Two AQ situations

The following hands occurred in different No Limit Holdem tournments, but the circumstances were almost identical. Tournments began with 60-70 players and had a typical 9 person payout. In both cases we were down to about 25 players at 3 tables.


Hand 1: The blinds were at $150/300 (will go up in the next few hands). UTG raises all in to $900. I am in the cutoff with AQo and a stack sized of about $2300. UTG has been conservative and obviously waiting for a good hand to go all in on. I called and won when I got lucky and flopped a Queen. He had AK. One other aspect is that I did have big stacks behind me.


Hand 2: Almost identical situation (blinds $200/400, me in cutoff with about $2400, and UTG raises to $1200). Difference is UTG has a huge stack (probably $8-10K), but is a fairly loose player when he has a big stack. I doubt if he will lay down the hand for what I can raise him. I passed on my AQ this time. He flashed AJ as he mucked.


In retospect I think I may have misplayed both hands and should have been focusing more on the players rather than stack size. In the first case, it was likely that I was a dog and a loss would have crippled me. In the second case there was a high probability of a double through (UTG has a penchant for Axs, medium Aces, and any pair in this situation).


Thanks, Calvin

In hand 1, if the player really is so tight that he needs a hand at least almost as good as AQ to raise UTG when he's that short-stacked, he's WAY too tight. If he's a reasonable player, he should make that raise with almost every slightly above-average hand, and with any hand if there is some chance, even 15-20%, that everybody will fold.


That being the case, I would play AQ pretty much everytime. However, I would NOT call with it, I would reraise all-in. I want to make sure that nobody behind me, especially the big blind, comes in any cheaper than necessary. AQ is a very good hand, but you don't want anybody else to play here.


In hand 2, you should be looking to accumulate chips (well, in hand 1 also), and so if you think this guy is probably behind you, and often dominated, you want to play. AQ vs. Ax where x=J or less makes you almost a 3:1 favorite. You're not likely to find future spots to put your money in this good. Of course, you're not really a 3:1 favorite, since he might have a non-dominated hand such as KJ, or even a pair that is slightly to well ahead of you, but overall, given your read, you might be a 2:1 favorite over his range of hands.


Again, if you play, you need to reraise all-in preflop simply to ensure that nobody behind you comes in too cheaply. If you knew that everybody would fold, and that he would check some of the flops he misses, or he was otherwise VERY predictable post-flop, you could just call and be ready to bet all-in on the flop. However, there is too much risk of the big blind coming in, so I would reraise all-in just for that reason.


Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

In the 1st hand I wouldn't be worried that UTG has a big hand. He is about to hit the blinds which he will lose 1/2 his stack. Raise all-in.


In the 2nd hand I think it is a tougher situation. If UTG is a loose raiser then you are most likely ahead or facing a lower pair. Raising all-in probably makes sense. If UTG is not a loose raiser then I may muck although with only 2400 chips this may be a good chance to double up.


Ken Poklitar