A couple of AQ hands

[JARID]

I think these are actually short stack questions that both happen to involve AQ. Advice on a preferable line of play is appreciated.

Hand #1

Blinds 25/50

Villan - 2000; I am new to the table, but we collided immediately, I had him pegged as a bit of a calling station.
Hero - 650
Button - 1500

Pre-flop: Villain min raises UTG+2 to t100, Hero calls t100 with AQo, and button calls t100. Everyone else folds.

Flop: Q /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 8 /images/graemlins/club.gif 5 /images/graemlins/spade.gif (t375)

Villian bets t250.

Is it too clever for me to just call here? With my stack and this flop I was comfortable playing this to the end, why not try to get more chips?

Hand #2

Again, new table. Seen about 1 1/2
orbits.
Blinds 25/50

UTG: t12000; I had seen some bullying, as well as excessive ep limping(K4s, etc.)
UTG+1: t2500; Seems reasonable
Hero in CO: t800

Pre-flop: UTG limps, UTG+1 raises to t225, folded to hero with AQ /images/graemlins/spade.gif.

Anticipating that UTG will call here, do I have enough to take a flop? I would fold AQo quite easilly here.

Thanks-

Jarid

[kuro]

Hand #1: You generally don't want to play a hand like AQo multiway and your stack is too small to give you many options on the flop. A standard reraise of utg would pot commit you. So you want to either push or fold based on your read of what the minraise means and on the likelihood of someone yet to act calling your push with a dominating hand. Your position is unclear, but I'd probably lean towards pushing.

Hand #2: It's the same as hand 1. You've got to push or fold. With a short stack, you can't splash around hoping to hit the flop. I'd push. AQo is a push for me here too. At 8xbb you just can't wait for a much better spot.

[SossMan]

what position were you in in hand 1? Was it right behind the raiser? Were you closer to LP? MP? The later you are, the more I like the call. If you are earlier, you should probably consider pushing.
I think that a flop call is fine on this flop, since there are no draws, and you would like to suck in the button who is likely drawing very thin or already has you beat. If there was a flush draw, then I would go ahead and push on the flop.

In hand 2, I don't like a flat call. If you think that the raiser is reasonable, then you must think that he knows that the UTG is a loose limper and is probably punishing him to isolate and take down the pot. Given that, I think that AQs is good against his range of hands and I would probably push.
A fold wouldn't be too bad either, though, since you have plenty of time with 16xbb.

[jackdaniels]

I push both times here, pre flop.

In the first example, you are very low on chips - the blinds are coming up and you won't be in steal position before you need to pay them again. You are unlikely to see a better hand before the blinds and if you were min raised by Aces - tough break.

In second example, once again, you need to push pre-flop. First, you may get isolated by the bully UTG, giving you an extra T250 in the pot (from the raiser) - if you do, you are likely in a coin flip situation. Either way, if he folds, you still have T125 extra in the pot and this overlay (T50 from limper + the T75 in blinds make it 15% of your stack) makes it worthwhile. Once again, you are hoping for a coin flip situation. Frankly, with so few chips compared to the rest of the table, if you are gonna play, you need to take a chance and double up.

[JARID]

Hi Kuro,

In hand #1 I am one off the CO. Pushing is good. I didn't because I had just tangled with this guy and made "the right move against the wrong player" and ended up with a little egg on my face. I figuered I had no folding equity against pairs and wasn't sure what his min raise meant.
If I call and miss the flop I still have 10xbb to pick up a hand and be the aggressor. Those were my thoughts anyway.

Hand #2

I have 16xbb and can call without being crippled. This should change your thoughts, no?

Thanks-
Jarid

[JARID]

In hand #1 I was one off the CO. I considered a push, but thought a call was reasonable.

I hand #2, I thought it might be an isolation play, but the fact he went for this UTG+1 steered me away from that line of thinking. You think thats bad given my limited read?

Thanks,
Jarid

[kuro]

Even at 16Xbb, I think you need to push or fold. The utg big stack is likely calling as well and so the pot becomes relatively big compared to your stack. So post flop any bet you make or call pot commits you and you'll have alot less folding equity.

[JARID]

In hand #1 I did elect to smooth call. I was going to bet all my chips here anyway, I figured I should try to get the button to come along, or allow ep guy a chance to bluff/check-call for more chips on the turn.
Pushing all-in pre-flop is easiest and perhaps preferable, but I dont think my line was horrible. FWIW, the EP was drawing to a runner runner flush, which he hit. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

Hand #2

I elected to fold. It was close. I put UTG+1 on a pretty solid hand. UTG called as expected and I was happy to see the the flop come A /images/graemlins/heart.gif8 /images/graemlins/spade.gifQ /images/graemlins/heart.gif /images/graemlins/smirk.gif. I surmised that UTG+1 hand AK/AJ as he fired a pot size bet on flop.

Thanks for the replies,
Jarid