Can you lay down a big hand?

LADYRED · Newbie Joined: Dec 15, 2004 Posts: 6

I think that all of us love to pick up our cards and find a great hand. When you have a big pair, or big slick, you just want to start reaching for the chips. It’s a natural instinct.

There are times however, especially in tournaments, where big laydowns are necessary to improve your expected value, or even to survive. It’s hard to throw away a hand that you often wait all night to get, but sometimes it’s really the right play. Can you toss a big hand in a tourny?

Storm · Silver Crown Member Joined: Dec 22, 2004 Posts: 180

If I totally miss the flop say like I have AK and flop comes out 559 and I bet and get re-raised, yes I will lay it down and be happy doing it knowing I made the right call.

RoryN · Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:39 am Post subject:

There are a few things I consider. If I didn't catch anything on the flop, I look at who's in the pot, and how I've seen them play before (if possible). Someone who's been playing garbage all day long is likely to keep on playing it, especially in freerolls. Sure, they may hit, but another card might be worth a look. I also like to stay in against someone who is low stack or just lost a big pot and might be on tilt. I've tossed big pairs and Big Slick before, and will toss them again I am sure.

PackerJG10 · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:35 am Post subject: How I lay it down

If I am unsure, even a littlt, I lay down a big pocketpair. The whole idea of poker is betting, and folding. The key to holdem' is knowing when to fold, that is why folding is, in my opinion, more better than playing AK, AQ if a flop is crap.

ThreeUp3Down · Silver Crown Member Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 180

It's easy to lay down As or Ks when the board flops a low pair such as 4-4 and a blank. However as with anything it depends on the situation and the player who's representing the set. Big pairs are not the most profitable hands when playing a NL Hold'em because as the saying goes your going to win a small pot or lose a big one. Obviously this is mostly true when your the kind of person who falls in love with a big pair and have qualms about laying it down. If not you can lay it down and only lose a small amount and eventually make up for such losses when you and another player hit a set or he hits two-pair. If you've read Super/System (which is a good book if you haven't played much of a certain game or are merely an average player improving all my games except for Hold'Em which is my bread and butter) Brunson notes how he makes much more money playing 4-7 then he does with Aces because when Aces are the dominant hand you won't get much action from the weak hands (even when slow playing you'll still get very little action unless someone draws a hand to beat you) where as when you hit a hand such as a straight, set, or two-pair with 4-7 you'll often get action from the premium hands. Realizing this is a good way to fall out of love with big hands like A's and K's and learn to lay them down without heart ache.

Storm · Silver Crown Member Joined: Dec 22, 2004 Posts: 180

M4st3r · 4 Star Member Joined: Jun 28, 2005 Posts: 91

Somedays I'll fold an A with another face card depending on stack size and where I am in the money. Usually tho, I try to stay away from A with a low kicker when the blinds get bigger. I just don't like betting with a mediocre hand.

Malum · Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:11 am Post subject:

I can fold anything under quads, have done so before. Boats not so often, but yes.