Playing QQ in NL

[ElSapo]

This is a hand a friend of mine played...

He limps with AA, someone raises pot, he re-raises the pot and now the opponent goes all-in. Here's the thing: It's Party $25NL, and both my friend and the other guy have around $35. So when other guy (OG) moves in, he's putting about $30 in the middle, and there's already $7 there.

How else do you play it? Simply call the limp-raise and look at the flop? Raise again?

If the flop comes K-high, or A-high, can OG really get away from his hand? And considering he pushed all-in, can he reasonably expect to be called by a worse hand?

All comments appreciated, I dont understand NL.

ElSapo

[JrJordan]

Your setup of this hand is pretty hazy. Here's what I'm assuming you mean.

Hero (your friend) has AA. OG has QQ. Hero limps preflop from EP, OG raises, Hero reraises. At this point there is $7 in the pot, so these raises must be relatively small. OG goes all in for another $30 and Hero calls. Does this sound correct?

I don't really like either person's play in this hand. At the $25 NL tables, the tables are too passive to limp with AA in EP. Most of the time it will be limps around and you will never get to reraise. Then you don't know where you stand on the flop playing for a small pot. I think OG's initial raise is good, but it looks to be too small. That, or the Hero's limp-reraise is too small afterward. The limp reraise screams in neon lights that hero has AA or KK. Becuase the raise was so small though, I'd probably call due to the odds to flop a set. If an A or K flops, it is an easy power move to the muck. Even if I have an overpair, I'd be very aware of the limp-reraise and would have to consider the opponent's previous actions. If he is tight-passive, then it's an easy fold. If he has maniacal tendencies, then I would've pushed it all in preflop like OG did. Obviously his read was wrong.

[ElSapo]

Yeah, that's it. There was another limper involved but I tried to simplify things. And the pot size and bets are right. Really I'm curious about the QQ push.

If OG puts my friend on some kind of tilt/maniacal tendancy/bizarre-limp-reraise play then the push is good. But can you push in a game like this with QQ and expect to be called by worse than a coin-flip?

[Wayfare]

I would just call the raise with QQ and hope for a set. If I still had an overpair and the opponent bet into me hard, there is no reason to continue against a thinking opponent. People usually do not reraise with just AK and bet the pot when it comes just unders. If you trap with AA/KK at least some of the time, it can vary your game so as to make the AK strategy unprofitable.

[SpiderMnkE]

You are right... QQ is not going to be called by worse than a coin flip here. I see that you are confused as to why he would play it this way.

The answer is... Party NL $25

Pushing QQ into a limp reraise is almost always bad... unless there is just some psycho who you have seen limp reraising with all sorts of things.

Depending on the size of the reraise I decide to call or fold. Although... if you call and flop 3 unders you are in a scary spot.. I might try to see the showdown as cheaply as possible. But given the pf action I doubt it will be cheap.

[MisterKing]

Pure and simple -- if you can get your money in pre-flop with AA, do so every time. And just imo, limping in Party NL $25 with AA is a recipe for disaster and heartache.

[Leo Bello]

Objective, go all-in with AA pre-flop. Even better against QQ. If you see the flop with many callers you will be probably outdraw.