The other day I talked about strategy for playing pocket Aces, mainly pre-flop. To follow up on that today, we will look at A-A post flop. This is an area that many online players have trouble (or more to the point, invite trouble.) and there are some simply things that you can do to avoid turning a big win into a big mess.

The first thing you need to do in analyze the texture of the flop. It is very easy to see a flop of Qh-8h-2d and think you are in great shape with your over-pair of Aces. Most of the time you are. The first thing, however, that you need to be aware of is flush draws. Remember always that online players will play ANY TWO SUITED CARDS. I know I sound like a broken record on that point, that is if any still listens to records in this day and age, but it is a point that bears repeating. You will need to adjust your post-flop bet to drive the hand harder if there is a flush draw on the board. Just assume someone has it a nd bet accordingly.

The worst thing you can do with pocket Aces is starting checking after the flop to try and suck someone into making a big bet to steal with a flush draw on the board. If they are on a flush draw, this will back fire and you simply let them see a free card. Checking with your A-A here is dangerous. You need to make a 1/2-pot bet and up to put some pressure on your opponent. Do not let them suck out on you.

If there is no flush draw or straight draw (although someone being on a straight draw is much less likely) then you can play around a bit more. Especially if there is a K or Q on the board. It is very likely that your opponent(s) paired that card up with their holdings and you have them dominated with your A-A. If you do this right, they will not see it coming and you can many times end up with their entire chip stack.

There is another potential hazard that comes with playing your Aces after the flop. It is hard to spot, and depends greatly on your ability to read your opponent. This is the main reason why checking is such a dumb play: you need to bet to gain information. If you make a lets say, pot sized bet into a Flop of Q-8-3 rainbow and your opponent raises you all-in, you must examine the possiblity that he has hit a set. Even more than the flush, you need to fear other pocket pairs. There is no hard and fast way to know someone has hit one, but a huge raise MAY be an indicator. Sure, your A-A dominate a hand like 8-8 pre-flop, but with a flop like Q-8-3, his set of 8’s already has you beat.

I will certainly say that it is more likely your opponent is raising you with something like K-Q in the above example and YOU have HIM dominated, but if you have a read on a player who does this that tells you he is tricky and skilled, you may have to consider getting away from the hand.

The bottom line is this: you must lead out with some sort of bet or raise after the flop when you have A-A to gain information and to keep others from sucking out a flush or a straight on you. They may suck it out anyway, but you need to do the best you can and make them pay for doing so. You may not alway maximize your wins this way, but you will avoid heart break.