How often have you read on a forum post “don’t slow play aces”, Why not?
Whats wrong with slow playing a big hand, being in any position for that matter but of all positions playing a big hand on the button has its advantages to slow play.
A big hand for this lesson is going to be example:
AA-to-AQs for Holdem and AAKK-to-AKsQJs for Omaha High
When your playing a big hand off the button you have position on every round of betting, you control the pot and movement of chips. A strong hand that is faced with a raise from early position allows you to trap from the button and sometimes it is best not to play back at them, specially if you have some read on their style of poker.
If you have the read on your opponent as being aggressive then your Aces or Kings are dominating them in Holdem and you should be looking to make a big pot with your big hand. Yes people will say big hands lose big pots, well every hand loses big pots and every hand wins big pots. Humans selectively remember the things that they feel shouldn’t happen, most commonly having their aces cracked.
More times then not your flat call from the button is best place to make a trap. When playing against the aggressive players that like to continuation bet the flop no matter what the flop brings allows you to hide the real strength of your hand. Again in Holdem, this is where your holding an over pair to the flop or a set over set. In Omaha you could be holding the nut straight or flush vs a weaker straight or flush, giving you the drivers seat to the river because your last to act on ever betting round.
Making the smooth call from the button with the big hand also allows you to get some play out of the blinds if they are very aggressive players. A small or big blind player might try to put a squeeze play throwing out a big raise hoping to scare everyone out. This is the kind of action your looking for with your Aces, Kings and Broadway draw starting hands for Omaha.
Check out the first 3 of 4 hands in this poker video replay
I didn’t have the button for all 3 but I was last to act on the flop…
Poker Video: Letting them Draw on You
You definitely were able to extract a lot of chips in those hands by slow playing.
I can admit I’m somewhat nervous to slow play aces,kings, because I’m afraid that they will get sucked out on.
However that being said they have been sucked out on going all in preflop as well and at least with slow playing I could have folded.
It’s all about position and control, it makes sense.
yes, once u go all in and get called or call all in then you leave it to chance, I’ve actually talked about that on other forums where people cry about their aces getting cracked and first thing I ask is did you give yourself a chance to fold.
the button is a very strong position and Aces/Kings are strong hands
poker is about maximizing chips when you know you have the best hand, its not about putting your chips in with the best hand as some do say.
Low and Medium stakes poker is more about getting some chips to hold on till you have that hand where you have the best and they do the betting for you, the button drives that position.