Q&A #67: Pocket Kings Flop an Ace… Again

Ed,

How would you feel about a check/raise all in? I feel since we’re not getting away from this hand, it would be more +EV if we check to induce a bet from hands that would fold if we bet, and may bluff if we don’t.

Jason

why not push preflop`?

I like an all in preflop bet here as you would be happy with just blinds this late in the tourney.

…snip…
“He’s a calling station and seems to call any raise once he’s limped”
…snip…

I’m in the all-in camp as well, though it depends on the limper. More to the point I’m in the “make as big a bet as someone will call” camp. There’s a guy in my regular game that limp/calls to much with weak As, weak Ks and small pocket pairs at the end of tournaments (and the middle and beginning) just like this guy. I’m always all-in there. He’ll call pre-flop, but will fold the flop if he didn’t connect. If your read on the guy is that he won’t call a big bet but will call a small one, then a small raise it is and push on the flop. If you’ve been agressive recently and overshoved or bluffed someone out of a pot, then definitely push in.

I’m not that wild about the check raise possibilities. Passive limp/callers won’t bet unless they really connected with the board, but they will call down with 2nd pair, gut shots, etc. Bet out. That’s way more profitable then expecting a passive guy to bet your hand for you. If you had raised an agressive guy in the BB from the SB, then I’d give him a chance to try and take the pot away, especially since the scare card came.

its like Doyle says with AA or KK (super system)… one of two things can occur, you either lose a big pot or you win a small one. I believe there is no other way to play that hand, and if you were to make a raise, i’d think the only worthy raise would be an all in. Again going back to previously stated options i think i would much rather stick with the latter.

Isn’t it worth considering, that you don’t want to over commit yourself with KK in this spot?

If you have 14BB, putting in 5BB leaves you no room to get away from it should an Ace flop. If your preflop raise was 3BB, you could bet 5BB on the flop (if an Ace flopped), and fold to a reraise.

While still getting full value from lower flops with your overpair. And still playing fairly safe.