how would u play this?

[Jbfluke 0]

Its the first hand of a single table tournament. im on the small blind and i look down and see pocket Aces. everyone folds and the dealer calls, i raise 3x the blinds and the BB and dealer call. The flop comes out 3 4 5 unsuited. we start with 10,000 with the blinds at 50 and 100 i throw out 600, the BB raises to 1,200 and the dealer folds. I reraise to 2,400 and the BB goes all in. I also know from previous experience that this player can be very aggresive at times and could be holding nearly any 2 cards, but he doesnt just go crazy and throw his money around. what would u do in this situation? i'll finish the rest of it once i hear what some of u think would be the right move.

[Sushiman 0]

All in into a 2400 pot? Sounds like he doesn't want a call. I think the guy might have a set and is scared of the flush draw. Could also be he has an overpair, which I consider likely. I'd call him if I have an A of the suit that's on the board. If not, I'd probably fold it to be safe.

[EyeintheSkyy 0]

That's a very tough call. Given the flop and the type of player you say he is, I'd say it is very likely that he hit the straight or a set, but it is possible that he has a high overpair. You raised pre-flop and bet out though, so I am thinking he wouldn't go all-in on just an overpair unless it was also aces. I think I'd fold and live to fight another day.The only thing I don't really understand is your re-raise. With a coordinated board, unless you are willing to go the distance, doesn't it make more sense to just call and take another card?

[ajs510 122]

I guess it all depends on the opponent...You raised to 300 preflop, which was enough to knock out 6/7 for sure, although it's possible A/2 would have stuck around for 2 more bets. There's no immediate flush draw on the board so the only thing you have to worry about is a made straight, (unlikely) or trips (possible, but I don't think anyone was calling pocket 3's 4's or 5's for a raise, then moving all in with that board) I'm putting the guy on an overpair, which you have dominated or big overcards (AK which would give him a straight draw, problem is it's the same draw you have). I would have to call here, he thinks he has the best hand but is dominated by the bullets.

[jjdylan 0]

Its possible (probable) that you have him beat, but theres also a chance that he still may outdraw you being the 1st hand of the tournament, id fold it, there will be other (better) opportunites to get your money. Especially when only the top 3 spots pay out

[Red_foot_soldier 0]

What was the buy in?More than $20 he's got you beat.If its less than this say $5 game. I say its 30% could just be trying to push you around with a draw. 25% got an overpair less than yours. 35% he's ahead. 10% he's an idiot pushing with high cards or top pair on the flop.

[Producer_2 0]

So the only thing you have to worry about is a made straight, (unlikely) or trips (possible, but I don't think anyone was calling pocket 3's 4's or 5's for a raise, then moving all in with that board) I'm putting the guy on an overpair, which you have dominated or big overcards (AK which would give him a straight draw, problem is it's the same draw you have).  I would have to call here, he thinks he has the best hand but is dominated by the bullets.

The equally important question here is what is HE putting YOU on...I don't think it's outrageous that he'd call the 300 pre-flop raise with a low pocket pair. It's the first hand and he's taking a run at hitting the set and taking you for some big money early. Because of your pre-flop raise, he's likely putting YOU on a bigger hand (an overpair or maybe A-K) and figures you did NOT get a piece of that possible straight. And even if you did, it's probably the A, meaning you're drawing to an 11-1 gutshot. To me, having absolutely no knowledge of this player whatsoever (outside of what you've told us which kind of goes both ways) I'd be inclined to fold. It just seems like pocket 3s, 4s or 5s are extremely possible. If this is what he's holding he'd have little to no fear of you having him beaten because none of the hands you'd raise pre-flop with would hit that board enough to beat him. There's no question that a high pocket pair or A-K is a possibility (both of which, of course, you'd have dominated) but man if you call and bust out on the first hand to a set, that's a horrid way to go out. And you coming over the top of him post-flop should make him second guess his A-K or his non-set pocket pair, if indeed that's what he was holding. I tend to be a tight-aggressive player... I just can't shake the idea here that the small pocket seems to be a definite possiblity.

[ajs510 122]

I guess I can only say that I would call this all in...I can't put him on a low pocket pair with the pre-flop raise, and even if he does have the trips you're still 1 in 5 to improve by the river. I still think he had Queens and thought they were good.

[Royal_Tour 0]

Its the first hand of a single table tournament. im on the small blind and i look down and see pocket Aces. everyone folds and the dealer calls, i raise 3x the blinds and the BB and dealer call. The flop comes out 3 4 5  unsuited. we start with 10,000 with the blinds at 50 and 100 i throw out 600, the BB raises to 1,200 and the dealer folds. I reraise to 2,400 and the BB goes all in. I also know from previous experience that this player can be very aggresive at times and could be holding nearly any 2 cards, but he doesnt just go crazy and throw his money around. what would u do in this situation? i'll finish the rest of it once i hear what some of u think would be the right move.

I'm guessing he wants a call. i put him on a straight. Its easy to think that this guy would play a Ace, 2 or 6/7 and still call. Everyone folded to the button, you might have looked like a steal attempt. I really dont think i would put this guy on a over pair. especially with the raise after the flop then your re-rasie, then his re-raise., as soon as he was re-raised by you,. it should have made him think. Unless he knew his hand was very strong.

[PMJackson21 0]

I guess I can only say that I would call this all in...I can't put him on a low pocket pair with the pre-flop raise, and even if he does have the trips you're still 1 in 5 to improve by the river. I still think he had Queens and thought they were good.

Huh? Try 11-1, or 8.4 %, assuming you are talking about him improving to a set. Not sure where you got 5-1.As far as the OP goes, it seems like you are beat and it's an easy fold, but I don't know the buy-in/level of skill you were playing at. With players who's abilities you respect, it's a pretty easy fold. One pair (even it it's aces) isn't a great hand in NLHE, and I wouldn't risk my tournament life on the first hand. If you think you are better then the other players, it's always wise to err on the side of caution. Ha, if you think the guy was a donk though, then I suppose you can call. :-) Patrick

[Jbfluke 0]

ok so he went all in and i was in a tough spot. i put him on wither suited connecters catching top pair and a straight draw or an overpair. i wasn't too concerned about a set but it was definitley a possibility. i thought it over for a while and decided to call. he flipped over pocket 6's which meant he had an overpair and an open ended straight draw. with the flop 3 4 5 the turn was a k and the river was a 9 which was no help to him, doubeling me up. after he said it was a semi bluff. he though i just had overcards like A K or A Q an even if i did call and have an overpair he still would only be a like a 2.5 to 1 under dog.

[Royal_Tour 0]

Sooo. basically the guy was junk, not aggressive.. but rather Junk!.that would make things a little more clear on why he thought his hand was good.Clearly if he said he thought u had A, k or A Q.. then its not a semi bluff., and he went all in with a very small over pair. No wonder he was first out

[cdddc75 0]

Sooo. basically the guy was junk, not aggressive.. but rather Junk!.that would make things a little more clear on why he thought his hand was good.Clearly if he said he thought u had A, k or A Q.. then its not a semi bluff., and he went all in with a very small over pair.  No wonder he was first out

How are pocket sixes "junk" with that flop?

[Kevin Garceau 0]

dang it... I put him on 6s immediatly. Then scrolled down and seen thats what he had. I can see him doing this with 6s, its an over pair, not very good one. Plus still has other outs to complete. I put him on 6s for the reason being that if he got a call he had outs and could double himself up. If he didnt get a call he still took a fairly good sized pot.

[Royal_Tour 0]

Sooo. basically the guy was junk, not aggressive.. but rather Junk!.that would make things a little more clear on why he thought his hand was good.Clearly if he said he thought u had A, k or A Q.. then its not a semi bluff., and he went all in with a very small over pair.  No wonder he was first out

How are pocket sixes "junk" with that flop?

Well if you read .. i said the guy was junk. not the cards.To break it down., he raised which i liked., then he was re-raised to 2400.. now hmmm.. 6,6 with a draw., suddenly they dont look so great. instead of risking my tourny life, why dont i just see another card first.see what i mean

[cdddc75 0]

Sooo. basically the guy was junk, not aggressive.. but rather Junk!.that would make things a little more clear on why he thought his hand was good.Clearly if he said he thought u had A, k or A Q.. then its not a semi bluff., and he went all in with a very small over pair.  No wonder he was first out

How are pocket sixes "junk" with that flop?

Well if you read .. i said the guy was junk. not the cards.To break it down., he raised which i liked., then he was re-raised to 2400.. now hmmm.. 6,6 with a draw., suddenly they dont look so great. instead of risking my tourny life, why dont i just see another card first.see what i mean

Fair enough. Of course, I'm check/calling sixes in that spot, but some people like to double up right away in SNGs. That said, I don't think a semibluff type move is horrible here...

[Kevin Garceau 0]

The more I think about it, I dont mind this move.Not necessarily one I would make, but I can see the advantages to making it.In the STTs people really over value their hands too much. They very well could have AK, AQ, of hell much of anything. They may be willing to call all in at the flop thinking "hell I have two more cards coming" which they may not make at the turn....He has 2 other 6s out there to take the lead, plus 8 other cards for the straight.10 cards worth doubling up, when its quite possibley the best hand right now?

[Royal_Tour 0]

The more I think about it, I dont mind this move.Not necessarily one I would make, but I can see the advantages to making it.In the STTs people really over value their hands too much. They very well could have AK, AQ, of hell much of anything. They may be willing to call all in at the flop thinking "hell I have two more cards coming" which they may not make at the turn....He has 2 other 6s out there to take the lead, plus 8 other cards for the straight.10 cards worth doubling up, when its quite possibley the best hand right now?

Yes. technically he has 10 outs., But it was folded all around to the button. You have to realise that he probably lost some of his outs here.

[SabaAba 0]

I didn't put him on 66, but I thought he had either 45 or 56 suited. The preflop raise was only 200 more on blinds of 50/100. I would easily make the call with 45 or 56 suited are even 33, 44, 55. I would guarantee that Daniel calls this too. Point is, in a no limit tourney, raising only 2xBB more with AA is asking for trouble because small suited connectors or pairs will call you for the implied odds and the easy fold after flop cards. I think you made a gutsy call there, that worked out for you. I like the 66 all in move. Calling 2400 with 66 is asking for trouble, any next card will most likely be an overpair, and regardless, you can't like most cards that come up. He is trying to take down the pot, and only an overpair who had balls would make that call. Of course with 66, I would just call the initial bet and not raise there, but once I had raised and was reraised, pushing all in is the right move.Although, having said all that, it is the first hand of the tourney, so it would depend.

[cdddc75 0]

Yes. technically he has 10 outs., But it was folded all around to the button. You have to realise that he probably lost some of his outs here.

You could always lose outs hypothetically from preflop folds. That's dumb.Mathematically, he's got about a 40% chance to improve and is already ahead of two overcards. Not a bad place to be...

[Big-Ern777 0]

The guy has either two-pair, the set, 6-6 or 5-6 (if he's loose, I can see him calling 3x BB when the blinds are that low and the starting stack is 10k and it's the correct call). If he has two pair, then we have 9 outs (10.5 if there's a backdoor flush) at the flop and if the turn comes a blank for him we have 3 more outs for 12, but I'm not sure if he's calling our preflop raise with something like 3-4, then again not enough information is given about the player other than he's aggressive. Personally, I don't like our odds at the flop, so I'd muck knowing he had two-pair, but I can't put him on that. If he has the set we've only got 6 outs, no brainer there. Now, even if he has 5-6, which we do have beat at the flop, it's still merely a coin toss as he's roughly a 1.2 to 1 dog and I don't see risking our whole stack on the flip of a coin as being a wise play. Personally, I'd eliminate a hand like 88 or QQ as he didn't bother to reraise and is playing them overly aggressive with an all-in and is more likely to flat call our reraise to 2400. However, a hand such as 6-6 which would be correct to call could also be his likely hand.To wrap it up, we have to decide if this guy hit the set or has 6-6, even two pair. If we're in his shoes, and this guy raises 3xBB, then fires 600 and reraise to 2400, I don't think he's putting us on a set, but merely an A2-A5. The problem is, he isn't necessarily putting us on two aces, which is why 6-6 or two pair may move in here. I say muck and play some more as the set has us down to a pitiful 6 outs. With too many hand possibilities out there that have us beat, we don't need to throw our stack into the dark here.

[ajs510 122]

I guess I can only say that I would call this all in...I can't put him on a low pocket pair with the pre-flop raise, and even if he does have the trips you're still 1 in 5 to improve by the river. I still think he had Queens and thought they were good.

Huh? Try 11-1, or 8.4 %, assuming you are talking about him improving to a set. Not sure where you got 5-1.As far as the OP goes, it seems like you are beat and it's an easy fold, but I don't know the buy-in/level of skill you were playing at. With players who's abilities you respect, it's a pretty easy fold. One pair (even it it's aces) isn't a great hand in NLHE, and I wouldn't risk my tournament life on the first hand. If you think you are better then the other players, it's always wise to err on the side of caution. Ha, if you think the guy was a donk though, then I suppose you can call. :-) Patrick

I used the calculator on Cardplayer, punched in pocket Aces vs pocket 5's and set the board the way it was listed on the flop (where all the betting took place). It came back with the trip 5's as an 80% favorite over the pocket Aces w/ straight draw (which you may have forgotten about, any deuce would have taken the pot).