Despite common advice, you do not want to raise with aces in order to chase players out of the pot before the flop in hold ’em. That pair of aces usually makes as much money or more with extra opponents chasing you. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t raise. But it means when you do raise, you’re usually doing so hoping opponents will call, not fold.
Thinning the field has its moments, but — contrary to what you’ve heard — raising with aces before the flop for that purpose isn’t one of them.
