The ICM Considerations That Can Make Pocket Aces Questionable

[Mike_25]

While pocket aces seem great at the start, there are situations where playing just the two cards may not be best. You must think about the prize structure and what hands you cut off. If an early knockout rewards more than moving up in placings, holding aces can shut out hands that could double up. A pair of aces can still take the pot sometimes, yet too often they bust out earlier than hoped leaving us shaking our heads. Let's discuss how to play aces for the long run instead of an immediate double up we sometimes desire.

 

[Lazza]

ICM heavily depends on the distribution of stack sizes at the table. If other players have short stacks, risking a significant portion of your chips with pocket aces might be less appealing as it minimizes the potential for accumulating more chips without eliminating opponents.