AQ

[bluewilde]

Two hands came up and I wonder where I made mistakes:

First hand I was discouraged from raising by all the limpers; but do I need to if I wanna keep out hands like, oh...say T3? So raising preflop is a must in spite of a bunch of limpers, right? Second mistake is calling the flop bet, I think I have to raise because, as shows, everyone calls behind me and I have no idea where I stand. Pretty sure I'm not up against AK, but I'm afraid of A7 and AT, which I'll see a lot at the $6s. On the turn this guy pushes; half of me thinks "well, he knows he's likely to get called, so he has a strong hand and I should fold (too bad if he has AJ)." The other hald thinks: "he wouldn't bet the pot with two pair on the flop...it would push out action and low-level players love to slowplay two pair." So, how do you play this?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (9 handed) http://216.119.70.224/converter/hhconverter.pl

BB (t850)
UTG (t795)
UTG+1 (t825)
MP1 (t715)
Hero (t955)
MP3 (t1054)
CO (t790)
Button (t1288)
SB (t728)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG calls t15, UTG+1 calls t15, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls t15, MP3 calls t15, CO calls t15, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, BB checks.

Flop: (t97.50) A/images/graemlins/club.gif, T/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 7/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(6 players)</font>
BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets t100</font>, Hero calls t100, MP3 folds, CO folds, BB calls t100, UTG calls t100.

Turn: (t497.50) 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero calls t710, BB folds, UTG folds.

River: (t1207.50) 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

Final Pot: t1207.50

Second hand, I seemed to have learned my lesson about raising preflop. Granted, this time I'm opening, so I'm less confused on the raise. I raise preflop, get a lot of callers, miss the flop but it's checked to me and I pot it with the intention of being done with the hand. Better? Or is the flop raise too large/unwarrented?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (9 handed) http://216.119.70.224/converter/hhconverter.pl

MP1 (t475)
MP2 (t740)
MP3 (t1200)
CO (t775)
Hero (t760)
SB (t1069)
BB (t800)
UTG (t1378)
UTG+1 (t803)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG calls t15, UTG+1 calls t15, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, CO calls t15, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t60</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG calls t45, UTG+1 calls t45, CO calls t45.

Flop: (t262.50) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, CO checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t250</font>, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, CO folds.

Final Pot: t512.50

[downtown]

1st hand, you're right, you gotta raise. Don't worry about the limpers, they will drop to your raise if you size it appropriately. I like the 3xBB+2xlimper(s) formula as a vauge guide that has been expounded upon elsewhere here.

2nd hand, you didn't raise enough. I think with AQ offsuit in that position, if you're gonna raise make it 100-125 or so. Ditto with the raise size formulaic approach. Also on that hand, I like leading the flop for 150 a lot more than 250. I like checking more though I think. What's your plan if someone comes over the top? Why not just probe with 100-150 instead if you plan on folding or shutting down to more action. I like this bet a lot less multiway and a lot lot less at the $6s, where I'm guessing you're gonna have to show down a hand most of the time in the end.