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Limping AA - Part 2Limping AA - Part 2: Another flaw of limping big pairs when the stacks are deeper like in a cash game, and multi-table tournament or the early stages of a regular sit-n-go is that if nobody raises behind you, it fails to build the pot or protect your hand, and you can find yourself in tricky spots postflop possibly out-of-position with just a pair. In a Super Turbo though the stacks are so short these problems don't exist. AA is a monster preflop and a monster postflop as well. Sure the big blind will occasionally get a free look with junk like 94 and outflop you, but that's rare. It's way more likely he gets all-in with you on a T92 flop. This is a great spot for you. If you get burned sometimes, don't be deterred. It's a good play. Keep throwing the banana peel out there and they'll just keep slipping on it. Trust me. What about when you limp with KK and an ace flops? Well now you're going to have to play some poker. If you are heads-up after the flop against the big blind, and an ace flops, you probably still ahead, since he would have shoved some of his A-high hands preflop, and the times he checks preflop with Ace-rag, an ace will flop only about 1/6th of the time. So an ace appearing on the flop lowers his chances of holding an ace. I'll leave you to decide how to handle it if he shows aggression in this spot. I just try to put him on a likely range, weigh my options, and make my best decision. You'll often get check-raised all-in by middle pair or a draw, so don't automatically assume you're beat. If you're 3-way or more to the flop and an ace flops and somebody shows aggression, almost always just fold your KK. You can also be open limping AA or KK from the button or the small blind if you think the remaining players in the hand are unsuspecting. If you're on the button and the only players left are players that know you well, then don't limp. Just shove. They will probably fold, but you'll still get action from their stronger hands. But if you limp, you'll only get action when they outflop you. What if someone limps before you when you have AA or KK? With KK usually just shove. With AA you can get cute and make a small raise if the limper isn't a regular. With AA you could occasionally even limp behind a limper if you think the risk-reward is there. Remember AA is big postflop too. The times I overlimp AA are usually when an early position player limps and I am also in early position one or two to his left. Since this will bloat the pot, quite often one of the several remaining players will try to steal all that dead money by shoving a hand they would have folded had I raised, and they are probably going to shove all the hands they would have called with had I pushed. What if someone raises small before me when I have AA or KK? Usually just shove. The pot's big enough and the raiser is usually going to call you, so just ship it. The only time I might cold-call a raise is when an early position player raises, and I am also in early position one or two to his left (kind of like my criteria for overlimping AA). What if after limping AA someone raises small behind you? Use your own judgment, but it's probably best to just shove. Limp-reraising small will look incredibly strong. If you just shove, they'll be worried about AA but usually call hoping you have something like 66. What about limping QQ or AK? See
Limping AA: Part 3
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