Handling Ax in Party 5/10

[Skip Brutale]

How to play this proably eludes me more than any other hand right now. If your UTG with A4 what do you do? I have been folding A7 and below except for opening the last 2 seats. What if there is a caller UTG and your behind him with A8? My hands probably better, but is it good enough to raise with people behind me? Do I want to call and have a 4 handed flop with A8?

I've been basically mixing it up but I'd like to find some line in these situations that seems most plus EV, and I don't feel the other players are good enough that it's worth mixing it up just for the sake of it.

I guess in a way this post could extend to small pocket pairs. The only time I seem to find a good reason to play them (outside the blinds) is opening from the last 2 seats vs. a bb/sb team that doesn't contain a defend with any 2 player.

What's your guy's thoughts on the roll of Ax and small pocket pairs in 6-max games?

[Michael Davis]

"If your UTG with A4 what do you do?"

You need to be asking this question about A9, not A4.

-Michael

[Skip Brutale]

[ QUOTE ]
"If your UTG with A4 what do you do?"

You need to be asking this question about A9, not A4.

-Michael

[/ QUOTE ]

So I take it you don't dig on Ax.

[Michael Davis]

A4o UTG is a terrible hand. I've had debates about whether you should raise A4o from the button and the small blind.

-Michael

[Skip Brutale]

[ QUOTE ]
A4o UTG is a terrible hand. I've had debates about whether you should raise A4o from the button and the small blind.

-Michael

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you for open-calling it from the button? I read in the short-handed section of HPFAP calling with hands like that against a bb with little fold equity, but it was specifically for use against a very loose bb.

[flawless_victory]

[ QUOTE ]


Are you for open-calling it from the button? I read in the short-handed section of HPFAP calling with hands like that against a bb with little fold equity, but it was specifically for use against a very loose bb.

[/ QUOTE ]i dont buy this at all... i dont know, but even if you are the god of postflop play, A4o is a fold UTG... A8o example is also a fold for me.

[naphand]

There have been some lengthy debates on this, now in the archives and worth a read.

A4o is an easy raise OTB, for value. Most aggressive players will raise Axo OTB first-in. Of course, it depends to some extent on your post-flop play, though I to recall someone posted an example where if you steal the blinds X% of the time, you can check/fold every flop that misses you (Axo) and still show a profit. I think X was somewhere around 12-20%.

A2o wins 35% against 2 random hands, add to this the equity you gain from winning uncontested PF and this is an easy raise. I agree though, that A2o/3o are not pretty hands 3-way to the flop.... [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Trix]

Agression of the blinds is more important than your equity with the lower hands you usually open on the button.

If you get 3bet often or check-raised on the flop often, then A2 doesn´t look that great anymore.