Ragged Ace in SB vs button raise - some thoughts.

[LarsVegas]

In shorthanded play, you will very frequently be playing or comtemplating playing a hand containing an Ace - any Ace - against a button raise in a the small blind. And I think if you play your small blind vs a button raise, 3-betting is usually or always an okay play, although some may prefer cold-calling many of the playable hands too.

I think 3-betting any Ace from the SB vs a button raise is too much and too troublesome. But I think most need to be played.

All suited Aces are ok, but for offsuit, I am starting to think the best Aces to leave out are A7, A6, A3 and A2. I think having a gutshot to fall back on is pretty important for offsuit Aces out of position, there for I rank A5 over over A7/A6. A4 is borderline, but probably more playable than at least A6 in my book.

The straight potential to A2 & A3 is not enough to make them better candidates than A7 or so for playing, as the kicker can at best make a troublesome bottom pair, and the A2 straight will always be the THIRD nut one.

A5 on the other hand has some more strenght to go along with it's connection, as it may flop something like T-5-2, which is a decent mid pair.

Is my thinking way off here? Should I put even more emphasis on this, to the point where perhaps A5 becomes more playable than A8 and A3 more than A7?

Lars

[tripdad]

are talking about a steal-raise, or just a run of the mill button raise? very important distinction there.

regular button raise, you must fold the rag Ace. not even close...even the sOoted ones unless there are enough limpers to justify playing the hand.

to a steal-raise, sometimes i 3-bet preflop, sometimes i just call and wait until the turn to try for the pot.

cheers!

[Peter_rus]

I rutinely muck A8o- and A6s- from SB against button (unknown button) raise and routinely 3-bet higher aces. Straight potential is too low to taking it to attention. Much more important - your kicker as you can win with A9o against A7s unimproved but not with A5o.

[naphand]

Sklansky et. al. are very clear on the A5 -vs- A6/7 question.

A5 is fractionally better than A6 due to its straight potential (which adds "just over a pip" to the high card strength, SSHE P.70). A7 is superior to A5.

I believe him.

[kiddo]

I hope you are talking about a stealraise from button and you sitting in SB? Its a tricky question because its very playerdependent what you are raising with first in from button. Also, 2/3 flops will not hit you and its hard to play A-high out of position.

I normally fold at least A7o and down even if its steal, but I think I should defend a little more. I 3bet others, cause playing Axo 3way out of position isnt easy.

Headsup the straight-potential or flush-potential isnt that important, you anyway have to win a lot of pots. If u call from SB or BB with 4 players in its another thing, now it is enough if u win some of the pots and u can get the right price to draw for a straight/flush.

[Michael Davis]

If you were playing a 3-handed limit game, would you ever fold A7 preflop?

-Michael

[naphand]

Yes.

[Peter_rus]

Of couse and pretty often. Usually always on SB against button raise if he isn't a maniac and steal not more than 1 time of 3.