidden monsters this way. Also from the BB I will sometimes call a mini-raise with suited gappers or other "live cards." Then when you flop that monster just take it to the house. I also play at Stars so I can afford this in the early going. I doubt this is very good strategy at Party.

[Aplomado]

Raise with good preflop hands, without exception, unless it's late in a tourney and/or you're sure you'll get raised. If you just get the blinds, fine. Better than making an early exit because you slowplayed early against a 97s which flopped a straight and a flush draw. It's not worth it. In Texas Hold 'Em, there's no such thing as the nuts preflop, so make them pay to see a flop no matter what they have (again, with certain exceptions as noted above).

Ever since recognizing this reality, my game has improved immeasurably. Like someone here said, you can't win big pots without building them. If they aren't willing to pay preflop, they're not likely to pay after the flop unless they hit something better than your hand. Just cut through the bullshit and make them have a vested interest in the pot postflop or make them get out if they don't plan to pay you off.

[TLR]

Raise them preflop, you need to narrow the field and get a feeling of your opponents hand.
Picking the blinds is fine, better then getting cracked by BB 2 pairing his 2-7o

[swiggidy]

I play a tight aggressive game, but it seems when I get a great hand AA, KK, QQ, I seem only able to pick up the blinds.

Since you didn't mention it, I have to say it. You are raising with hands other than QQ+, right?

The only time I get anything from the big pocket pairs is when someone raises before me. Throw in a re-raise and they come over top. Like the others said you're probably not getting paid because they don't have a hand. Like when you get KK in the big blind and it's folded around to you.

[pgil]

I know it sucks to hear it, but I usually only win big pots with the big three pocket pairs when one of two things occur. 1) I am up against another big pair, hopefully 1 rank lower than mine (or an AKs, although not as often), and not the other way around. if played correctly, all in preflop. 2) I get a caller who wants to chase a draw, that doesnt hit. of course this is because I usually only get big pairs UTG or UTG+1

[LD_dsm]

Thanks for the info guys. I am trying to find leaks in my game, and it seems lateley I cannot get paid enough on the hands that I feel should be my winners.

[Aplomado]

Thanks for the info guys. I am trying to find leaks in my game, and it seems lateley I cannot get paid enough on the hands that I feel should be my winners.

Most people get dealt AA and KK preflop and immediately think "I'm getting paid", so they get disappointed when it doesn't pan out that way. You gotta get that idea out of your head. One truth about poker is that no hand is a guaranteed winner preflop. AA dramatically increases your chances, but it still depends on what other players get. That's why a lot of players think the hand doesn't really start until the flop hits.

[LD_dsm]

I have seen a lot of people getting married to their hand, not wanting to accept the idea that KK can get cracked. Calling all the way down the river only to lose, because they bet incorrectly. It's tough not having the "I'm getting paid" mentality, when you haven't been dealt a single descent hand for some time. When you do get that hand you want a pay off.