Cool Story & EVP's Comment

Remember that picture of College Boy flipping two aces yesterday?  Well there's a story behind the cool photo and if you want to read about it, well clicky right HERE.

My Silent Advisor, EVPJM left this comment on a post:

Couple of days Late but I think you touched on another Theme for your Blog on a day when your looking to come up with something. Why do we always feel uneasy when we have a high pocket pair? You felt doom in your Belly? Why is that? Is it because we are forced to play a hand like that and we have all seen AA cracked so many times? They say AA is the best starting hand but I think most people would say their not so sure.

This comment is in reference to the Poker By The Rail tourney I played in on Monday.  I had pocket aces.  One guy raises, another reraises, I shove all in and get called by the re-raiser who had K-K.  Yes he caught a king and I was out.  So why the achy feeling in the belly when I was way ahead?

Well prior to that hand I had 3 bad beats in a row and it seems to me when things are going bad in poker, it's like a ball rolling down hill, it just keeps going and going.  Besides pocket Aces have hurt me ALOT in the BBT5.

I min raised Lightning and lost with them.  Flop was nice and low so I shoved all in and just because he flopped trips he decided to call (donk).  The problem with not betting pocket aces hard is if you don't, it's hard to put your opponent on a hand.  You're letting him see a flop on the cheap and you just don't know if he has connected with that low flop.

So I've lost with aces when I min raised and I lost with aces when shoving all in preflop.  Hell, right after that Poker By the Rail loss I played a (90) person $6 game, and lost with............pocket aces.  I bet them really hard too and got only one caller.  Two tourneys IN A ROW ended with AA.

I've never had a problem with them consistently not holding up till now.  My usual MO when I have them is to bet (5) times the big blind, depending on my position.  If' I'm in late position I may just triple to see if I get a re-raise.  Risky I know, but it USED TO pay off.

And yeah, I know if you have them in first or second position you're supposed to limp.  But I just do not like to give away a flop on the cheap so I'll still triple it.  Did that tonight in early position with AA and it held up.  Know why?  No takers!  I won the blinds.

I think the bottom line is, as pretty as they are, they are just a pair.  And when you start betting like they're more than that you get burned.  I'll seriously think twice before I go all in with them again.  That has not been a profitable move.  Do I normally shove all in with one pair?  NO.

Those are my thoughts on that one particular hand, A-A.  The odds of getting it is like over 1 in 200 or something.

And as far as feeling the doom in my belly right before my A-A got cracked by K-K, haven't you guys felt that before?  Either live or online?  You're way ahead yet you have a gut feeling you're going to get crushed and you do.  Happens to me all the time.  I suppose the key here is to listen to the gut a little more often instead of the brain.

It's Hump Day, my brothas!  And seeing as I still have Fridays off, the week is practically over!

Play smart.

Josie

Comments

lightning36 said…
Variance, girl -- variance. Sometimes you lose with them even if you played them properly. Didn't Doyle Brunson say something like "You win small pots and lose big pot with them?"

Just remember that when you limp (even in early position) or slow play them, you take a risk. The question is ... could you ever actually lay them down?
evpjm said…
Lighting.....Good quote from Doyle and your last question is a good one. I've seen people lay down Cowboys because they thought their opponent was holding Aces. I think you should just take your small pots with them unless your short stacked.

Josie,

Couple of comments: Seems like you raise 5X the big blinds with anything good. I would stay with that since it would be hard to put you on AA.

Also, you know why your Blog works? Because you consistently involve your readers in your entries.(not just saying that because it's me this time). I don't read many blogs but the ones I have read do not address their readers anywhere near the amount that you do(even in your comments). So I think you found your niche. Although time will start to wear you down with this blog. You are very into it now. It will be tougher to do after the honeymoon is over.
SirFWALGMan said…
I dunno EVP.. Blogging can be fun for a LONG time.. there are obviously ups and downs but when you stick with it then it can stay interesting.

Aces are GREAT pre-flop. I would never hesitate to shove them pre-flop. It then becomes hard to relegate them to "just a pair" post flop. If you can do that then you will maximize your profit.
Riggstad said…
This is funny to me. This is stuff that people who just started out online pay attention to.

You play 5000 online sng's or mtt's and you realize that the mathematical fact that Aces will lose once out of every five is not only true, but amplified when playing on line, because with so many monkeys playing, AA is dealt probably 10 times every second across the site. That means Aces are going to lose TWICE every second on that site.

And it's not just Aces. It's any situation you get yourself into where you are a math fav.

You get that gut feeling because you expect the ass raping from the RNG because it's easier and healthier to be prepared than it is not.
Josie said…
EVP, I raise to 5xbb with medium and large pairs only, depending on position (see post). I believe that does disguise just how big a pair I have (lol) and it helps me to know what I'm up against usually. I'm thinking i'm getting tired of it though.

I do involve readers because blogging ain't a one sided thing for me - I get as much from my readers as they get from me. (I hope you guys get something from me, like a little humor, a little honesty). One sided doesn't work for me. I have noticed that I comment alot more than other bloggers, but that's me being me.

And yeah it's still the honeymoon phase, but baby I'm in love! Really enjoying the blog - and the funny thing is if you look at my prev posts, I did ONE in 2007 (and gave up) I had one in 2008 (and gave up)ONE FRIGGING POST IN 2009 (and gave up) and for some reason wrote a gazillion 2010.

I just couldn't do it back then - don't know why...I've been reading poker blogs like Carmen Sin Citys and Miami Don's for years, and wanted to do what they do, but JUST COULD NOT DO IT. Now I can, but I do it in my own way.
Lucki Duck said…
I fear for my laptop when I get A-A in a critical situation.

I know that I'm going to be playing a big pot (perhaps for all my chips), and we've all seen how often the RNG sticks it to us. I especially love being called by a baby ace and then the villain hits four of his suite on the board to take it down with a flush!

That's when it's hard not to karate chop the screen :o(

Did I mention that I fear for my laptop?
evpjm said…
I'm not saying it can't be fun for a long time but I've seen where bloggers struggle to post something and I imagine start feeling some pressure to come up with something to write. Seems like at times it could be a bit fustrating. Maybe not.

Josie,

As the saying goes....What you do in the first year of your marriage will be expected every year after.
dbcooper said…
As a somewhat expert (Ha Ha) on aces Lightning hit the nail on the head. I was losing like crazy with them. Getting flushed out , straightened out or somebody hitting trips. So what's happened lately? 12 in a row winners. Will that end ?? You bet. Just hope its not anytime soon.
Josie said…
Lucki Duck, I never fear for my laptop with regard to bad beats - it's a part of the game and it doesn't warrant a rise out of me. I DO fear for my laptop when someone's being a dickhead and says something to me that I find insulting (i find ALOT of things insulting).

@EVP - I don't struggle to post SOMETHING, my struggle is more about the quality of my posts. I am not happy with the quality lately, but quantity....I've got that down pat.

And fuck marriage - I ain't married to this blog - trust me, I've had thoughts about shutting down more than once.

@Coop - Hmmm you're luck with aces has seemed to turn around - since you got advice from a charming young woman of italian decent. I'm just sayin'. :)
Josie said…
Hey EVP!!!

Can you shoot me an email so I can reply to it? I wanna say something that isn't broadcasted to everyone. (nothing creepy dont worry)

thanks!
Wolfshead said…
Always knew some of these guys were getting something from you.
Josie said…
Wolfie, you're gonna get something from me....a smack to the ass!
Wolfshead said…
After sitting around on it for going on 2 years no do you think I would even feel it?
evpjm said…
Hey Josie,

Ok..... at Aol?
Josie said…
@evp - yup
@wolfie - yup
Conan776 said…
You really shouldn't polarize your range preflop, imo.

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