AQ level 1

[deathpotato]

3rd hand of a 215 just now.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Button (t1015)
SB (t985)
BB (t1000)
UTG (t1000)
UTG+1 (t1075)
UTG+2 (t985)
MP1 (t985)
MP2 (t1000)
MP3 (t985)
Hero (t970)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A/images/graemlins/club.gif, Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP1 calls t15, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP3 calls t15, Hero calls t15, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t72.50) 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, MP1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 bets t40</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t100</font>, SB folds, BB folds, MP1 folds, MP3 calls t60.

Turn: (t272.50) 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
MP3 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t200</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 pushes (670 more to call)</font> Hero ???

MP3 is reasonably solid, fairly tight early, and good on the bubble, so he's deserving of some respect. What is my move here? His action up to now seems to me to say 77 or a flush draw.

[gildwulf]

It's also highly possible that he has AK, which means you are drawing dead. Since the blinds are so low and you still have a stack, I would wait till a more +EV situation later in the tourney to get all your chips in. Fold.

Zach

[deathpotato]

I don't include AK because he is not the type of player to limp with AK. But you never know, I guess.

[NYCNative]

If you're going to play this (and a lot of people will scream "Fold Preflop") you shouldn't limp, in my opinion. Either fold or make a standard raise as either move will limit the trouble it can get you in.

I don't know how the 215s play. In the smaller levels, villain could have anything including a weaker ace than you do. Although in the lower levels, villain raises AK preflop 90% of the time.

Once you got involved in the hand, I think you have to call. If it turns out villain did have slick, you learned a lesson why people hate AQ and fold it. If you lost to a weaker ace that happened to spike two pairs (A7 or A8) then you can see the value in raising preflop if you're going to play it at all. If you lost to a set, well, [censored] happens. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[deathpotato]

I think a problem that can arise with always raising hands like this is that it makes one very predictable. If you always raise these hands and always limp pairs and the occasional suited ace or connector late, observant opponents will be able to get a very good read on you. When you get involved in a flop after limping it is nice for your opponents not to be able to say "oh, he has a set" and play their hands accordingly.

I just want to say again that I was quite certain that he didn't have AK, he seems very straightforward early on and would almost definitely raise. A7s or A8s might warrant a limp, but I doubt it, as there is only one limper in the pot before him and he doesn't have excellent position - same with diamond suited connectors that might make this play. If he were a crappier player I would probably raise preflop, though, as any deception would be pretty much useless and I'd like to limit the flop to 3 players.

I think you're right that this is usually a raise preflop, and I'm interested to get some more opinions on my action here. Hence this semi-bump /images/graemlins/blush.gif

[Scuba Chuck]

If your read is as you say it is, what hands would he call preflop? Does he call with suited connectors? Does he call with A-rag? (or AQ, AJ)?

I think it's highly possible he has 87 suited as well.

Here's a great reason why I hate playing AQ early. BTW, I would be in this exact same predicament you are in. The blinds always draw me in. At this stage, I go with my gut. If your gut leans mostly towards draw, then call. Otherwise, well, I dunno.

[45suited]

Given your read, I fold. Ad8d or 7d8d would be his likely holding. And I am one of those people who doesn't even mess with AQ (I'll limp if it's suited) in level one, just to avoid situations like this. It seems like you either win a small pot or lose a big one. I'd play any pair before AQ cuz they're so easy to get away from...

[adanthar]

Played fine, fold the turn.

[deathpotato]

Good stuff, I did fold the turn, pretty much convinced he had 77. Luckily he showed me JTd and I got to take a note on him. I think that this hand and yours just now are both plays that occasionally make one feel utterly donkish, but are very necessary in the long run.