poker: AT, from the button

[Expunge]

here's another hand for discussion.

POKERSTARS GAME #376043703: TOURNAMENT #1361108, HOLD'EM NO LIMIT - LEVEL III (25/50) - 2004/04/07 - 23:07:47 (ET)
Table '1361108 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: SP0NGE (2360 in chips)
Seat 3: Rounder09 (740 in chips)
Seat 4: Kevork (870 in chips)
Seat 5: kevykevv (1535 in chips)
Seat 6: hockeyking (1470 in chips)
Seat 7: PHILIP (3455 in chips)
Seat 8: Pref48 (1455 in chips)
Seat 9: liluke (1615 in chips)
Rounder09: posts small blind 25
Kevork: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SP0NGE [Th Ad]
kevykevv: folds
hockeyking: folds
PHILIP: calls 50
Pref48: folds
liluke: folds
SP0NGE: calls 50
Rounder09: calls 25
Kevork: checks
*** FLOP *** [6s Ts 4h]
Rounder09: checks
Kevork: bets 100
PHILIP: folds
SP0NGE: calls 100
Rounder09: folds
*** TURN *** [6s Ts 4h] [5s]
Kevork: bets 100
SP0NGE: calls 100
*** RIVER *** [6s Ts 4h 5s] [9s]
Kevork: checks
SP0NGE: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Kevork: shows [Td 2s] (a flush, Ten high)
SP0NGE: mucks hand
Kevork collected 600 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 600 | Rake 0
Board [6s Ts 4h 5s 9s]
Seat 2: SP0NGE (button) mucked [Th Ad] - a pair of Tens
Seat 3: Rounder09 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: Kevork (big blind) showed [Td 2s] and won (600) with a flush, Ten high
Seat 5: kevykevv folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: hockeyking folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: PHILIP folded on the Flop
Seat 8: Pref48 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: liluke folded before Flop (didn't bet)

[Hummer]

Raise pot preflop. Raise pot post flop. T2o won't be around after one of those.

[vegas]

Tough one. I would have raised after the flop. If called, I'd fold to any substantial bet on the turn. If he checks on the turn, I'm taking a shot that he he doesn't have the flush (if he did, then he had a drae on the flop and called a large bet ... which would be stupid), and so I am betting strong.

[MNBridge]

I'm gone preflop.

I only play AT if there are NO limpers.

[Voter]

I like the limp preflop.

Raise the flop - this is your flop, take it down now. You won't be very happy if a J, Q or K falls.

Also, why not spend 100 to try to buy on the river? If I've only got the 2, I'm probably folding.

[Bama Gambler]

Raise pre-flop or dump. AT has cost me a lot of money lately.

[FSAme]

The question I ask myself with ATo is: what flop am I going to like to see that will make the hand playable? There aren't many.

So I either try to get it to heads up preflop, or fold - depends on the situation (position, previous action, # of players at the table, etc.)

I don't see the benefit of calling preflop - this hand needs significant help.

Now since you did limp in, I go way over the top post flop, like 400 or 500, after that guy bet 100 into the pot. You have top pair with top kicker, and everyone limped in, you need to shut this pot down now - make it pricey for someone to chase that flush.

[douglan]

I like that strategy for playing ATo. However, I'm usually too much of a chicken to raise with it and too foolish to fold it. So, I end up in situations where me and my chips will soon be parted (especially when you flop a pair of aces). In the situation where you flop top pair with tens, I agree that you need to make a strong bet and try to win the pot right there. I had this exact situation last night with ATo against 4 other limpers. I bet the pot and was fortunate enough to make everyone else fold.