Critique my AQ play

[eastbay]

Here's the text, select all, copy: http://rwa.homelinux.net/aq-hands.txt

Here's the replayer. Click on the replayer link, then right click and paste into the window, and hit "play."

http://www.team-xo.com/replayer/index.html

Comments?

Thanks,
eastbay

[CrisBrown]

Hiya eastbay,

First, the hand replayer is a cool tool. I use the PokerTracker hand replay tool for this and it really helps you to give a good overview of your play.

My only general comment regarding your AQo play is that I think you're overplaying it from early position and early in a tournament. AQo doesn't usually play very well in a multi-way pot, and the blinds aren't big enough to justify the risk of stealing. So AQo is just a high-card, one-gap, offsuit connector. That's marginally playable if you can get in cheaply from LP, but from EP I think it's probably better to muck.

Cris

[allenciox]

Eastbay, you need to raise more when you enter the pot --- I saw it here and in your earlier AK post. Raise AT LEAST 4x the BB at the 10/15 level since the money is very deep... I usually raise to 75. This is assuming that there are no limpers already in. For each limper already in, add 15 to your bet.

[Wake up CALL]

I will comment on your turn and river play. I think it is ok to either check (as you did) on the turn or to make a medium sized bet with the intent of betting on the river pretty much no matter what comes on the river (which you did). I will say that my guess is you would have checked on the river if a diamond came or fold if you make a pair and a diamond arrived and were bet into.

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
Hiya eastbay,

First, the hand replayer is a cool tool. I use the PokerTracker hand replay tool for this and it really helps you to give a good overview of your play.

My only general comment regarding your AQo play is that I think you're overplaying it from early position and early in a tournament. AQo doesn't usually play very well in a multi-way pot, and the blinds aren't big enough to justify the risk of stealing. So AQo is just a high-card, one-gap, offsuit connector. That's marginally playable if you can get in cheaply from LP, but from EP I think it's probably better to muck.

Cris

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe. I figure if A's->J's and AK are "better" than AQ, then there's only 3% chance of a better hand. Even from UTG at a full table, that puts my odds of holding the best hand at about 70%. I have a hard time folding what is very likely to be the best hand at the table.

Maybe you can convince me why this is the wrong way to think about it.

eastbay

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
Eastbay, you need to raise more when you enter the pot --- I saw it here and in your earlier AK post. Raise AT LEAST 4x the BB at the 10/15 level since the money is very deep... I usually raise to 75. This is assuming that there are no limpers already in. For each limper already in, add 15 to your bet.

[/ QUOTE ]

With AQ, I feel like I'm only going to get called by a hand that buries me if I do that: AK, A's -> J's. At least that's about all I'd call a bet of that size with.

eastbay

[Paul2432]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a hard time folding what is very likely to be the best hand at the table.

Maybe you can convince me why this is the wrong way to think about it.



[/ QUOTE ]

The problem is with the playability of your hand, not the strength of your hand. With lots of money left to bet, and out of position, your better opponents will have a fairly easy time outplaying you after the flop.

Paul