How do you maximise profit if you get pocket aces on the first hand of the tornament and you are first to act. Say the starting stack is 20,000 and the blinds are 100/200. What would you do, raise it up or slow play it.

This actually just happend to me. I got the bullets and raised it up to 400, everyone around the table folded except the BB. The flop came 9 K A . I checked and he checked. Turn came J . I checked, he checked. River was a blank. I raise by 600 he folds. What could I have done differently?

Blinds at 100/200 you need to raise more than the minimum. Make it 600 at least.

Bet the flop. It's coordinated and you'll get action from worse hands.

Slowplaying makes no sense here, and that is what you tried to do. Play them the way you play any other good hand...raise and bet. You can't build a pot by checking unless you can induce a bluff, and there is no way youre inducing a bluff against a board like that. There is luck in poker, and it isnt just the luck of getting the cards, its the luck of your opponents having a good enough hand to pay you off.

In fact, playing it this softly youre lucky you didnt let him walk into a big hand and cost yourself a ton of chips.

OMG you are so right Im a freaking idiot!

Slowplaying this board is like giving away chips.

You need to realize that slowplaying will likely get you to a showdown where you can proudly show down your strong hand, but it doesnt get any money into the pot when you have the best hand. You're only getting paid if he has something anyways so you might as well bet.

Point officially realized!lol. Thanks guys