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Posts Tagged ‘P0ker’

Im about to make the most obvious statement ever but during the last few days it has never been emphasized more for me. When you get dealt Aces in a tournament, when the hand is over, you will either be really happy or really mad. You’re gonna lose with them or get no action with them, or win with them. And anytime you lose with them preflop, it’s pretty disheartening.

In last sunday’s 200k, the 3rd hand of the tournament I get dealt AA, and manage to somehow have my 5 bet shove called by AK at 300 Big Blinds deep. The flop was 10JQ and I couldnt hit my chop outs. I was left with 320 chips. I grinded for 4 hours to get deep in the money, down to 50 players and was dealt AA again. The money gets in preflop and I’m against K8. Again I lose and Im out of the tournament. Im not here to wine about bad beats. But I almost dread getting aces. Don’t get me wrong, it’s the best hand in poker and I love getting them, but getting them late in tournaments you will often be putting your whole stack in the middle and risking your tournament life. I know, I know, I am a huge favorite and I’ll take them any day. It’s just there is really something to be said about not being all in and at risk of being knocked out. Think back to the times you have won tournaments or done really well in them. I can guarantee you, you somehow found a way to avoid as many showdowns as possible, while winning uncontested pots. Of course running well at the same time:)

Getting AA early in tournaments is also a tricky situation in my opinion. You start with 300 bbs in UB tournaments. 3k starting stack and 5-10 blinds. Say you raise to 30 and get called once out of the BB and the flop comes 1062. How much do you love your aces? I like them, but about 10x less than I liked them preflop. How many times can you justify getting 300bbs in, on a flop with 1 pair? Again, its safer to find a way to get the money in preflop, in turn making you play pots for your tournament life.

Aces are a great thing, but you win huge pots or loose huge pots with them and sometimes they happen at the worst times. I can still remember some of my bad beats with AA for huge amounts of equity that happened 5 years ago. Here is to better luck with AA for everyone!!