Button AQo vs a raiser
 

10+1

Forgive me if this post is boring or simple. I am trying to find my footing coming from limit, and need to get opinions on some basics. This felt like a "big fold" to me. Raiser has been making their share of raises in position, but was showing down some big hands (AKs, for example).

I lost this tourney. Doubled up to 1500 early with KK, then went card dead and got blinded away. Any time I had a decent stealing hand (almost never in this particular game), this guy had already raised it up so I was screwed.

This AQ was quite literally the only playable hand I saw, but it seemed like there was a good chance I could lose a lot with it in this situation. I also had no way of knowing that I wouldn't get any hands after this one, obviously.

I think this fold was very tight, especially against a minraise, especially on the button. I don't think I like it. Your thoughts appreciated.

This hand was early in stage 4:

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (8 handed) converter

MP2 (t1490)
CO (t1305)
Hero (t1410)
SB (t1130)
BB (t570)
UTG (t825)
UTG+1 (t640)
MP1 (t630)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises to t200</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>.

Final Pot: t350

Re: Button AQo vs a raiser
 

I think this is a really bad fold here. You are in position and very likely going to be playing this heads up.

The min-raise may very well just be a steal attempt or perhaps a marginal hand (suited connectors, that kind of thing) which you are ahead of.

I would re-raise here, 3-4xBB. The re-raise will likely push out the blinds and help you define CO's hand. You may win the pot right here if he was stealing with something poor or, at the very least, get a better sense of his hand.

If he plays with you, your position will really help you after the flop.

Re: Button AQo vs a raiser
 

Call

200 chips isn't going to kill you and you have a very good hand and position to decide what to do on the flop.

Re: Button AQo vs a raiser
 

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Call

200 chips isn't going to kill you and you have a very good hand and position to decide what to do on the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the problem with calling is it won't help define CO's hand and it won't help push out the blinds...

Re: Button AQo vs a raiser
 

All in.

Re: Button AQo vs a raiser
 

[ QUOTE ]
All in.

[/ QUOTE ]
Are you serious?

Re: Button AQo vs a raiser
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
All in.

[/ QUOTE ]
Are you serious?

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO Yes, because around 80% of the time it results in a fold and you pick up 350 chips easy. But most of the time, I do this from the blinds. But I play the 100s, so people lay down more hands here, specifically the medium pairs, which you want.

But I like a fold more than a call or reraise that is not in.

But even when I'm called, I'm surprisingly ahead alot of the times.

Re: Button AQo vs a raiser
 

What I would do in order...

1) Call. The problem with this is you've got the blinds behind you left to act.

2) Fold. Blind/Stack ratio is awkward. AQ isn't a monster 8-handed and just moving on can't be all wrong.

3) All-in. Pushing can't be either. I think what separates this from the fold is your read on CO. If he's done this a couple times or has been a little loose, I like the push better. If he's been tighter, I lean towards fold.

4) Raise. Yuck. Raising to 400-500 doesn't do much because I can't see him folding for a couple hundred more since he's already raised it up. Any more you raise basically pot commits you. This is the worst of the 4 IMO by far.

The first 3 are very close and would depend on many factors (as it always does.) Your fold may not have been "optimal" but I certainly don't dislike it.

Re: Button AQo vs a raiser
 

Yeah - a non all-in raise doesn't leave me with enough to work with postflop.

Calling entices the blinds to play, so I'm not in love with that one.

Fold is a fold.

I guess I like the all-in too. I hate to risk my whole stack on a hand like AQo, but I think in this situation I was probably either ahead or in coinflipsville *if* he called.

Re: Button AQo vs a raiser
 

Raise, you might pick up the pot right there. if he calls, bets on the flop, and flop does not help you... fold. you still would have an ok stack. If he re-raises preflop, fold. you also have position after the flop, another big advantage.