Simple AQs problem.

[VarlosZ]

Partypoker $50 NL SNG, 8 handed, blinds 25/50 -- I have about 1000 in chips. I have A/images/graemlins/spade.gif Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif in the CO.

Folds around to UTG+3 (T1800), who makes it 150. The blinds have smallish stacks (600-800). How do you play here? Do you reraise ro just call?


As it happened, I called, but the small blind (66) reraised all-in and the BB (JTo!) called. The original raiser and I folded.

[M.B.E.]

Either fold or reraise all-in. If your stack is larger then perhaps call, but I don't want to call a raise for 15% of my stack and then most likely fold on the flop (or to a reraise preflop, as actually happened).

[blackaces13]

I'd fold.

[cferejohn]

There are players to whom I would fold here, but they are fairly few. Usually I'm pushing here. If the raiser was UTG, I'd me much more likely to fold. I don't really see calling as an option with the raise to over 10% of my stack.

[Stagemusic]

I'd have a hard time reconciling myself to folding here. I would have to think about a call depending on whether I have a decent read on the opponents but would probably just push all in and let em fly. At the $50 SNG's on PP you have a much better mix of good players who will lay down marginal hands in the face of an all in that has them covered.

I realize that everyone hates calling in any situation (or at least say they do) but I also know that we all do it. A call to see the flop with good hand that gives you alot of outs leaves you the opportunity to bail with a decent stack if you don't hit.

So, looking at the 3 options available, I think that you might be marginally better off pushing in this case. I push. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Of course, I just figured it out a couple of weeks ago and I lose more money with AJ and AQ than any other hand combination. They seem to be tough for me to play correctly. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[LetsRock]

Depending on who your battling, it could be correct to call, fold or shove. (I wish you hadn't told us what they had, because it does tend to influence the decision making.)

I'd have probably called the raise, and (after much changing of mind) called the shove.

It looks like youre getting a little better than 3-1 on your call 450:1500 with a pretty dominant hand. theres' not much in the way of implied odds (there is only another 200 to be made) but you have a strong hand and the origianl raiser did bow out. If you miss the flop and lose, you still have 400 and although it's not the best position, you're not dead yet. The worst case would be to hit the flop and lose another 200, but that's where post flop play come in.

If the shove call puts me all-in, I fold. If the shovers have been rocks, I fold. Otherwise, this seems like a pretty good opportunity to build my stack.

[VarlosZ]

[ QUOTE ]
It looks like youre getting a little better than 3-1 on your call 450:1500 with a pretty dominant hand.

[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry, I should've been clearer about the blinds' stacks; The SB had about 800, the BB about 600. If I call the shove, I'm left with about 200. That means my odds are more like 650:1700, or a little worse than 3-1.

The board did come Queen-high, and I would have won.