Getting the Most Value from your Monster Hands.

If there was a hard and fast rule about extracting value from your big hands, it would be "bet out". This is quite true for the lower levels where usually there is no shortage of callers. To complicate things just a little though, my overall early passive strategy would give a huge caution sign to those opponents who are at least half awake, that I may actually have something here.

In that vein, I rarely slow play AA, KK or QQ preflop in the early stages, however, I do feel that once you flop a monster, there is often more occasions for different strategies to build a pot and extract the maximum value. We rarely flop those beauties where you are staring at a full house, straight, flush, or even quads and you realize there are three eager monkeys to act after you. When they do come along there are some things to consider in terms of extracting value.

Your image up to that point. What your opponents think of you and expect from you will have a bearing on how they play a tricky flop. This is a good time to check your holdem indicator stats and find out what they may think of you, based on your VPIP.

Your opponent betting patterns up to that point. I often check a monster in early position if I am relatively sure there will be a bet before it gets back to me. Then I can analyze pot size and how susceptible my hand is to draws before I make my real move. This may range from smooth calling to going all-in.

Your opponents stack size up that point. I always keep an eye on the short stack playing and where he sits in relation to my opportunity to make for a reraise. For example, if a short stack limps in for 80 chips and only has 420 left, and I flop a straight I will often check to him and wait for him to re-open the pot, then see what the other players do.

Finally, even though you flopped a monster there are different kinds of monsters that require different levels of protection. I may flop a straight but risk the danger of being out drawn by a higher straight or 2 cards to a flush. On the other hand, I am not at all worried if I flop quad sixes, and hope for a good card for my opponents falls on the turn or river.