Cold calling with AQo vs a TAA

[DavidC]

My name is Dave, and I'm a cold-caller.

I will cold-call with AQo on the button against a TAA raiser and super-loose blinds or super-tight blinds, as well as from the BB against an MP PFR from a TAA.

(Edit: Most often this is against a predictable (straight-forward) TAA.)

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but we all know that short-term experience isn't the way to measure the validity of a play in poker.

So, I'd like a little discussion about this play, which I FEEL is bad, to see if it actually is bad.

Thanks,
Dave.

I do this quite often, sometimes with good results and sometimes not with good results, sometimes from t

[mtdoak]

Sigh, perhaps I could join this club as well. My name is Matt, and I cold call AQo vs a TAA players.

[Entity]

Dude,

We need a more defined situation here. What you're describing is the basic premise of floating, but it won't work in your second situation, since you're OOP. Against an MP PFR from a TAA I 3-bet and lead any flop as a default (unless he caps preflop).

In position, you can afford to be a bit less strict with requiring a 3-bet, as you can manipulate the pot size by coldcalling rather than 3-betting. In general, again, however, I prefer a 3-bet, as it ensures you won't be offering the blinds great odds. It depends on where the raise comes from: some times it will be correct to 3-bet and some times to fold. Generally I prefer a 3-bet to a CC though.

Rob

[DavidC]

[ QUOTE ]
Dude,

We need a more defined situation here. What you're describing is the basic premise of floating, but it won't work in your second situation, since you're OOP. Against an MP PFR from a TAA I 3-bet and lead any flop as a default (unless he caps preflop).

In position, you can afford to be a bit less strict with requiring a 3-bet, as you can manipulate the pot size by coldcalling rather than 3-betting. In general, again, however, I prefer a 3-bet, as it ensures you won't be offering the blinds great odds. It depends on where the raise comes from: some times it will be correct to 3-bet and some times to fold. Generally I prefer a 3-bet to a CC though.

Rob

[/ QUOTE ]

Doh! Sorry bud. I was just about to edit my OP, to say that the TAA is pretty predictable. BRB...

Thanks for the info, though. When you're trying to keep the pot small, what sorts of hands are you trying to punish by doing so? (JTs, TT, etc?)

--Dave.

[Entity]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Dude,

We need a more defined situation here. What you're describing is the basic premise of floating, but it won't work in your second situation, since you're OOP. Against an MP PFR from a TAA I 3-bet and lead any flop as a default (unless he caps preflop).

In position, you can afford to be a bit less strict with requiring a 3-bet, as you can manipulate the pot size by coldcalling rather than 3-betting. In general, again, however, I prefer a 3-bet, as it ensures you won't be offering the blinds great odds. It depends on where the raise comes from: some times it will be correct to 3-bet and some times to fold. Generally I prefer a 3-bet to a CC though.

Rob

[/ QUOTE ]

Doh! Sorry bud. I was just about to edit my OP, to say that the TAA is pretty predictable. BRB...

Thanks for the info, though. When you're trying to keep the pot small, what sorts of hands are you trying to punish by doing so? (JTs, TT, etc?)

--Dave.

[/ QUOTE ]

By more defined, I mean:

Where did he raise from? Is he on the tight end of TAA? Loose end? How does he play postflop? Predictably? Never gives up with AK on nonscary boards? Gives up easily OOP? Tenacious, tricky, aggressive?

It's very important to note where the raise came from and all of these other tidbits before making a decision.

By keeping the pot small, you're not trying to punish hands as much as you are allowing yourself for an easier time postflop. Since you have position, you can theoretically bluff with a better frequency -- if you make the pot large(r) by 3-betting you make it more correct for him to just call you down, which you may or (may not) want from AQo.

One big thing is this: if you're coldcalling with AQ, you need to be doing it with KQ, KJs, QJs, AA, KK, and mid-pocket pairs on occasion too.

I've talked to other good players about this before, and while the sentiment about the correct play is mixed, I generally prefer to be 3-betting a wider range rather than coldcalling with a wide range. So I generally 3-bet AQo, sometimes fold it, and don't feel any pangs of remorse when doing so.

Rob

[BigEndian]

I hate cold calling with AQ-anything. Especially in NL, but limit as well.

I generally 3-bet or fold depending on how tight the player is and where the raise comes from. Calling puts you in the inenviable situation of putting chips in the center when the flop is going to miss you most of the time and with no initiative carried forward.

- Jim