AJ(s) and KQ(s) utg in loose 10/9-handed games

1) In this position I´d raise with AA, KK, QQ, AKs and AQs, and I want to add one more hand. But is it better to raise with AJs or KQs? (And no, I don´t like to raise with JJ in this spot). Personally I´d prefer KQs because then there is a more equitable distribution in raising hands which makes it harder to determine my hand if I raise, but also because it´s easier to flop straight draws.


2) Regarding AJ and KQ: I´d only call with them (perhaps discard?), but is KQ or AJ the better hand? Again I prefer KQ because of the higher straight draw chances.


3) Additional question: Perhaps I also prefer KQ suited and offsuit because so many people like to play Ax. My reasoning here is that if I flop top pair with AJ there is often going to be a player who´s also flopped an ace with a weaker kicker. This is usually good because it´s a typical second best hand, but it´s also bad because it adds 3 outs to the hands of all of my opponents, and with so many ways to get outdrawn, perhaps KQ is better because there are fewer people who play Kx and Ox, so that a pair with KQ holds up more often. Does this make any sense?

I think it's more important to raise with an offsuit hand, either AKo or AQo, than with another suited hand.


Using your standards, I'd raise with AA, KK, QQ, AKo, and AQo. And, limp-reraise with AKs and AQs.


However, given your two choices, I'd raise with KQs before AJs.

to warrant not raising with Jacks, I'd raise with both of those hands.

Dynasty, I´d NEVER raise with AKo and AQo in these games up front because there will be a) too many callers anyway and b) I don´t flop big with AKo and AQo often enough. Y´see, if I hit it´ll almost always be a pair and then b1) they have an easy guess at my hand b2) I will have less chance of raising on the flop to thin the field with all of them check-calling and b3) I don´t want the pot to be big when I flop a pair. c) is that if I miss I don´t like to call with AK because these bozos could have flopped a low pair with Ax or Kx, but I also hate not to call one bet because the pot odds are often big enough!!! Much better to call preflop and fold when I miss, saves a headache.


And limp-reraising... dunno, not bad I guess, but not my style.

You better learn to make limp reraising your style. This along with check raising must be done occasionally to keep your opponents guessing.

Dynasty, I´d NEVER raise with AKo and AQo in these games up front because there will be a) too many callers anyway


You should learn to enjoy when people call your pre-flop raises when you've got the better hand. That's where you make some of your money.


b) I don´t flop big with AKo and AQo often enough. Y´see, if I hit it´ll almost always be a pair


With AKo, you'll flop top pair with top kicker one out of every three hands. If you're getting multiple callers on your pre-flop raise, you're making a lot of money with AKo. AQo is mostly the same.


and then b1) they have an easy guess at my hand


Your hands are easier to read now since your raise with so few hands. It's either a big pair or a big suited Ace. Mix-up your play by raising more often.


b2) I will have less chance of raising on the flop to thin the field with all of them check-calling


You should learn to enjoy when people call your post-flop bets when you've got the better hand. That's where you make even more of your money.


and b3) I don´t want the pot to be big when I flop a pair


You should always want the pot to be big when you've got the best hand.


c) is that if I miss I don´t like to call with AK because these bozos could have flopped a low pair with Ax or Kx, but I also hate not to call one bet because the pot odds are often big enough!!! Much better to call preflop and fold when I miss, saves a headache.


Or just fold when you miss despite your pre-flop raise. Nothing wrong with that.


There's a commone theme among many low limit posters here. They fear getting drawn out on in their games because so many opponents call with garbage. In these games, I have always raised when I've got the best hand and hope EVERYBODY calls. If they fold, that's fine since my % chance of winning the pot goes up. But, if they call, it's EVEN BETTER because I've got the best hand and they need to get a lucky card in order to catch up to me.

Nice post Dynasty. Amen to everything, with two additional comments.


1) Even in loose games it's not true that "everybody" calls. Some people will fold to raises (especially early position raises from tight players -- even in low limit games there are some people that notice such things!). Even if it's not many people that will fold, it's worth a lot when even only occasionally a person who would have beaten you gets out. Not raising saves you bets (although even that logic is flawed -- it only apparently saves you bets), but raising saves you pots.


2) Check raising can be a good play because it can make what would be a good play (calling one bet) into a bad bet (calling two bets), because there are pot odds for the former, but not the latter.

Agree here.


Of the tight LL players that don't serious tilt problems, two kinds of leaks tend to cut into their hourly rates: (1) failing to raise enough with big unsuited cards before the flop and (2) failing to make reasonable value bets on later rounds, especially the river. These habits easily cost them a small bet an hour or more. One psychological rut they get into is a fear-based excessive reliance on hands that pretty much play themselves every round. You can make a little money this way in loose games, but you need to identify small edges and be proactive in order to maximize your earn.

I play in a super passive LLHE game that takes loose to a new level. The other 8 players (only myself & a buddy have any standards) all suffer from terminal MSF (must see flop syndrome). I have seen 73o played utg in a kill and then call 2 more cold while they will tell you never to raise pf even with AA "cuz good cards always get run down and there are more little cards in the deck anyway".

Now I was doing alot of raising with anything good but then I noticed that my passive game was getting very agressive as everyone else put on their sheriffs badges and were capping with 2nd pair just to hurt me.

Well I have dropped back to only rz'n pf with AA-JJ and AKs/o to AJs/o with KQs/o late if the field seems weak enuf.

Now I have spent alot of time with these same players building my tight/solid image(most are regulars in this game day to day week to week) this lets me steal a ton of pots to make up for not raising as much pf. Works for me.

Again raise away if you won't change your game too much but realize these ll players will sometimes spend everything trying to hunt you down (the fish can school into baracuda when they wish).

1 Leg Lance

A-Jo is a poor hand in a loose game and a multi-way pot. I wouldn't even bother playing it early. My experience has been that K-Q is both easier to play, and less likely to burn you as badly. I play it, (by limping) as long as the late position players aren't aggressive.