AQo, how do you play it?

[Brian462]

In typical loose-passive to loose-aggressive low-limit games, what is my goal when playing AQo? While I think I play well and have made money this is still one of my trouble hands and is actually losing money for me. I think I might be overplaying it, or staying with it too long in general.

If I think I will have 4-5 callers should I still be raising this PF? If I already do have 4-5 callers is it worth raising?

What I have been doing is raising if I think it will help reduce the amount of opponents substantially. UTG I will almost always raise but in late position after a bunch of callers I usually just call. If I completely miss the flop and I think I have a decent chance of stealing the pot I will bet out but usually I will just check/fold or check/call if the pot is large and/or I have some other sort of draw going(like a gutshot along with my overcards).

Are there many times that I should be cold-calling or re-raising with this hand preflop? Against a very tight player I'd usually just fold it but against a typical opponent I will either call the raise or reraise depending on what the effect will be on the other players.

Does anyone advice on how I should change my play with this? I have only had it 66 times so I may just be unlucky with it ATM but I wanted to post here in case I'm misplaying it. I will also post up some specific hands soon so that I can get some more specific advice.

[Saborion]

I`m a newbie, so I`ll just give my input on how I play it.
I raise with it from any position, except in the blinds (which might be a mistake?).

I raise with it to get rid of people, and because it might be the best hand.

I raise with it in late position because I`m trying to buy the button, because it might be the best hand, and because it do win it`s share of the pots.

On the button I raise to give the blinds a chance to fold, becuase it`s likely to be the best hand since everyone else has limped, and because if I miss the flop, I might still get a free card. And so on.

I almost never cold-call with it. I think it`s a raise or fold hand. Which option you choose is depending on your read on the player, the players position, and your position towards this player. If a loose raiser on my immediate right open-raise from EP3 I might 3-bet to limit the field. I wouldn`t cold call with it, unless it`s suited.

With 4 opponents your AQ will win 30 % of the time. With 5 opponents it`s down to 26 %.

For the note, I have yet to 3-bet with it pre-flop. I`ve always folded it so far, as far as I can recall anyway. A result of playing a bit tighter due to playing multiple tables I think.

[Tosh]

I'll normally raise with it but in LP after 4 or 5 limpers I'll probably just call and see the flop.

[scotnt73]

i treat it just like AKo except i wont reraise preflop with it and im very observant to anyone else who shows any serious interest in the pot who is not a maniac.

[twomarks]

I don't like raising this hand in any position for a couple of reasons:

1) In late position, with 4-5 callers, it's been my experience at the micro-limits that it's futile to attempt buying the button - they're going to call anyway so you might as well see the flop as cheaply as you can

2) When you're in early/middle position you're not going to thin the field by raising, so again, you need to try seeing the flop cheaply

I feel this is a good way to see the flops and get out if they don't hit you while being able to punish people when the flop does hit.

Of course this in just my opinion and would love some more discussion since I struggle with this hand as well.

Thanks,

twomarks

[CardCuda]

A-Qo big leak for most. (Including me). I try to think of it of it this way. What hands do nearly all players raise with in EP. AA KK QQ AK. If it was you in early position what are your raising standard hands? Premium hands of course....would you call a raise with A-Qo against yourself? I think not. If I'm holding A-Qo and it's raised before me, I seriously have to look at my opponents playing standards...against a tight-solid players raise auto-muck, average player with good hand selection and raised...muck nearly always. Any2willdoer raised I'll see the flop.

Playable by position -

UTG - If I've been at the table for awhile - I'll Raise this hand to thin the field. If it's early in my session I'll usually raise it but not always I want a premium hand in this position when I first start out at the table.

EP1 thru MP2 - If not raised before me I'll bring it in with a raise....if 3 bet...call and proceed cautiously.

4-5 Limpers from EP-MP limp, I never raise,
Folded to me in LP auto-raise, Button with 2 limpers auto-raise, BB and SB see the flop cheaply depending on how many are in.

It really does depend on table texture. AQo is a big dog usually.

*** If you get a chance read the book Inside the Poker Mind by John Feeney (2+2) - Page 33 - Do you pass the A-Qo test. Eye-opener for me.

[Raiser]

I will always raise this hand regardless of position or the number of players in the pot. I just think that it wins more than its share of pots regardless of the number of players. I realize that it does worse in a multi-way pot, but it still wins more than its fair share (I think).

Some of the more knowledgable posters can correct me if I'm wrong.

I used to be afraid to raise these types of hands in multi-way pots because they get cracked enough to be a nuisance, but as long as you are capable of getting out when you know you are beat I think the correct play is to raise with it.