Limping to 3bet

[3 pairs should be a hand]

I've never really been a fan of limping preflop with eg AA to then 3bet the villain. I've always thought it was more trouble than it's worth - maybe such a play is fine in a live tournament where stacks are deep, however...

A short while ago I was reading a couple of essays by Negreanu from his "more" 50 powerful tips where he was positing the argument that if you always play them fast that you are not getting the full value from them.

So I was on a $5 sng and I'm utg n I pick up AA. The table was aggressive so I thought "ok I'll try the limp". So what happens, yep no one raises. By the time bb checks there's 5 in the hand.

The flop comes two hearts but apart from that is discombobulated (or is it if there are two hearts??). Anyway I lead with a pot bet in an attempt to shut down the action there and then, but get a caller who hits his flush on the turn.

So, considering that the situation was perfect for this play and it still went tits up can you/should you ever use the limp to reraise play in a single table sng? If so what hand range can you do this with and under what cirumstances.

Thoughts on what should be the bet size on such a board are welcome too.

I for one tho don't think I'll be following Negreanus advice in a sng environment again. Well not if the table is full as was the case in this example. Again I would like opinions as to how many players you should be facing to employ this tactic - let's say it's bubble or itm then maybe I might try it again.

Sorry I can't post the hand details but it happened a while ago before I registered on FTR. The blinds were 50.

[LuckySlevin]

I think AA-QQ aren't bad for limping with the intent to rereaise providing the table is aggressive. The downside is if you get many callers and the pot isn't raised before the flop then you'll have to let them go if you don't hit a set and face much action.

Collin Moshman actualy reccomends this in his STT book if the table's aggressive so there is merit to the play.

If you're in middle to late position then best advice is to just open raise them.

[3 pairs should be a hand]

ty - I'm gonna look it up in my moshman now

[RockyMoose]

I have to wonder if Negreanu was specifically thinking of online STTs. I'll argue that there's rarely ever a need to limp AA in online single table tourneys. Villains are all strangers, there's no meta-game to be played, and a 3x raise disguises your AA as much as any other raising hand. In games where you're at the same table for a while and/or play against the same guys all the time, sure, limp AA every once in a while.

Moshman's advice is of course a consideration when at an aggro table, but I rarely see super aggro STTs online these days; everyone seems to be a nit. (I play $10+1s mostly.)

[TLR]

There are 3 reasons to limp AA early, and they almost never exist in online Sngs
1. If you know there is a going to be a raise behind you and it is early levels of the Sng
2. To vary your play vs opponents you play frequently
3. To allow you to make UTG limp-reraise vs observant and good opponents and respresent A's with other hands as well

I only use UTG limp-reraise in my home game, it is very rare I do it online