How Slowly Should You Play Aces? | Ask SplitSuit

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SplitSuit looks at a spot sent in by Shane. Shane raises UTG in a live $1/$2 game with AA, gets called, and faces a squeeze from a TAG. SplitSuit explains why he would just flat this (as opposed to 4betting) and shows how he would react postflop as well. Choosing the right lines here is what leads to big success or disappointment when you let your opponent off the hook…
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[@ThePokerBank]

Not 100% sure about building ranges in poker hands like this? Start here: www.splitsuit.com/poker-ranges-reading

[@rudistorm6424]

AA KK is a very difficult hand to play after a flop like that. You have major balls to just call on the flop. Great Job.

[@xjokersniperx]

@4:27 "Lets stick it in and do it" ;) ;) ;)

[@cardboardu6019]

As an extra bonus for shoving the flop, when we do shove this turn there are approximately 1000 more combos that are calling our shove because they have us drawing dead, so not as cool as on the flop when it's very tough for him to have 3 bet a hand thats ahead on the flop. It's just tens most of the time.

[@moptim]

One major thing on the flop is also that you'll brick the flop and end up with ace high a fair amount of time. Don't know exactly how tight a range you should be opening from UTG in FR in the first place, but I guess at least AK, AQ, AJs and KQ will be there. You'll also have an awful lot of overpairs assuming that you never 4-bet, and also all the sets, and this makes me really want to often jam this flop when we brick, in addition to pocket pairs like AA, KK, and all the sets. You could also have JTs/T9s or a double-broadway flush draw, which obviously must jam here.

[@mattclark23-9]

I am 100% on board with jamming flop as played. I wouldn’t want any scare cards coming on the turn that would either kill my action, or even somehow make me second guess my own holdings (9d would be brutal turn card or any 9 for that matter). What I would of done different was smallish 4-bet preflop, prob to something like $85 in order to build the pot right then and there and to isolate my hand vs. the SB Reg. 4betting preflop all but assures you will play later streets with position, I’m assuming agrofish folds behind of course. I personally would much rather play AA heads up in position then to be between 2 players with the fish (who has a wide range of hands) acting behind me. I also think there is a decent chance that the SB Reg might call the smallish 4bet with hands like 1010, JJ, AQs and might even put in a 5bet preflop if holding hands like QQ, KK, AK. I also believe the SB Reg ALWAYS has those kinds of hands, 1010+. Reason being, if SB Reg is paying attention, he would notice our Hero is raising UTG at a full ring table which typically indicates a strong hand. That being said, SB Reg must also have some premium holdings if he is willing to put in a 3bet preflop over our Hero UTG raise AND no less do it form the SB where he will be playing the rest of the hand out of position. So for SB Reg to do that, I think he is always holding 1010+. Typically you wouldn’t want to play a UTG raiser out of position in a 3bet pot without some premium holdings. I also think a range of 1010, JJ, AQs, will call a smallish size 4bet preflop and QQ, AK, KK might just put in a 5bet. Plus, if you SB Reg only calls the $85 4bet, pot is now $182 leaving Hero with only $165 behind. Makes jamming flop that much easier when you have less than a pot sized bet behind. Any thoughts? Clearly I found this hand to be very interesting :)

[@JimCarel]

no you had a spr a little bit over 2 preflop that means yu never fold (mybe he is a absolut nit and the flop is kq) never fold. not even think about it

[@bhimabi1993]

Hi, Could you do a video explaining the jargons like jam, flat and so on. That way its easy to follow for new players

[@JimCarel]

fam is all in fal is flat calling

[@JimCarel]

jam all in

[@lorib5398]

Yes please, explain the lingo..."3 bet, 4 bet, another shot, barrel....& so on.

[@ts4gv]

Lori B when talking preflop: big blind = bet number one "open" = first raise over the big blind = bet number two "3-bet" = "reraise" = raising over the last raise = bet number three "4-bet"= another "reraise" = raising over the 3bet = bet number four etc.

[@goldenepochofmetal3243]

had you shoved the flop, he would have called :)

[@splitsuit]

+Golden Epochofmetal that is true =)

[@LOLLYPOPPE]

Varheim why did he bet 50 then

[@TonyEnglandUK]

@@LOLLYPOPPE The 50 was a weak bet that basically just said _"I don't have anything yet but I'm not just checking"_

[@casperiito]

@@splitsuit Clearly very late on this but I'm not sure why this is in my recommendeds all of a sudden... but one factor you didn't mention (if these values are accurate) is how much he has behind on the flop after the c-bet, which is less than the pot and almost guarantees that the aggressor calls a shove there with any piece of the flop or an over pair in that situation.

[@Xtraderr]

Hi James great video/commentary, could you explain how you would have played JJ in this exact spot, would you have stacked off post flop? Thanks

[@splitsuit]

+Xtraderr thanks! I'd jam JJ on the flop. It's just a function of the SPR really...

[@Xtraderr]

+James (SplitSuit) so the hand would play itself basically? Even if you run into AA would this just be a standard cooler situation? I'm trying to gauge the proper way to play JJ from villain's shoes, I find myself to be in this spot often, thanks again.

[@splitsuit]

+Xtraderr well there are only 18 combos of QQ+ vs 16 combos of AK, which is the crux.

[@NoLongerGrilling]

+James (SplitSuit) Let's add to that hypothetic scenario the fish coming in as well and we see this flop 3way. Are we still stacking off/jamming TAG Cbet or are we flatting and letting fish come over the top? I think the first option is better but what would you do James?

[@splitsuit]

+John Griller if fish comes along as well I'd donk/fold (vs the TAG) for $55. If fish calls the donk and TAG folds I stack the fish on the turn.

[@TestyCol]

Jamming on the flop I think would be a good move - opponent may put you on AKs or AQs and call with JJ or QQ.

[@ryanaberg3335]

Is that 1/2 deepstack?

[@antjoshwww]

For me as a slow played aces it is better to raise the tag cbettor on the flop representing top pair tens if he started with JJ qq or. Kk or suited Broadways or ax suited. Putting 80 precent of my chips in. And an all in on the turn which is callable since tag would the odds to call a small shove.

[@7PropagandaPanda7]

love the videos, thanks alot

[@ThePokerBank]

+7PropagandaPanda7 you're very welcome!

[@schwarzblatt]

Interesting analysis. I'm pretty new to poker, and tend to try and control pot sizes by usually just calling in pos. if I've got a hand like AA where I am confident I'm against a smaller overpair (barring flops that ask for hand protection against draws). I prefer to do this when stacks are deep against a good player. Perhaps we'll get better value flatting than jamming when far ahead in the hand.

[@fundiver198]

You mention some of the important factors yourself: The stack to pot ratio (SPR) and the board being wet or dry. This was a very low SPR pot, which mean, we are never folding AA postflop. So there is no need to pot control. And the texture was very wet, which mean, we always to fastplay strong hands, before the texture change in some ways. In deep SPR pots and/or dry textures calling in position become much more valid. However you should almost never find yourself in a situation, where you are just calling with AA. You should almost always keep the initiative preflop and at least on the flop. On the turn and river it become more situational. This was a very special situation, where slowplaying AA was warrented preflop because of the fish involved, because Hero opened UTG, which give him a very strong range, and because the 3-bet was already so large. In this exact situation a 4-bet would scream so much strength, that it would almost certainly just pick up the pot. But generally you should be opening AA, 3-bettting AA, 4-betting AA and 5-betting AA nearly always, whenever you get the chance.

[@JimCarel]

really good aswer you must see on a wet (bether word is fluid bord where the next card can changes things dramatecilly) a lot of cards kill the action because your opponent is unsure=scare card.

[@Nikolazy133]

If that 5 of diamond were a 9 of diamond. Do you fold then? Or at very least considering it?

[@LennonPlays]

Do you think that perhaps the call post-flop of SB’s bet was demonstrative of a flush draw? I feel like the turn card here is what left the rest of the effective stack on the table - if he jammed on the flop I think villian would’ve been happy to go to the races with an overpair and a gutshot. I think his 1/5 pot bet showed that villian shat the bed on that turn, and it was a real scare card for him since the $60 called post-flop almost gave him control of the situation since he chose the price and, effectively, I feel like the limp didn’t demonstrate a made-hand. If anyone else has any thoughts please let me know!

[@McGavel1]

Cool points, thanks.

[@Hennesg]

On a board like this what should the Tag Reg should have reacted like on the turn out of Position. You call it "stupid" what would have been the right move here? Villian called the Flop with a 70% pot cbet you have a pocket overpair and and a flush that completed on the turn

[@Hennesg]

It seems like in that perticular Hand against aces he oddly saved money. Would this hand would have been a cooler with your playstyle? Or would have you behaved completly diffrently here with Jacks?

[@MattErdnad]

So in villains position would it be correct to call hero's all in on the flop? Also if hero had JJ-KK would you suggest the same line?

[@shenkeey]

yes, most of the time the hero would 3bet shove as a semibluff with for example AKs/KQs/JQs, or a pocket pair of 8's, maybe even a 10 that wants to protect his hand against bad turns and rivers. While you're sometimes up against a higher pocket pair, most of the times you're doing fine. Especially after facing a flat instead of a 4-bet. IMO kings and aces can be slowplayed, but queens is not so much slowplaying as it is to see a safe flop and go from there. all you have on the flop is a pair of queens; any king, ace, two pair etc will beat you. The same with kings (and aces for that matter); its not the nuts. Kings are slowplayable but come with risk, so honestly even kings might just want to 4bet preflop

[@tiagomota4734]

+ Maran Nebbling im sorry what?

[@lorib5398]

I wouldn't call an all in. Some pots aren't worth the risk.

[@ItsTrainerMilt]

No...They both have you hecka covered. The agro fish is the big stack so he will definitely call the 3 bet A LOT. As played I know he folded but that to me is irrelevant. As he is in the cut off. I am 4 betting small to deny the agro fish odds As played the player will call with JJ plus I am reluctantly shoving the flop & he he reluctantly calling on the flop. I agree with drilling on the flop. Flatting the 3 bet with given sizes and the biggest stack having position, I would rarely do this.

[@tdogmillz]

If you were OOP in this spot, would it be best to check-raise the flop or jam it ourselves? And thanks for the great videos!

[@ThePokerBank]

+tdogmillz check-raise to induce the CB from whiffed AK. And thank you!

[@lorib5398]

We can only expect to double up if our opponent has a strong hand; not if WE do.

[@rapidevolution]

Heya James! Quick question: I agree that shipping this flop is the best play, given the SPR and the board texture, but let's say the flop is T 2 4 rainbow. Is there merit to just flatting against an opponent like this? (I assume against a more aggro opponent, we'd call the flop more often). Thanks again for making these! I'd love to do one with you!

[@splitsuit]

+Joaquin Colon a good opponent would recognize there is no turn FE once you call the flop on T42r - so flatting doesn't do too much there imo. But against aggrotards - you are spot on to call and induce the turn jam! You're very welcome for the video and I may take you up on that offer in the future =)

[@spoyledbratt]

So many jargons!

[@KoolzTheMC]

What is SPR?

[@ThePokerBank]

+Kulasande Mafanya we made video all about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6jVnJWOqa9oa6M Enjoy!

[@chilogutierrez458]

You either a small pot with aces or lose a big one. 4 bet here is needed

[@stanleyellender5424]

poker bank / james sweeney awsome

[@ThePokerBank]

thanks Stanley!

[@fhd3715]

6x open pre? And how is that guy ever a regular considering how he screws up the turn with his weak bet - fold?

[@andrewadami3920]

Well that's your opinion. Not everyone plays the way you do.

[@fhd3715]

@@andrewadami3920 Some basic strategy concepts like open sizings are just proven to be the most profitable. It has nothing to do with my opinion.

[@andrewadami3920]

@@fhd3715 you misunderstand me. I was referring to the "weak bet-fold".

[@antiguousuario2385]

With this board bet pot

[@matthewhalliday5294]

Disagree with this analysis quite a bit. Small 4 bet to around 80 dollars and you can stack him off. The reason you can’t get the remaining chips is because you didn’t 4 bet pre.

[@adriamhung]

Totally agree! We only playing $250 stack, 4 bet to $80 will get a fold from the CO and a call from the BB (as he only need to call $43 more after putting $37 in) Now the pot is $172, and we have $170 behind. If BB thinks we could have AK or AQ in our range, I wouldn't mind 4 bet a bit more to $100.

[@KevinClarkson93]

Why do you think this TAG would be 3betting a utg tag pfr with 99 or JJ and why do you think he thinks you called his 3bet with AJ/99? (6 rolls off so what, he isn't 3betting with 99. 9 rolls off so what, he isn't 3betting with Jacks either. J rolls off so what.) If he has AK, he's not going to call your shove either. Flatcall it down and minraise it to basically all-in on the river.

[@JimCarel]

+Kevin Clarkson good questio this reraise against utd with th fish is in many situations not good.

[@YWSBIWGYSB]

should have definitely shoved flopp :/

[@MugenTJ]

thats a lot of money on the table for 1-2 NL

[@Annunaki_0517]

MugenTJ Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too. Maybe I just don’t play in enough different situations, but I’m used to something like 50-150 BBs as typical stacks. This table, where most have 250-425 BBs seemed a bit deep to me.

[@MrStobie8]

I woulda just ripped it pre

[@TheGuyCalledX]

easy flop shove

[@ryuisonline8816]

"Unless he's super whaley and never wants to find the fold button" 😂

[@roryvonbrutt7302]

whaley...... LOL