How do you play KQo?

[prairieboy]

I recently realized that I don't know how to play KQo.

How would you play this:

Party NL $50 sit & go, 3 players left. BB has 6500, button has 2000 and you (SB) have 1500. Blinds are 100/200.

Button folds; action is on you. BB has loose, but not maniacal calling standards.



Why?

[William]

All-in.

With KQo, you are satisfied with the blinds.Small/medium raises will normally be called by Aces. This way, a weak ace will think twice about calling.

Take care,
William

[Guy McSucker]

I voted for raising all-in.

In this situation, with only 7 BBs in my stack and three handed, I am looking to move in or fold most of the time. KQ is clearly beating a random hand, and has a lot of hands your loose calling BB will call with in big trouble (Kx, Qx).
So I'm playing this one, and my only play at the moment is to move in.

Guy.

[TylerD]

I voted all-in as well.

Fold - too strong a hand to fold when short stacked.
Call - weak, invites a bluff-raise so you don't know where you stand.
Raise - 3xs the blinds virtually commits you if called so...
All-in it is.

[LetsRock]

No brainer for me - shove 'em in. And hope the BB thinks you're on a steal. This is a very strong hand heads up.

[TheGrifter]

This is an easy push for me.

I just want to mention however that while KQo is great in a 3 handed game and especially for an all in from a steal position like this, it is tricky and often overvalued in a full game.

For instance, if a reasonable UTG raises 3xBB in a relatively full game then you should muck KQo from MP, because even if you hit the flop you may be beat.

[Senor Choppy]

This really shouldn't be close. All-in is pretty obvious given stack sizes here. The blinds would have to be a lot lower for this not to be the correct play IMO, or the other variables would have to be a lot different.

[Gar Pike]

I would raise to about half my stack and hope the button called or re-raised me all-in. If I know I'm going all-in anyway, why not try to induce a bluff re-raise? If I just get called, I can look at the flop and decide what my next move is, having a bit more info to make a decision with.

True, the flop could come with an A, and I'd probably have to fold to a bet, but I'd still have T750 to work with. If I'm all-in and the flop has an A, and one of my opponents does, too, I'm out.

With the usual caveats that I'm just a beginner at NL, and all comments, criticism, quid pro quo, advisos or provisos are welcome

[aslowjoe]

It seems like the majority is that you should raise all in. Please correct me as I am still trying to undestand hold em.
If I go all in do I want him to call or do I just want the blinds. If I get called I am about a 65% favorite against a random hand. If I do this twice the chances are greater that I'm going home rather then still being alive. Why not raise to 700-800 then bet the flop if no ace appears?
The other scenario is I go all in and he folds and I win 1BB. I know from what most people say that I am probably wrong but please explain why. Thanks.
Joe

[cferejohn]

OK. Who voted fold? Pipe up.

I think this is an easy all-in. You can't improve your money position without getting some more chips. Depending on the standards of the BB, you may either get called by worse hands (KJ, QJ) or get better ones to lay down (small pairs, weak aces), and the mojority of the time, you're going to just pick up the blinds.