Thursday, April 16, 2009

Play Pocket Aces Against Me On This One Hand: How Good Are You?

Here is an actual hand of online poker that puts you to the test with pocket Aces.

You are going to be dealt pocket Aces. Your opponent is me. You have never played poker against me, so you don't have any clue about how I play the game.

You will be asked one question. This is an actual hand of poker.

Full Tilt Poker
$150 Buy-in no limit tournament
400 players


It is the second level. The blinds are $20-$40. You have $5,000. You are in the small blind.

I am under the gun with $3,500. The cards are dealt and I limp. A player in the middle position limps. It is folded to you in the small blind. You find Ad-Ah.

You raise to $210. I call and the other player folds. It is heads-up. The pot is $500.

(You should be thinking about the different hands I need to call your raise.)

The flop is Qc-10d-10s. You bet $223, and I call. The pot is $946.

(You should be thinking about the hands I might have to call your bet.)

The turn is 8c. You bet $500.

I raise to $1,200. What should you do with your pocket Aces?

10 comments:

CorkaghSnapshots said...

Id fold as it seems you may have hit a straight. However I probably would have bet 1000 in to you before flop. Would you have called that raise?

Shawn K. Quinn said...

Hands that are ahead here that I might put you on: J9, Q10, K10, A10, J10. Less likely, but still winning: QQ, 88, or even 1010.

I think it's far more likely you have either KK or AQ, and the aces are still good. If you have QQ or some other monster, I'm content with calling and paying you off, assuming the river is not another ace.

Anonymous said...

The AA are garbage (or drawing slim) against your possible monsters TT,QQ,AT, and even the unlikely QT,J9s or Tx. You've probably already made your hand, since you've committed half your stack on the turn, although you could be just as likely semi-bluffing and hoping your KK or AQ will hold up.

It's a tough decision between lay-down, or all-in.

Anonymous said...

I go all-in as I put you on KK or AA. I feel you are putting me on AK/Q/J or a PP that has not hit the board, and you think you are ahead, otherwise why would you push back at me with the nuts? Plus like you always say "Embrace the risk" as you will never win a tournament folding.

GiJoeValdez said...

first of all I need more info. What did the BB do? did he fold as well?

What suit are my cards exactly?

BB........40
UG(you)...40
Other.....40
sb........210
BB........folds?
you.......210
other.....folds.
Pot.......540 chips not 500.

post flop
I bet..... 223
You call.. 223
Pot....... 986

At the turn I would not bet there because that doesn't give me any information as to what cards you have? By betting there it will cost me 2 bets to see the river. Had I checked and you raised. I could re-raise you and maybe take the pot. If you re-raise me then that gives me more info on the strength of your cards and I would be thinking fold. If you just call my re-raise then it also tells me you are not sure about your hand and I am strong.

So you bet here and he raised. I would not fold. I would call your bet and see the flop. If your hand is weak it would tell you that I am strong, and you would be cautious on the River if you have zeroed out.

You don't have J9,AQ, A10, 1010,K10, or KQ because you would have raised with those hands post flop.

I put you on exactly KJ or QJ. You missed your cards and your raise at the turn was an attempt to steal the pot.

Game over I win by calling bet at the turn.

Unknown said...

This hand feels like you are playing the player and not your cards. I think I would reraise all in.

marthasadie said...

Hmmm, am torn as others between a push and a fold. Pre flop, I would expect someone with AK AQ in that position to raise initially and anything less (eg A10) to fold after my raise, although perhaps a certain player might limp and then call with a suited connector. Probably not 910, J10, QJ, maybe KQ in which case I'm definitely ahead.

But actually I think that's unlikely, I think you had a pair you either wanted action on so limped, or hoped to hit the flop on. But, if you have a pair that *did* hit the flop or turn (QQ, 88, 1010), then you nearly have the nuts, so why raise on the turn? You don't really need to protect the hand. I guess you could be very tricky, hoping I really have something and trying to get me to push, or worried that calling looks too strong. At this point, it would all depend on my read, I guess. If you aren't giving away any clues, I think I'd most likely put you on a pair (KK, JJ) that hasn't hit and assume you are trying to bet me off the pot with a strong but not too large raise. In which case my AA is probably good against your lower pair, but still vulnerable (esp as JJ could make a straight), so I have to push. To assume the alternative, that you have the nuts and are trying to incite my all-in is probably overthinking it against a total stranger and relatively unlikely. Also, if you had hit a full house here I would be pretty unlucky, and wouldn't be too upset about it. Anyway, what did you have, am I way off?

Anonymous said...

Shouldn't have bet half the pot on the flop. Put you in for the rest and hpe you didnt donk a 10.

Would also have to take into account the value invested in post (V$P) of the player also. Some people play so weak after the flop you have to fold tis hand to those kind of players.

Against an unknown I don't see how you fold this.

Mitchell Cogert said...

Nolene, I would not call that big a raise. But, I think that big a raise decreases your opportunity to win a big pot.

Angel: Yes, the flop was heads-up.

Unknown said...

He senses weakness and the board scares him. Shove with AA. Monsters are rare, given card combinations and how it played out.

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