Identifying a leak in my game: AQ

[KyleH186]

After looking over the notes of my last 150 sit and gos or so, I am noticing a lot of busts with AQ up against AK. I know how to play AQ at level 1 and 2, but it seems that at level 3 and 4, I am losing when pushing with AQ against raises, or out of position. I feel that calling a raise with AQ is too passive, but it seems like I am being overagressive with AQ too early.


So my question is, at what blind level and with how many people should AQ become an all-in pre-flop hand? Is level 3 too early if I have 600 chips or less? Is level 4 too early if I have 1000 chips?

[Slim Pickens]

Reraising with AQ is either a great idea or a terrible one depending on the raiser. Tight players putting in less than an all-in raise are just asking for someone to come over the top of them with AQ, AJ, low PP's, and so on. Action players raising any ace need to get punished.

Level 3 is tricky with AQ. I hate playing it just like Levels 1-2 since you can really clean out worse aces by being a little bit clever. Pushing all-in is an attempt to steal the blinds, nothing more. If you want the chance to double up off some jerk playing A8, you're going to have to see a flop.

So to answer your questions, all with JMHO:
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at what blind level and with how many people should AQ become an all-in pre-flop hand?

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Go all-in with AQ only if you need to isolate a player you think raised or will call with a worse ace. Otherwise, play it similar to AK for value on the right flop.


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Is level 3 too early if I have 600 chips or less?

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Yes. You won't extract enough chips out of worse hands when your hand is good.


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Is level 4 too early if I have 1000 chips?

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I don't think so, but I'd put this right on the borderline.

Slim