Rethinking The Big Pairs.

[therrinn 0]

Now this post might be slightly controversial because I'm making an argument that goes a bit against the grain (and indeed goes against a lot of what I had previously believed and practiced).If you've read my posts in the pasts, including my 180s guide, you're aware that I've always played my premium pocket pairs very strongly. Lately, I've been having problems where this strategy just hasn't been paying off. Here are some recent examples of hands where things went wrong:Early in a 180:Seat 1: bmxreed36 (1420 in chips) Seat 2: therrinn (1710 in chips) Seat 3: Rubberman (1470 in chips) Seat 4: redmondave (2200 in chips) Seat 5: SlayerMetal (430 in chips) Seat 6: Largus (1320 in chips) Seat 7: lgkiller (1470 in chips) Seat 8: scott506 (1980 in chips) Seat 9: 3tomake5 (1500 in chips) scott506: posts small blind 103tomake5: posts big blind 20*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to therrinn [Kc Ks]bmxreed36: folds therrinn: raises 80 to 100Rubberman: folds redmondave: folds SlayerMetal: folds Largus: folds lgkiller: folds scott506: folds 3tomake5: folds therrinn collected 50 from pottherrinn: doesn't show hand Here I raised it up to the standard amount, and again got absolutely no action. In a tournament like this, you need to accumulate chips, and you can't do that when people fold to your raises. You need to mix it up a little if you want to make any money otherwise people will start reading you like a book.Middle of a 180:Seat 1: Exitonly4 (1545 in chips) Seat 2: therrinn (5567 in chips) Seat 3: studnetter4u (4595 in chips) Seat 4: Megs7648 (5155 in chips) Seat 5: calg555 (7142 in chips) Seat 6: bengiec (2640 in chips) Seat 7: lgkiller (1500 in chips) Seat 8: scott506 (6762 in chips) Seat 9: drredness (6219 in chips) studnetter4u: posts small blind 75Megs7648: posts big blind 150*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to therrinn [Ac Ad]calg555: folds bengiec: folds lgkiller: folds scott506: folds drredness: folds Exitonly4: folds therrinn: raises 300 to 450studnetter4u: folds Megs7648: folds therrinn collected 375 from pottherrinn: doesn't show hand If I had instead limped here I could've encouraged someone to make a raise thinking I'm weak. Remember, you make money in poker by letting other people make mistakes.Early in a 180:Seat 1: bmxreed36 (1570 in chips) Seat 2: therrinn (1770 in chips) Seat 3: Rubberman (1440 in chips) Seat 4: redmondave (2160 in chips) Seat 5: SlayerMetal (410 in chips) Seat 6: Largus (1320 in chips) Seat 7: lgkiller (1470 in chips) Seat 8: scott506 (1490 in chips) redmondave: posts small blind 10SlayerMetal: posts big blind 20*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to therrinn [As Ad]Largus: folds lgkiller: folds scott506: calls 20bmxreed36: folds therrinn: raises 1750 to 1770Rubberman: folds redmondave: folds SlayerMetal: foldsscott506: foldstherrinn collected 70 from pottherrinn: doesn't show hand Here is yet another example of things going wrong. After someone showed interest in the pot I tried to get as much value as I could by putting in a nice raise. But again, instead of winning a big pot, I get only a measly 50 chips.Clearly, we're not getting maximum value by playing the premium pairs this way. You might laugh at people who do things like limp-reraise or cold-call with aces, but these are the same people that are raking huge pots with those hands.For example,, trying out this new strategy, I had a hand like this one:Seat 1: bmxreed36 (1570 in chips) Seat 2: therrinn (2020 in chips) Seat 3: Rubberman (1420 in chips) Seat 4: redmondave (2150 in chips) Seat 5: SlayerMetal (350 in chips) Seat 6: Largus (1300 in chips) Seat 7: lgkiller (1470 in chips) Seat 8: scott506 (1350 in chips) Largus: posts small blind 10lgkiller: posts big blind 20*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to therrinn [Ah Ac]scott506: calls 20bmxreed36: folds therrinn: calls 20Rubberman: calls 20redmondave: folds SlayerMetal: calls 20Largus: raises 1280 to 1300lgkiller: foldsscott506: foldstherrinn: calls 1280Rubberman: foldsSlayerMetal: folds*** FLOP *** [6h Ts 4d]*** TURN *** [6h Ts 4d] [4c]*** RIVER *** [6h Ts 4d 4c] [Js]*** SHOW DOWN ***Rubberman: shows [Kh Ks] (two pair, Kings and Fours)therrinn: shows [As Ad] (two pair, Aces and Fours)As you can see here, by limping, I was able to win a large pot with my aces. The deception value of the limp should not be underrated.Now, as a word of caution, it is important to realise that the premium pairs, while very strong preflop, are not necessarily the best hand post flop. Luckily most of the time you will have been able to do a limp-reraise so you've had the chance to define hands more clearly or get it all in preflop. Nevertheless, I feel like this post wouldn't be complete without the word of caution that if things do go wrong, you need to be careful on the flop.Those of you who aren't convinced, I have a couple questions you should ask yourself:a) How often are you upset because you wait so many rounds for a premium pair, and then everyone folds to your raise?B) Ever call with your big pair after the flop because you've committed so many chips already, even though you know they outflopped you?c) Ever paid someone off with a tptk hand while they had an overpair that they slow played preflop? I know that when c) used to happen to me, I would get frustrated and think about how such a donkey got lucky. But in the end, I realised that I was the donkey. The number of times that someone will outflop you is just way smaller than the number of times that they'll fall in love with a weaker hand.

[Whiskey16 1]

I 1/2 think you're kidding, but I'll respond anyway. You're getting paid on that AA vs KK hand anyway. You didn't get his chips because you suckered him. He's not folding AA.The other hands, if you let them in cheap, and they flop a ragged two pair, can you get away, or you lose all your chips?You know it works both ways. Without a specific read, or a maniac you're targeting, raise it up. Sure, you've got to mix it up some places, but limping after limpers? You know that's not good.I think you're allowing results oriented thinking to seep in here.Everytime someone limps AK preflop, and catches me, I thank them, because they're the ones palying me when the cards are in my favor.Does someone catch me with AA sometimes, flat calling behind, sure, but do I catch them as often as they catch me.....likely.I agree you need to accumulate those chips early, but there's enough donks that they'll pay your 5x BB raise, and them pay you off. Sometimes, you're just not gonna get action.Just like the times you try to steal the blinds and get action you don't want. But overall, thumbs down, and well, if I missed the SW, jokes on me.

[leducks2004 0]

Trying to slow play big pairs can be disastrous and just aint worth it...if your just gonna steal blinds then so be it. you dont wanna limp with KK and have bb check it with J-2 and flop 2 pair. Some donkey will eventually pay you off anyways with some bogus low suited connectors.

[Actuary 3]

drinking tonight , sir?fwiw, I LRR AA/KK quite a bit.

[copernicus 0]

There's certainly nothing wrong with questioning conventional thinking, but 99% of the time you are going to be wrong...like this time! You definitely need to mix up the size of your raises so that your hands can't be identified, but I still think that leaning toward the strong side with premium hands nets the most chips in the long run.The emphasis is on nets, because slowplaying them has four likely results:1 There is no significant gain/loss vs the strong raise.2 You pick up a few extra chips with a limp re-raise.3 You pick up a lot of extra chips when someone has an underpair or hits a small piece of the flop that doesnt improve, and they are willing to ride along with your betting when they would have folded to your raise.4 You lose a lot of chips when someone flops a big hand or hits a small piece, thinks you are weak and catches on a later street, when they would have folded.You are making a larger mistake in 4 than a villain is in 3, because at some point in 3 you have to show your strength to make those chips and that is going to lose a lot the market from many of those good but not great hands. In 4 he never has to show his strength, because you are going to be doing the betting for him, and you will rarely get away from the hand.2 doesnt happen all that often, because limps tend to be contagious, from fear of the play that you want to make. Instead you get even more limpers getting increasingly good odds, which expands the risk of 4.There is luck in poker, and that includes not only getting some good hands, but getting action on them. You run a great risk when you artificially try to increase the perceived strength of other hands relative to yours. Too often the perceived strength turns into real strength.

[simo_8ball 0]

You definitely need to mix up the size of your raises so that your hands can't be identified

No. Raise the same amount almost every time from each position. That means you don't give off any patterns at all regarding hand strength. Just personal preference, but a lot of the pros go by this strategy. Don't change the size of your raise because of your cards, change it because of your position, the blind sizes, etc.

Dealt to therrinn [Kc Ks]bmxreed36: folds therrinn: raises 80 to 100Here I raised it up to the standard amount, and again got absolutely no action. In a tournament like this, you need to accumulate chips, and you can't do that when people fold to your raises. You need to mix it up a little if you want to make any money otherwise people will start reading you like a book.

Raise to 60.

Dealt to therrinn [As Ad]Largus: folds lgkiller: folds scott506: calls 20bmxreed36: folds therrinn: raises 1750 to 1770Here is yet another example of things going wrong. After someone showed interest in the pot I tried to get as much value as I could by putting in a nice raise. But again, instead of winning a big pot, I get only a measly 50 chips.Clearly, we're not getting maximum value by playing the premium pairs this way. You might laugh at people who do things like limp-reraise or cold-call with aces, but these are the same people that are raking huge pots with those hands.

Raise less.

For example,, trying out this new strategy, I had a hand like this one:Dealt to therrinn [Ah Ac]scott506: calls 20bmxreed36: folds therrinn: calls 20Rubberman: calls 20redmondave: folds SlayerMetal: calls 20Largus: raises 1280 to 1300lgkiller: foldsscott506: foldstherrinn: calls 1280Rubberman: foldsSlayerMetal: folds*** FLOP *** [6h Ts 4d]*** TURN *** [6h Ts 4d] [4c]*** RIVER *** [6h Ts 4d 4c] [Js]*** SHOW DOWN ***Rubberman: shows [Kh Ks] (two pair, Kings and Fours)therrinn: shows [As Ad] (two pair, Aces and Fours)As you can see here, by limping, I was able to win a large pot with my aces. The deception value of the limp should not be underrated.

Limping had nothing to do with it.Oh, and if this is an attempt to 'uneducate' fish, you would be better posting this in general.Those of you who aren't convinced, I have a couple questions you should ask yourself:a) How often are you upset because you wait so many rounds for a premium pair, and then everyone folds to your raise?If they fold to a raise, I'll be raising with junk.B) Ever call with your big pair after the flop because you've committed so many chips already, even though you know they outflopped you?Yeah. I've also got people to move allin with a weak top pair because they have committed so many chips already. c) Ever paid someone off with a tptk hand while they had an overpair that they slow played preflop?Yeah. I've also been paid after a 'BB special' or with 'junk' hands numerous times after someone else slowplayed preflop.

[mk 11]

I like questioning conventional wisdom too. And playing the big pairs well is probably the single most important skill toward profitablilty in online MTTs (unless you're JC and can make T3o work for you). While I don't play many 180s, I think it's possible that the play is simply getting better as more and more people learn/get better/knock the bad players out, etc. So it makes sense that overjamming a single limper pre would pay less and less. I think it's hugely important to be aware of situations favorable to playing the big pairs somewhat unconventionally, and I certainly don't think you should be just shoving or limping or raising 3x every time. What would be the best way to maximize value in the given situation? Think about what hand you are trying to represent. Here's a couple 'plays' I use often: 1.) Second hour - early third hour. Blinds aren't huge, but they are significant enough that 5 BBs are worth something. You are in early position and have a "I must raise multiple limpers" guy (someone like Adanthar) in late position. I would sometimes open limp AA or KK from EP or MP in that situation. When you open-limp from MP, people put you on a small-mid pair or connectors. Not groundbreaking, but there's a time for it. 2.) Any point in the tourney. You are in the BB with AA or KK. A player raises, and it folds around to you (HU pot). JUST CALL. When there is no need to thin the field, there is no need to risk scaring someone away. Sometimes you'll get outflopped. More often, your opponent will grossly overplay their hand because you haven't shown any strength. This certainly changes if you've been snapping people off a ton or just that specific raiser. For example, in the last tourney I played (a rebuy, so stacks were deep), a player in LP had raised my BB and I re-raised him with 85o, and he folded. Maybe two orbits later, he did the same thing - raised my BB - and I had AA this time. Now, instead of flat-calling, I re-raised just as I had the time before. He called the re-raise this time and overplayed KQ on a Q-high flop because he suspected a re-steal. 3.) Any point in the tourney, esp. middle stages - A player from EP or MP opens a standard amount. You are in LP with AA or KK. I will flat-call a decent % of the time. There is a good chance the pot will be contested HU, which is what you want. Be less inclined to do this when blinds are small because the sb and/or bb will often come along for a reasonable price. This play is especially good in late-middle to early-late stages, when people start thinking about squeeze plays. If the SB or BB are fairly short but deep enough that they think they'll have FE if they shove, definitely flat-call. Since the squeeze play is so popular now, you can actually induce it.

[AcesUp46 0]

OP has to be joking but he makes a good point about mixing up your play with premium pairs. This is especially important if you regularly SNGs with familiar players. Always keep them guessing as to what you are doing.One play I do sometimes is to jam preflop when the blinds are low after 3-4 limpers. I'm surprised at the frequency that hands like pocket 7s call me and willingly race, thinking that I have AK/AQ.

[hblask 1]

Such a problem to have -- opponents who fold every time they see a raise. Someday, I hope all my problems are that serious.

[Bizzle 0]

Alright, hand by hand here:

Early in a 180:Seat 1: bmxreed36 (1420 in chips) Seat 2: therrinn (1710 in chips) Seat 3: Rubberman (1470 in chips) Seat 4: redmondave (2200 in chips) Seat 5: SlayerMetal (430 in chips) Seat 6: Largus (1320 in chips) Seat 7: lgkiller (1470 in chips) Seat 8: scott506 (1980 in chips) Seat 9: 3tomake5 (1500 in chips) scott506: posts small blind 103tomake5: posts big blind 20*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to therrinn [Kc Ks]bmxreed36: folds therrinn: raises 80 to 100Rubberman: folds redmondave: folds SlayerMetal: folds Largus: folds lgkiller: folds scott506: folds 3tomake5: folds therrinn collected 50 from pottherrinn: doesn't show hand

You raised too much here. 5 BBs is going to chase out all the hands like 76s and QJo. You clearly want to raise to 60 so that you get 6 callers and get to play your big pair out of position against a large field.

Middle of a 180:Seat 1: Exitonly4 (1545 in chips) Seat 2: therrinn (5567 in chips) Seat 3: studnetter4u (4595 in chips) Seat 4: Megs7648 (5155 in chips) Seat 5: calg555 (7142 in chips) Seat 6: bengiec (2640 in chips) Seat 7: lgkiller (1500 in chips) Seat 8: scott506 (6762 in chips) Seat 9: drredness (6219 in chips) studnetter4u: posts small blind 75Megs7648: posts big blind 150*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to therrinn [Ac Ad]calg555: folds bengiec: folds lgkiller: folds scott506: folds drredness: folds Exitonly4: folds therrinn: raises 300 to 450studnetter4u: folds Megs7648: folds therrinn collected 375 from pottherrinn: doesn't show hand

This hand history is clearly made up. Ray is one of the best players on Stars, and there is NO CHANCE he folds anything in the CO when it is folded to him. Why don't you just admit that he shoved in the cutoff, you overshoved, and you knocked him out?

Early in a 180:Seat 1: bmxreed36 (1570 in chips) Seat 2: therrinn (1770 in chips) Seat 3: Rubberman (1440 in chips) Seat 4: redmondave (2160 in chips) Seat 5: SlayerMetal (410 in chips) Seat 6: Largus (1320 in chips) Seat 7: lgkiller (1470 in chips) Seat 8: scott506 (1490 in chips) redmondave: posts small blind 10SlayerMetal: posts big blind 20*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to therrinn [As Ad]Largus: folds lgkiller: folds scott506: calls 20bmxreed36: folds therrinn: raises 1750 to 1770Rubberman: folds redmondave: folds SlayerMetal: foldsscott506: foldstherrinn collected 70 from pottherrinn: doesn't show hand

This play astounds me. He open limps, and then folds for 73.5 BBs more? How weak is that! He must not know the power of KQo!

Seat 1: bmxreed36 (1570 in chips) Seat 2: therrinn (2020 in chips) Seat 3: Rubberman (1420 in chips) Seat 4: redmondave (2150 in chips) Seat 5: SlayerMetal (350 in chips) Seat 6: Largus (1300 in chips) Seat 7: lgkiller (1470 in chips) Seat 8: scott506 (1350 in chips) Largus: posts small blind 10lgkiller: posts big blind 20*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to therrinn [Ah Ac]scott506: calls 20bmxreed36: folds therrinn: calls 20Rubberman: calls 20redmondave: folds SlayerMetal: calls 20Largus: raises 1280 to 1300lgkiller: foldsscott506: foldstherrinn: calls 1280Rubberman: foldsSlayerMetal: folds*** FLOP *** [6h Ts 4d]*** TURN *** [6h Ts 4d] [4c]*** RIVER *** [6h Ts 4d 4c] [Js]*** SHOW DOWN ***Rubberman: shows [Kh Ks] (two pair, Kings and Fours)therrinn: shows [As Ad] (two pair, Aces and Fours)

Now we get to the one that you played just about as badly as possible. See, if you raise to 100 behind the limper, then Largus raises to 300 behind you. At this point you can flatcall because it is clear he has KK and you are going to get all of his chips on a flop that doesn't contain a king, and you can fold on a king high flop. If the flop comes king high, you can check-fold and praise the fact that you got coolered and only lost 300 chips! Plus, if the flop comes with an ace, you can check, he can bet, and you can shove and brag about how "there was no way to get any more value out of that hand!" It's win win either way!

[Canada 0]

For example,, trying out this new strategy, I had a hand like this one:Seat 1: bmxreed36 (1570 in chips) Seat 2: therrinn (2020 in chips) Seat 3: Rubberman (1420 in chips) Seat 4: redmondave (2150 in chips) Seat 5: SlayerMetal (350 in chips) Seat 6: Largus (1300 in chips) Seat 7: lgkiller (1470 in chips) Seat 8: scott506 (1350 in chips) Largus: posts small blind 10lgkiller: posts big blind 20*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to therrinn [Ah Ac]scott506: calls 20bmxreed36: folds therrinn: calls 20Rubberman: calls 20redmondave: folds SlayerMetal: calls 20Largus: raises 1280 to 1300lgkiller: foldsscott506: foldstherrinn: calls 1280Rubberman: foldsSlayerMetal: folds*** FLOP *** [6h Ts 4d]*** TURN *** [6h Ts 4d] [4c]*** RIVER *** [6h Ts 4d 4c] [Js]*** SHOW DOWN ***Rubberman: shows [Kh Ks] (two pair, Kings and Fours)therrinn: shows [As Ad] (two pair, Aces and Fours)

I call bullshit

[Bizzle 0]

This hand history is clearly made up. Ray is one of the best players on Stars, and there is NO CHANCE he folds anything in the CO when it is folded to him. Why don't you just admit that he shoved in the cutoff, you overshoved, and you knocked him out?

I call bullshit

Yeah, this sort of confirms my original thoughts. Therrinn, I thought you were a decent dude, how come you keep making up HHs?

[mrdannyg 274]

I call bullshit

You sir, are the High Priest of the Church of Perpetual Spanking.

[....Ian.... 0]

in general it depends on the table and my table image and where we are at in the tourney. but overall in my experience ($10-30 mtts) its more +EV w/ the LRR.

[Bizzle 0]

in general it depends on the table and my table image and where we are at in the tourney. but overall in my experience ($10-30 mtts) its more +EV w/ the LRR.

Do you have any non-made up HHs where this worked?

[mrdannyg 274]

So here's a valid, very likely situation:you're playing a 10-man SNG, standard 50/30/20 payout.you're in the BB with AA.before you act, everyone is all-in in front of you. you've played with a few of them before, and are pretty certain someone has the other two aces. the others could have big hands or trash (probably doesn't matter to the analysis).isn't this an easy fold?what if you don't think someone necessarily has the other two aces, do you fold anyways?

[copernicus 0]

"Now we get to the one that you played just about as badly as possible. See, if you raise to 100 behind the limper, then Largus raises to 300 behind you. At this point you can flatcall because it is clear he has KK and you are going to get all of his chips on a flop that doesn't contain a king, and you can fold on a king high flop. If the flop comes king high, you can check-fold and praise the fact that you got coolered and only lost 300 chips! Plus, if the flop comes with an ace, you can check, he can bet, and you can shove and brag about how "there was no way to get any more value out of that hand!" It's win win either way!"talk about results oriented thinking! there is no way that a raise and reraise to 300 pinpoints the hand to KK.

[copernicus 0]

So here's a valid, very likely situation:you're playing a 10-man SNG, standard 50/30/20 payout.you're in the BB with AA.before you act, everyone is all-in in front of you. you've played with a few of them before, and are pretty certain someone has the other two aces. the others could have big hands or trash (probably doesn't matter to the analysis).isn't this an easy fold?what if you don't think someone necessarily has the other two aces, do you fold anyways?

Either way its a fold. Barring ties you lock up 2d place by folding, with some equity in first. In fact even SB should fold AA to lock up no worse than 3rd.

[....Ian.... 0]

Do you have any non-made up HHs where this worked?

not here at work, i know what you are implying, and i dont take kindly to it. I just posted my personal experiences. if there is an uber aggro guy in LP i'm limping 7 days a week in EP.

[Bizzle 0]

talk about results oriented thinking! there is no way that a raise and reraise to 300 pinpoints the hand to KK.

Results oriented? Puh-lease!So UTG limps and UTG+2 raises to 100. Let's say we give him a range of TT+, AQ+. Say he gets one caller and then the SB raises to 300. SB wouldn't raise AK here this small, nor would he raise QQ here this small, for he wouldn't want to give odds to hands that could very easily beat him as well as have position on him. Thus, with this range his hand is either AA or KK, with KK being 6 times more likely than AA. Thus, a raise to 300 pinpoints that he has KK (or 1 time in 7, AA).

[Actuary 3]

drinking tonight , sir?

lol.so at least he spawned some debate.But this is not a legit post, ya all.

[Bizzle 0]

But this is not a legit post, ya all.

Yeah, him making up HHs doesn't help. But I still think he really does believe in this.

[therrinn 0]

Raise to 60.Raise less.

What's the difference between raising to 60 and limping? 60 is so cheap for people to call if you get an initial caller, you might as well have just limped and, if you saw a cheap flop, you could reevaluate your position based on the flop action. Basically, raising to 60 here doesn't protect your hand very much, but does define it to the other players. Not really a thing you want to do.

in general it depends on the table and my table image and where we are at in the tourney. but overall in my experience ($10-30 mtts) its more +EV w/ the LRR.

Thank you for being willing to state an unpopular opinion - we need more people to be honest on here instead of just agreeing with the mainstream without thinking about and trying new strategies.

"Now we get to the one that you played just about as badly as possible. See, if you raise to 100 behind the limper, then Largus raises to 300 behind you. At this point you can flatcall because it is clear he has KK and you are going to get all of his chips on a flop that doesn't contain a king, and you can fold on a king high flop. If the flop comes king high, you can check-fold and praise the fact that you got coolered and only lost 300 chips! Plus, if the flop comes with an ace, you can check, he can bet, and you can shove and brag about how "there was no way to get any more value out of that hand!" It's win win either way!"talk about results oriented thinking! there is no way that a raise and reraise to 300 pinpoints the hand to KK.

People are generally very very tight with their preflop reraises, so I think a range of QQ-AA would be appropriate. Sure, if you pushed now, you'd win most of the time. But 20% of the time you'd lose. Since you know you have a better hand and have his hand very well defined, why not see a flop to make sure that he doesn't hit his set right out the gate?To give another perspective: If you flop an absolute monster, top full house or quads or something, do you bet it super strongly? Not without very good reason to think you'll get action. Instead, when you have a vastly superior hand after the flop, you slowplay because you have such a big hand and you want other people to catch something to pay you off with. Why wouldn't you apply that same logic to your preflop hands? Sure, occasionally you'll get action from a KK or QQ with your AA, but why not let someone with A8 see a cheap flop, hit his 8, and then pay you off all the way because, after all, you didn't raise preflop so he's probably got you beat.

[Actuary 3]

ok...I'll bite.damn you!Monsters post flop have much higher equity than any hand preflop.thus slowplaying against a multiway field especially makes more senseagain at an somewhat aggressive table, LRR AA/KK is cool in EPok, got that one at least.now, come on, get real.

[copernicus 0]

To give another perspective: If you flop an absolute monster, top full house or quads or something, do you bet it super strongly? Not without very good reason to think you'll get action. Instead, when you have a vastly superior hand after the flop, you slowplay because you have such a big hand and you want other people to catch something to pay you off with. Why wouldn't you apply that same logic to your preflop hands? Sure, occasionally you'll get action from a KK or QQ with your AA, but why not let someone with A8 see a cheap flop, hit his 8, and then pay you off all the way because, after all, you didn't raise preflop so he's probably got you beat.

You only slowplay that monster when:1 villain has to improve in order to play with you AND2 he is unlikely to improve past youAA preflop has got to dodge a lot of bullets for both of those to be true and when he does improve past you are likely to go for a big number.