AQ lv 1-3

[jokerthief]

I'm pretty new to sng tournaments, so I've been lurking around here to learn what's what. I came across aleomagus's guide to the 11's and have been surprised that he suggests folding AQ in the first three levels.

Is there not +EV in playing AQ? I can understand folding UTG and in early position, but what about mp, the cutoff, and the button? I just can't wrap my mind around how it's not giving up +EV by always folding.

So, who plays it and how?

Thanks

[durron597]

Aleo's guide is designed to make non-winning players winning. It is not designed to optimize ROI.

Inexperienced players often play hands like AQ post flop, and while playing it is often +EV in position, but still requires immense amounts of caution.

[fnord_too]

I play in the 50's, which is only significant in that they start with T1000 vice T800. I play these either for a limp or a raise in an unraised pot. In a raised pot, I tread pretty lightly and my play is situationally dependant.

You can get into a lot of trouble with AQ. I often overlimp or call raises early on with AK because so many players overplay TPGK, and someone with AQ/AJ/AT will often think they are golden if an ace comes and you only called or overlimped pre flop.

Oh, and try to avoid flopping top pair with AQ when your opponent smooth calls your pre flop raise with AA. That just sucks.

[sahala]

I stopped raising with AQ and play it cautiously after the flop, simply because I haven't defined any strength pre-flop. I think limping is fine in middle or late position, and I'll fold to a standard raise. This last one is read-dependent. If I see people raising 1/3 hands (sometimes happens in a 10+1) I assume their raising standards are low. In any case I'm always prepared to let AQ go.

AQ is a jeckyl and hyde to me. Totally meek before level 4 and a freak in later levels. In late game I'm pushing AQ whenever it's folded to me.