AQs and AQ

[winky51]

I see a lot of books saying to call a raise cold with AQs or AQ or even reraise.

If you look at all the hands players raise with in EP or MP its usually AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK, AQ, AJ suited or not.

It seems AQ is dominated in most area. So give me some insight why reraise with AQ or why call with AQ?

My tendency is to call with AQs with 2-3 callers between the raiser and I. With so many people he would be less inclinded to be trick on a missed flop (AK, AQ, AJ) and more aggressive with a fat pair giving me more information on what to do. Now because I am suited I have more ways to win.

This is one concept I have been battling with from day 1. I used to follow the books with AQ but I have been burned so many times by AA, KK, QQ, AK.

AQs vs AK is only 27% to 73% loser and cold calling heads up is only getting you 2:4.5 if all others fold.

Thoughts? Please explain why it is right or wrong according to the books and if I am right on how I handle it?

[commadore]

Pre-flop I fold AQo and cold call with AQs. AQs, AJs and KQs are about the only hands I cold call with. Behind a PF raise, AQo and AQs are drasticly different! With no raise they are both PF raising hands. A PF raise changes everything.

[Rudbaeck]

People will come in after you if you cold-call AQs. If it's me and a tight raise and no chance of a multiway pot I fold it.

I reraise AQo against a loose raiser, fold it otherwise.

[DataMiner]

I agree with Rudbaeck.

But if you're holding AQs and the raiser is a bookish TAG in MP, he could reasonably have any of the following (combinations are in parentheses):

AA (3), KK (6), QQ (3), JJ (6), TT (6), 99 (6), AKs (3), AQs (3), AJs (3), ATs (3), KQs (3), KJs (4), AKo (12), AQo (9), AJo (12), and KQo (12).

If you're holding AQs, you're beating AJs (3), ATs (3), KQs (3), KJs (4), AQo (9), AJo (12), and KQo (12). That's 46 hands.

You're losing to AA (3), KK (6), QQ (3), JJ (6), TT (6), 99 (6), AKs (3), and AKo (12). That's 45 hands.

46:45 in your favor. Cold-calling is fine.

[Rudbaeck]

I need to start calling or 3-betting on the button against an MP open-raise when it's folded to me. I think 3-betting is better though, both folding out blinds and getting a decent shot at seeing if he holds a huge pp.