AJo, small blind.
 

Here's a hand I played tonight where I had some interesting decisions to make.

Reads:

BB is the rock of fuc<font color="#666666"></font>king Gibraltar.
MP2 is loose preflop, passive and tightish postflop.
Button is loose/passive all the way.

Paradise Poker 1/2 Hold'em (8 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is SB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP2 calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls, Hero completes, BB checks.

I read a post recently where somebody was encouraging people to raise AJo and ATo in the blinds against a few opponents. I don't like to do this, but I considered it here because I had a strong image going, had a chance to knock out the BB, and probably had the best hand. Decided against it. Thoughts?

Flop: (4 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
Hero checks, BB checks, MP2 checks, Button checks.

Failed check-raise obviously. Limpers had a bit of the bet-if-checked-to syndrome and I wanted to get some bets in and hopefully settle their asses down. In retrospect I don't like checking into three passive players on a ragged flop.

(Rest of the hand is standard.)

Turn: (2 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB folds, MP2 folds, Button calls.

River: (4 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>... dum de dum


NT

Re: AJo, small blind.
 

Two loose limpers, tight BB. I'd raise that preflop, this is one of the perfect times to do it. You don't give the BB a free flop and you punish the limpers for limping with crap.

Barring that I'd just bet the flop. They're loose, they call, that's what they do. But they can't call if you don't bet. They all aren't but one is and the others will if they have a worse A. Don't let them draw on you cheaply.

Re: AJo, small blind.
 

I raise AJo here everytime, esp. given the reads. BB is a rock, so you may push him out. That's very good for you, it sucks when the BB picks up some random hand and makes trips with it or some crap. Also, since your two other villains are loose preflop, you've likely got the best starting hand, and therefore make dinero on every bet that goes into the pot.

I hate - I mean *really hate* - the attempted c/r. You yourself said these guys are rocks or are passive. I'd just bet.

Turn / River g00t!

Regards,
-Brian

Re: AJo, small blind.
 

raise that ish preflop.

checkraising in this spot is sooooooooooooooooo overrated.

as i tell my good buddy sthief09, "Betting is underrated."

Re: AJo, small blind.
 

Raise pf, bet flop, bet turn, bet river [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]