[razor]

playing a 6 MAX or 10 person NL table...with hands like AK, AQ, QQ KK, etc...many people, including myself like to raise to 6-8 times the BB before the flop. Now I realize this could turn into a complicated question, (i.e. what position I am in etc...) but lets just for example say I am in early to middle position, blinds are .25 and .50, no callers before me, I raise to $3 with AK unsuited. I get 2 callers (or one, doesn't matter for discussion, does it?). Flop comes something like 9h 6s 3c. A flop that looks to have helped nobody who would have called the original raise, I am first to act. What do I do now? Do you HAVE to continue to raise in this situation?

Basically I find I lose most of my money in these situations because I feel that since I have already invested in this pot I have to continue to bet into everyone, and many times one caller will have hit top pair and be more than willing to call or raise me. Someone please tell me how to play big hands effectively, should I not be raising before the flop at all?

[lork]

these are very delicate subjects and are very situation dependent, ie. table image, opponent image, position, bankroll, etc...

but in your example, you have a couple of options. You could come out and make a pot sized bet (very aggresive) your basically telling the table i have a monster hand and give me the pot, now if they have nothing they will usually fold, if they call or fight back, you might have to fold or check-fold on turn. because even 77 has you beat at this point, so be cautious. now you could also CHECK (show weakness), and see how table responds, an aggresive player will usually make a bet after you and take the pot. NL is all about aggresion, but controlled agression. there is no rules on how to play this situation. so i would say try different approaches, and do what you think is best for your situation. good luck.

[pritz]

I don't play NL so I can't really help you. In limit I usually check-fold AK unless I have a backdoor flush or straight draw or I'm playing against a habitual bluffer.

[johnf]

when i get a big hand like ak aq sometimes even aj or kq i play it very agressivly. most of the time. it depends on the people, your table image, the type of players. Even if the flop is bad i stil fire out about a pot size bet. if i get called or played back at i slow down. but alot of it depends on the opponent. if i can make him fold top pair ill keep firing at him and ill never let up. but if hes a bad player i have to have the hand. i mean im playing limit omaha right now and people are folding to almost every bet i make. because im agressive the whole way. this style doesnt work for everybody, because its risky. but i like how good it works when its done right

[chris]

Straight out of Super System... a raise before the flop... requires that you bet after the flop... with very few exceptions...

your opponents are expecting you to, and you don't want to let them down... you want your opponents to be trained to do certain things... check to you when you want them to... lay down their hands when you bet... etc...

if you're called or raised... THEN you slow down... but if you're an aggressive player pre-flop... you should be post flop too... but SMART

[BigAl]

Very carefully, is my only advice - in situations like that, anyone could have paid to see the flop with crap cards and made 2 pairs perhaps?

Chris's advice about the betting patterns sounds about right, though I do sometimes suggest taking a bit of a hit on the image front from time to time if it's going to save your stack.