4 handed preflop question

[PittRounder]

What is the preferred play with a hand like a3o or a3s vs. a raise when the game is very short from the big blind? I almost always re-raise from the button or sb, but am unsure of the correct bb play? What to do with the hand with cold callers in front? I hope by questions make sense, I've been up for about 23 hours now. Thanks for the help in advance.

[stripsqueez]

i will always call a single raise with Axs in the BB - i can fold A3o 4 handed if the right guy raises - 6 handed i fold A3o in the BB for a single raise before the button a lot

i play 95o 6 way for a raise in the BB so perhaps i'm not the best poster to ask

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

[rtucker5]

[ QUOTE ]
What is the preferred play with a hand like a3o or a3s vs. a raise when the game is very short from the big blind? I almost always re-raise from the button or sb, but am unsure of the correct bb play? What to do with the hand with cold callers in front? I hope by questions make sense, I've been up for about 23 hours now. Thanks for the help in advance.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think it is a significant mistake to make it 3 bets on the button with weak hands like A3 suited or not. I would typically fold these hands. When you have them in the big blind, they become playable against steal type raises. My default play would be to call and see a flop unless I am against a weak opponent that folds alot when he misses flops. In these cases I would 3 bet to take control of the hand.

[Zele]

I might be completely off base, but I think you are backwards in your thinking about the SB against possible steal-raises. Rather than "I want to play this hand, and if I play a hand from the SB I need to raise," you should be thinking "I need to raise if I play this hand; do I really want to play it?"

When you're the button and the CO makes a suspicious open-raise, you should isolate with many hands that stand to be only slightly better than his average raising hand. From the SB, you are stuck with crappy position, and while isolating can be profitable you need a much more legitimate hand to do it with; usually one that you intend to take to the showdown given most boards.

[Diplomatdcm]

muck that [censored], fast A5s we can start talking. 3 handed I will raise A30 and A3s from the button, but unless I am playing against very very loose aggs. or weakie mc weak I don't want to 3 bet cause I either have 1 over or i am in a lot of trouble.
Dave

[PittRounder]

Thanks for the replys, I was always under the impression that Aces turned to absolute gold when the game gets very short.

[Peter_rus]

[ QUOTE ]
impression that Aces turned to absolute gold when the game gets very short.

[/ QUOTE ]

That impression makes every fish not to muck crap aces UTG letting us to take bigger pots.

[samdash]

95o is better than A3o

[ike]

You're both demented.

[Zele]

The thing about lone A's is that, while they are probably the best hand, they are much more likely to get post-flop action from better hands than worse ones. Hence always going to a showdown with an A high (advice I have heard) is suicide.

To top it off, when they are not the best hand, they are often dominated.

[stripsqueez]

[ QUOTE ]
The thing about lone A's is that, while they are probably the best hand, they are much more likely to get post-flop action from better hands than worse ones. Hence always going to a showdown with an A high (advice I have heard) is suicide.

To top it off, when they are not the best hand, they are often dominated.

[/ QUOTE ]

in other words you lose big and win small post flop - i prefer defending the BB with stuff like J9o rather than A3o

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

[naphand]

Which is also the reason why kickers are important for TP and the like. I often read in articles and some posts about the fact that kickers are not so important, HU certainly, but the reasons Zele gives here for playing weak A carefully applies to any pair, including 2nd-pair.

It is also the reason you will find that middle sets will make you more money than AAA/KKK, people will still call with their A/K overcards to your middle set, and raise when they hit. I was going to post some SIM results to this effect but the response to my initial posts was so dismal, I figured no-one was interested. Still, I found it very interesting... /images/graemlins/wink.gif