Small Aces

[Markpl1]

Starting to have a bit of success with the game now, turning a nice profit especially in SnG's. My question is how long do you hold on to an ace with a kicker lower than 10. My current strategy is to only a call small raise pre-flop or fold. The real problem I have is when I actually hit the ace. What do I do? A raise to see if I have position but then how do I react to just a call, I realise a re-raise could spell real trouble and would probably pass to a good opponent. I find myself in this position a lot it seems and I really don't know where I stand in the pot. Should I be chcking my ace on the flop to see if anyone else bets it?

[aliensyndm]

Re: Small Aces My answer would be you dont even stay in long enough to see the flop. Rag aces are gonna cos nothing but trouble. I'll call raises with suited aces looking to make the nut flush. But I'll never call raises with rag aces off-suit. Either you are up against a better ace, AQ , AK etc. Hence if you hit the ace and start calling bets you lose cash. Hit the lower kicker and you could still be losing to their higher kicker also hitting. If they miss both their cards you arent gonna get much action. If yer up against a half decent pocket pair, you've only got 1 over card, which if you hit the ace, you're unlikely to get much action unless it's from a very bad player. Basically a rag ace will win you a small pot (if you are actually ahead after the flop) or lose you a big one. Of course this is strategy for cash and for the early stages of tournies, ie stay tight. Come the end stages of tournies any ace is a raising hand. But when you have the choice...I would get rid of 'em. I don't even limp on the button with rag aces as it's only gonna get me into trouble. Much rather be playing 78 or something than a rag ace. My tuppence worth.

[CJ Mars]

Re: Small Aces I'd even add suited ace-rags to what Alien says. I've lost far more than I've gained playing A6-A9 suited in the hope of catching a flush draw. I force myself to bin them now unless in in the BB in an unraised pot or else in a heads up with 1 player I might play them. They're trouble.

[Jezza]

Re: Small Aces Rag aces are very much trouble Mark. I certainly wouldnt play any unsuited ace less than A10 at all in a cash game/early stages of a tournament. And I would dump A10 and even AJ in early position. Certainly you should not be calling a raise with these hands - even AQ is a bad hand to call a raise with with low blinds in general (Think about all the hands people raise with and the flops you will/wont get action on and see what I mean). Of course sometimes you end up with Ax in the blinds and the ace flops so what do you do? You hold A3 and the flop comes A 9 2. Well like you say, you should check it out in a ring game. If someone bets you can just muck your hand as they have an A almost certainly and your hand is no good. If noone bets then maybe go for a check-raise on the turn. The exception is I might call the button if he bets as some people like to use position, but if he continues to bet then I would just give it up. With a rag ace you can practically only ever make a second best hand unless you are VERY lucky on the board so just ditch them when the blinds are low. Jez

[Markpl1]

Re: Small Aces Yes cheers people eradicated from my starting hands now and I think it has helped my game. Had to laugh the other day when I was playing live and raised with Ace king suited and then some fish comes over the top of me with what turned out to be ace 4. I just thought you live and learn. Whilst i took the pot.