Limping In With Pocket Aces: Crack-Proof Strategy

by Bodog Poker | Mar 3 2009

For some reason poker players assume that they will win a hand when they get dealt pocket aces. The most common bad beat stories that you hear or read about in a forum are about players getting their aces cracked. All this fuss makes playing pocket aces a hot topic, and many poker writers have given their opinion on how to best play their bullets pre-flop. Sometimes it’s the best play to raise your aces, while other times it’s a better play to limp in with them. This article will deal with situations where it’s the best move to limp in with your aces.

Like every situation in poker, how you play a particular hand is dependant on all the game factors that currently exist. Normally in a cash game you would look to get value on your aces pre-flop with a raise. But in a tournament situation, where players are making raises often in late positions, it’s often the best play to let one of these late position raisers stick some chips out there before you make your move. Your limp will look weak, and when you re-raise a late position player who has a half-decent hand you’ll often get the action you’re looking for. If not you’ll get the pot, and your aces won’t get cracked.

Getting pocket aces under the gun is a spot where you pretty much have to limp in, unless you’ve been playing a loose style and the other players won’t give you credit for anything. The difficulty with this play is that it could lead to numerous players limping in with you, lowering the chances of your aces paying off. But if you get that raise from someone you’re all set to force the action.

Another common time to limp in with pocket aces is when you’re in a head-to-head situation. Raising with aces at this time would be a bad move because the strength of your hand is so high at this point. You want to disguise the bullets, and limping is the only way to do that. If you raise, you run the risk of scaring off your opponent who is likely holding nothing. Slow playing the aces gives your opponent a chance to catch up a bit and hit a pair. Wait until they take a stab at the pot, or the board offers them too many opportunities to draw to a flush or straight.

Limping on the button when it’s just you and the blinds is a lot like the head-to-head situation. The percentage on your aces will drop with the extra player, if they play, but the risk of losing all action on the bullets is still high against the two blind players. You’ll have position on them after the flop, and you’ll be able to bet for information to find out where your bullets are against the flop. But if the blinds are really big in the hand you’re playing, a raise may be the right play.

And remember that none of these strategies are guaranteed. Your aces will still get cracked sometimes, no matter what you do.

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