AQ offsuit

[heyverne]

I am normally a stud player giving hold-em a try. I am playing an online eight handed 2-4 game in late middle position and am dealt A /images/graemlins/spade.gifQ /images/graemlins/heart.gif. The game has been very weak tight. I am particularly curious about my pre-flop and flop play, but all comments will be appreciated.
1st, 2nd, and 4th in all call. I decide to to just call (?). Dealer folds, SB completes, and the BB checks. 6 of us see the flop of 7 /images/graemlins/spade.gifJ /images/graemlins/club.gifQ /images/graemlins/club.gif. The blinds check, 1st in bets, 2nd folds, and 4th calls. I raise (?). The blinds fold, 1st and 4th call. Three of us see the turn of
7 /images/graemlins/spade.gifJ /images/graemlins/club.gifQ /images/graemlins/club.gif 8 /images/graemlins/spade.gif
Check, Check, I Bet and both call. The river is
7 /images/graemlins/spade.gifJ /images/graemlins/club.gifQ /images/graemlins/club.gif 8 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 8 /images/graemlins/club.gif
1st player bets out, the second folds, and I make a crying call. He shows a Queen with a worse kicker and I take down the pot.
Thanks in advance for any comments.

[Stu Pidasso]

[ QUOTE ]
I am particularly curious about my pre-flop and flop play

[/ QUOTE ]

Pre-flop you definately should raise.

I did not see anything with your flop, turn, or river play.

Stu

[JTG51]

You should raise before the flop, especially against weak tight opponents since they'll often fold on the flop allowing you to win without improving.

Your post flop play was just fine.

[TimTimSalabim]

Agree with the others, but you're probably also interested in the reasoning behind it.

First, raising preflop is pretty much automatic for a strong hand like AQ (in my book anyway). It's probably the best hand when there are only limpers in front of you, and more importantly, you want to narrow the field as much as you can. 4 seeing the flop is much better than 6 with this hand. Note, however, that if someone had raised in front of you, it's usually best to either fold or reraise with AQ depending on how loose a raiser he is.

On the flop, you've flopped top pair/top kicker, which is very strong in holdem. At the same time, it's a coordinated flop (possible straight and flush draws), thus you want to play it fast and punish the draws. Raising is correct. Occasionally, you might run into a QJ and lose some money, but that's poker. Plus, raising may give you some information about what they're holding, and raising is cheap on the flop. Actually, even if the flop came 37Q of different suits, raising would still be correct, you rarely want to slowplay in holdem.

The 8 on the turn likely did not help anyone, so betting out is correct. You still likely have the best hand, and there may be someone drawing or with a weak Q who will pay you off. If you had gotten raised, that's when it gets tricky, but luckily you weren't.

The river, the 8 is not that scary, because there was no 8 on the flop, however, the flush card is scary, as you realized. But there's plenty enough in the pot to warrant a call, plus a lot of holdem players will try to bluff when the flush card comes on the river. Calling is appropriate.