MY Problem With AXs

Lately, I have been leaking chips with AXs below ATs. Here are my general approach:


1) If game is passive, I would call PF with as low as A2s in any position if I anticipate at least 4 players. Problem is when I call in EP, I get raised sometimes. When is the right time to call a raise?


2) If game is typical, I would call PF at EP with A9s, call with any AXs at later positions if there are early limpers, or raise at MP if first one in with A8s or higher.


3) IMO, it is better to play with A2s-A5s instead of A6s-A8s because with the lower ones, there are straight/SF possibilities. Any ideas?


The bottom line is when do you call a raise with AXs. BTW, I fold when I miss the flop.


Is my leak that big or am I looking for the ideal world of playing AXs?


Any input will be appreciated especially from Clarkmeister, Dynasty, bernie, etc, whose opinions I respect. Thanks in Advance.

1) If game is passive, I would call PF with as low as A2s in any position if I anticipate at least 4 players. Problem is when I call in EP, I get raised sometimes. When is the right time to call a raise?


First, be sure the game really is both loose and passive before you call. You should be pretty certain you will get lots of callers and no raise, especially with the smaller kickers. Otherwise you are throwing money away by not dumping these. Don't kid yourself. This is a very marginal hand in EP. If you call and do get raised, call it. If it's re-raised when it gets back to you dump it (i.e. don't call 2 cold.). If it's raised pre-flop and an ace with none of your suit flops, check and fold if the raiser bets. You don't want to come in second to AK, AQ, AJ, etc. If you flop a pair and a backdoor flush, and the pot is big, it might be worthwhile to call one bet on the flop. Fold to a bet on the turn if you don't get a second pair or another of your suit. If you flop two of your suit, of course, you're in to the river unless the board gets really scary (two pair or trips on board).


2) If game is typical, I would call PF at EP with A9s, call with any AXs at later positions if there are early limpers, or raise at MP if first one in with A8s or higher.


This sounds about right to me.


IMO, it is better to play with A2s-A5s instead of A6s-A8s because with the lower ones, there are straight/SF possibilities. Any ideas?


I think it's about a wash. Straight flushes are so rare that they don't add much value, besides, the nut flush isn't going to get beat that often, so the straight flush isn't really worth much more.

The trouble with the straight potential of A2 to A5 is:


1) Any draw that you flop will be gutshot.

2) Any board that gives you a straight can give someone else a bigger straight (6 or 7 high).


The middle kickers give you a little more value for A's, pairing your kicker, two pair, etc.


The biggest problem with AXs is pairing your ace without hitting a flush draw. You will be tempted to play it, but you are likely to come in second to a better kicker. If you're in late position and it's checked to you, you can probably bet it safely, but, unless the game is pretty lose, you won't get much action unless you're beaten. In early position, if you bet and get a raise (or even a call from a passive opponent), you can't have much confidence that you have the best hand. If you don't play carefully, you will either win a little or lose a lot.

For what it's worth I use a chart that Abdul has on his posev.com page. He recommends when there is no raise in front of you playing;

AKs, AQs AJs from anywhere

ATs 6 off the button

A9s 5 off the button

A8s 4 off the button

A7s 3 off the button

A6s A5s A4s A3s 2 off the button

A2s 1 off the button.


I think these are pretty good guidelines. Against a raise you have to tighten up a lot. Unless there are several other callers I would only play AQs or better against a solid EP raiser.


Regarding the A2-A5 question, I saw some simulation results that placed A5 higher than A6, I'm sure because of the additional straight possibilities, but the A2-A4 were still ranked lower.

Like the way you play your Axs pre-flop. I have just a couple other things you might want to consider:


1) When you start playing hands like A4s utg you want it loose up front and passive ON THE FLOP. If you call and get raised, you can joyfully put in another one when 3 cold callers come with you. And if you miss the flop its an easy dump. What you don't want is a lot of ramming and jamming on the flop making your draw costly.


2) I would rather have an A8s than an A2s any day. True I don't have the straight possibilities, but there is a lot of value in those 8s and 9s. You can play your middle pair with an A kicker very aggressively. And, in these "play any ace" games, your kicker may win you some pots if an A falls. When you flop a 2, 3 or 4 to pair your low card you will be drawing to a five outer (at best) to improve.


Keep playing well.


OneTime

Abdul has made a great chart. If you play in a moderately tight, moderately aggressive game. So if you sit in a snug 6-12 game I think Abdul's chart will be perfect most of the time. However, if you're slumming it at the 3-6 PP with the rest of us schleps, you would playing too tightly.


Often getting in for a single bet and the extra bets very poor players put in after you have made your hand (the nut flush quite often in this case) is what makes A2s playable utg quite often in these games. Put another way, in the right game A2s utg has low risk and high reward. Is that not what we all ultimately seek?


ADVISO: If you can't dump your top pair ace with a 2 kicker under any circumstances, then you may want to stick to Abdul's chart. You won't be playing the extra hands upfront profitably.


Just my humble opinion.


OneTime

I don't like the idea of playing these hands to much from the earlier positions. This problem I see is that when your playing these hands your hoping for one of 2 things: to make the flush or to hit an ace and have it stand up. This makes the possibility of raise behind you very ugly. You kill your implied odds for the flush and your usually a pretty big underdog to the raiser. The later you play these hands the less risk you have of that raise.


There is also the problem of the difficulty of playing this hand on the flop and beyond. If you can't lay it down, you'll be continually paying off better hands, but if your willing to lay it down to easily you will be run off this hand by aggressive draws, etc, and the hand will lose most of it's value.


As far as the straight potential of the 2-5 kickers go, I think you make more money all the times your ace hits and is good. This is especially true at lowers limits where you will have people out kicked, but they'll still pay you off.


tsherif