50NL 6 Max, limping AQ in the Blinds?

Long time lurker, first time poster....

I've been leary lately of making raises with AK and AQ out of the blinds. If there are 2 limpers and the SB completes there is very little chance of a 4BB raise limiting the field. And I'm then left with a big pot, playing probably unpaired overcards out of position. On the other hand, limping and hitting my A is most of the time good. I'll take a small pot on the flop. But if someone is playing back at me, just calling my bets I'm somewhat at a loss. The could have Ax two pair, two small pair. anything.

Recently:
***** Hand History for Game 2369317681 *****
$50 NL Texas Hold'em - Friday, July 15, 19:28:52 EDT 2005
Table Table 36771 (6 max) (Real Money)
Seat 2 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: sean13 ( $27.30 )
Seat 2: ALLINUZ ( $73.65 )
Seat 3: SeanoMac ( $96.22 )
Seat 4: a4sean ( $48.25 )
Seat 5: riverfenix1 ( $60.25 )
Seat 6: halstadnisse ( $5.15 )
SeanoMac posts small blind [$0.25].
a4sean posts big blind [$0.50].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to a4sean [ As Qd ]
a4sean: Too many seans
riverfenix1 calls [$0.50].
halstadnisse folds.
SeanoMac: ha
a4sean: At least you spell it right
sean13 folds.
ALLINUZ calls [$0.50].
SeanoMac calls [$0.25].
a4sean checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ Ac, 3h, Ts ]
sean13: has nanty glo gown much lately
SeanoMac checks.
a4sean bets [$1.90].
riverfenix1 calls [$1.90].
ALLINUZ folds.
SeanoMac folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ 4s ]
a4sean bets [$5].
riverfenix1 calls [$5].
** Dealing River ** [ Jd ]
a4sean checks.
riverfenix1 bets [$10].
>You have options at Table 36786 (6 max) Table!.
a4sean calls [$10].
riverfenix1 shows [ Jc, Ad ] two pairs, aces and jacks.
a4sean doesn't show [ As, Qd ] a pair of aces.
riverfenix1 wins $34.05 from the main pot with two pairs, aces and jacks.

Sorry, converter wouldn't work for me. Chopped out all the action inside the hand...




This isn't a bad beat post, just as easily could have been Ax 2 pair on the flop.

So, what's the proper line with AK, AQ out of the blinds with limpers?

Thanks,
Sean

[tshak]

Short handed or not with no PFR you are virtually guarunteed to have the best A preflop. I would raise it up by a good 4BB. Make Ax pay. You are throwing away a ton of equity by limping. Furthermore, you would hate for a hand like T3s from SB to flop a cheap two pair. I would also consider a C/R for this flop on occasion unless you are against a really passive opponent. While we may be worried about QJ, the flop is not too scary against this small of a field. A free card, while not desireable, is not the end of the world if we think we'll trap our opponent often enough.

[auntieklava]

With opponents holding 130-150 BB each I'm not too thrilled building a pot from the SB with a hand that will often be difficult to play when you get action, and often stands to loose big or win small.

In the hand I like a blocking bet on the river (7-10). Makes everything easier.


edit; not saying raising is wrong, just that it's by no means mandatory and depends on a lot of factors.