AQs

[ddubois]

I'm never happy to be re-raised with this hand. What the SOP against an unknown opponent?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

saw flop|<font color="C00000">saw showdown</font>

CO ($57.20)
<font color="C00000">Button ($36.50)</font>
SB ($56.50)
BB ($86.70)
UTG ($49)
UTG+1 ($47.05)
UTG+2 ($51.90)
MP1 ($62.60)
<font color="C00000">Hero ($48)</font>
MP3 ($52.40)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="666666">4 folds</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to $3</font>, MP3 calls $3, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="CC3333">Button raises to $8</font>, <font color="666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls $5, MP3 folds.

Flop: ($20.50) Q/images/graemlins/club.gif, 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero ?

If he has AK, I'm not going to get any money from him, other than by inducing a bluff by checking. If he has KK, I have 5 outs, which is kind of suck. If he has AA I am screwed, and I'll just ignore the possibility of QQ seeing as it's extremely unlikely given I have 1 and 1 is out.

Should the plan be check/fold? Check/raise to snap off AK stab? Does the size of his bet impact my decision? Is this all irrelevant because I should have folded pre-flop, at least until I find out whether he is LAG or solid?

[GimmeDaWatch]

Im folding this PF unless I've seen him RR here with alot of hands I beat or am on par with. The problem is, as you stated, that YAY now you have TPTK and you're still all paranoid about whether youre ahead and even if you are you not likely to get much money out of him. All legitimate re-raising hands have you dominated, time to fold PF.

[pfkaok]

Yeah, I think that in position this would be very difficult to play profitably vs a reraise. Out of position I would say its a pretty easy fold. The only way you win a really big pot is vs. exterem LAG, or with a miracle flop.

[turkkito]

If you're not happy with a Q-high flop, why did you call the preflop raise?

[SirArthur]

After you are raised p/f it is an easy laydown...

Unless (like another poster mentioned) the preflop raiser is known to have very loose raising standards, or is simply a complete maniac, it is foolish to call his raise as you are dominated here.

[gytten]

if you call a preflop raise like that, and then hit the card you want to hit(can't really see that you called hoping to catch a flush right?)

you should bet, if not, I think you should have folded this preflop. Can't call a raise then not play it when you hit.

[ddubois]

I'm not sure. His raise was small enough that I figured I had odds to spike an ace versus KK or to spike a Q versus AK. Also, being suited gives me some implied odds.

Obviously the problem is as I don't know which he has, I don't know which card I want.

So, in conclusion, everyone is unanimous... Fold pre-flop, until I've seen this person re-raise loosely, or re-raise with such frequency that I think he may be doing it loosely?

[josie_wales]

I see a lot of people advocating folding PF.

Read-Dependent, a raise from the Button could be a LOT of hands.

He sees you as the first in with a small raise. You could have a LOT of hands and do this. He could have 88,99,TT or a couple of big cards and be trying a resteal.

If you are going to call, this is the flop you are hoping for. Thus, think now and remember later....do you want to call a reraise with AQs?

Anyways, the flop hits you just fine.

However, if you overbet the pot, you will only be called by a hand that beats you.

If you bet the pot, you will either be raised by a hand that beats you or called by it.

If you check, it is all up in the air. He could bet just about anything...a set,an overpair, two big cards, like AK...but you wont know will you?

Ahhh... the stickyness of AQ.

Here is how Id handle it:

First, as the first one in, I would raise more with AQs. That way, a re-raise at that point can REALLY let you know it is time to fold.

If you didnt raise a bit more PF, then you are in a tight bind...as mentioned above.

With a $20 pot, Id want to bet an amount that (1) tells him i liked it, and (2) that I can get away from.

But is there an amount that satisfies both those criterion?

I'd lead out for $15. If you are put all in, lay it down.

Tough one though.

JW

[okayplayer]

Fold PF to re-raise. Now you hit your flop, and your stuck. I would bet (~80% pot) here, and fold to raise.

[ddubois]

Well, 3xBB is my standard open. I'll raise to 4xBB behind one or two limpers, and 5xBB (or maybe more) with many limpers. I was under the impression this tactic is somewhat typical.

[Sephus]

this is party NL50. my standard opening raise is 6-8 BBs and i get plenty of action. the only time i might ever make it 3BBs is on the button against the blinds with a premium pair or AK where i want a call, and I can't remember ever doing it.

i think your winrate will increase if you double the sizes of your preflop raises in general, and usually fold AQs to a reraise (there realy isn't a hand worth rerasing preflop that doesn't beat AQ). you might consider limping with AQs (that's what i usually do) to keep weaker aces in the hand. party players love getting money in with crappy kickers, you gotta take advantage.

[JrJordan]

At the Party $100's I think a regular 6-8 BB PF raise will rarely get called. My typical line is 4BB plus an extra BB for every 1-2 limpers in the pot. This usually limits me to 1-2 opponents at most. At a LAG table I will of course be flexible and raise my standards. It just seems way too often that a 8xBB with AA or KK will win you nothing but the blinds.