Betting too little on a Big Slick could set you up for big losses
When you are dealt a “Big Slick”, generally regarded as the best possible cards you can be dealt pre-flop, you are not automatically guaranteed of a win. Your Big Slick holds the very welcome promise of a royal Flush, a possible Full House, Alabama Night Riders, or alternatively a pair of Bullets or Gorillas. But trust me, unless you play them right- you could be setting yourself up for a really unpleasant surprise!
So what is the best way to play your Big Slick to optimize this great chance to win then? You have to defend your Big Slick of course. And what is the best way to defend? Yes, you have to ATTACK! Although I’m generally not in favor of overplaying any particular hand, this is one of those times where you have to be completely aggressive. Raise an unusually high bet, that will immediately eliminate those that simply don’t have the balls to risk too much. When you do this, you will immediately have the advantage of knowing that whoever stays, most probably really has a good hand. In spite of the fact that you will now be up against an opponent with a good hand, at least you’ve ruled out having your high cards beaten by baby pairs, straights or flushes- which are still possible, depending on what comes out on the flop.
Once the flop is dealt- you will have fewer competitors that you have to read and you’ll almost exactly know what your options are. Should there be baby cards on the table, your opponent could very well have the same cards or better than you. In that case, depending on your position, its best to first see what your opponent does. If he/she persists, it’s probably best to cut your losses right there and run. However, if there are a few more Aces and Kings on the flop, depending on how many, chances are good that your opponents could not have them as well. So if you continue to raise the stakes, you will scare those off with weak hands that are still around and stand an excellent chance to take the pot.
So next time you get dealt a Big Slick on the pre-flop, go all out at inception. If you play this one too conservatively, you’re more likely to be very disappointed with the outcome of the game!
- The Poker Idiot
