Simple hand – I hope I played it right?

[Ethan]

Button is a player who is a wealthy looking young guy who keeps adding on for another 100. And is very aggressive, raising lots preflop. Appears to be on tilt and is loosing.

I have two black aces in ep.
I limp for 3.
Everyone limps and the button raises to 20.
I reraise to 55.
Button calls.
Flop is 5 of spades, 8 of spades, 5 of clubs.
I lead for 35.
He folds.

Thoughts on how I played this guys??

[John S]

The problem with the limp-reraise is that it’s pretty much only KK+ for most players. Very few people bluff with this line, so be aware of that.

However, in a situation like this, against an aggressive player or a maniac, it can work to get some value. You are essentially 3-betting pre-flop from out of position. Winning almost 30bb with only seeing a flop isn’t a bad outcome, but it’s possible you could have gotten more streets of value by simply opening normally pre-flop.

I just won’t use this often as it is pretty much the strongest line you can take pre-flop, and it often represents KK+, or sometimes just AA.

[Ethan]

Ok thanks, What do you think about the follow up bet on the flop I was thinking of checking it to him or betting small like 20 or 30 but I didn’t want to let him see a bad turn card cheaply.

[John S]

With that flop, I’m betting it 100% of the time. I actually like the sizing. It’s a wet flop, so if he has anything (pair, flush draw, or straight draw), he’s calling at least one street. Charge him while you can.

If it’s a flop with no draws at all, like J62 rainbow, I could see checking and letting him bet or maybe hit a pair or a draw on the turn. But you really can’t go wrong betting your hand here all 3 streets until he raises and let’s you know you’re not ahead.

[Ethan]

Your right, that’s good advise. Thanks so much! Greatly appreciated.

[Robert L]

Hi Ethan,

I think you should just always open your aces here since it’s difficult to have a balanced limp-raising range. If you are going to 3-bet here I think you should size up more to something around 60-70. Being out of position you normally want to have a larger raise size to ideally play less pots post-flop.I think the flop bet is fine because you should bet the flop small about 100% of the time since V shouldn’t have many 5s (should really only be pocket 5s, A5s and maybe 56s & 54s [7 combos]) and should have almost all air while you have all the nutted hands.

Thanks!

[Ethan]

Hi thank you for your reply. I agree with you I shouldn’t be limp reraise, too risky, not worth it. I have a couple questions: I was wondering why it matters if I have a balanced range. I think this will only hurt me with the players I am playing against. Also if he has mostly air and I have mostly nutted hands in my range wouldn’t I want him to catch up because if I bet he will realize my strong range and fold?

Thanks so much for answering.

Very helpful advise!

[allin67]

The Villian’s stack size after calling $55 is a relevant factor here. He sounded generally short stacked, given he kept rebuying for $100. If he had $50 or less left after calling your $55 bet, my standard flop move would be to put my opponent all in. He may feel pot committed and I am also fine to just win the pot without a contest. Which leads me to my next point…

A single pair hand is never so powerful that slow playing is clearly the correct play. Yes, sometimes it is the correct play, but it is always playing with fire too. Betting here, and preventing a suckout, is not a massive leak (and indeed I would advise betting the flop in part because it is so obvious that you have an overpair here that you make it easier for opponents to play perfectly against you).

[Author]

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