take that AQ and stick it in your.......

gaylord focker · #1 12-10-2002, 03:53 PM

Im not an online player but the other day I decided to play a fifty dollar tournament on poker stars and this hand came up. Down to about 20 players, average stack size probably about 4000. I have about 7000, and the blinds are 100-100 with a 25 dollar ante. I beleive 7 players at the table. So even though I would love to wait and let players knock each other out, I cant afford to get blinded to death. I get AQ suited on the button. Folded to one in front of the cutoff who raises to 1000. This player has a huge chip lead, (about 15000) but has not been bullying the table to badly. Im not sure what to do. I think its close between calling, raising and folding. I decided that 7 handed with blinds this large he didnt need a monster hand to make this raise. I reraise to 4000 total, he goes all in, and sure enough its AK and I go busted. After I thought about it, I think I made a big mistake. I decided to play with the only player at the table who could break me, right before the final table. Also, If I did decided to raise, I think I have to go all in, and not just to 4000, because I would be looking to make him fold a small pair or a hand like KJ. How many would have raised here, and how many would have just called or folded?

Greg (FossilMan) · #2 12-10-2002, 04:38 PM

100-100? I've never seen that on pokerstars. I suspect you meant 100-200. I'll assume that for my answer.

While he certainly doesn't (shouldn't) need to have better thand AQ to make the raise, he clearly would make the raise if he happened to be dealt better. The question is how many hands worse than AQ would he play here, as compared to those few that are better. Also, when he has better, you will tend to lose T7000, while when he has worse, he will tend to fold them to your reraise and you win ~T1500. This tilts the ratio that you need to make this a good raise by quite a bit. Call and see the flop, or better yet, fold.

If the chip leader is playing tight, then let him get away with his raises when he does make them.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

ohkanada · #3 12-10-2002, 04:55 PM

At pokerstars the blinds may be 50-100(25) or 100-200(25) but not 100-100(25) ( unless PL has those blinds). But with a stack of 7000 and an average stack of 4000, you are far from worrying about blinding away.

Now what to do with AQ when the chip leader (who hasn't been getting out of line) raises from middle position.

I would vote for fold. I hate calling. I think raising with this hand is wrong based on the chip counts. If your stack is below average, if the raising players stack is below average or if the raiser has been getting out of line then raising makes more sense.

Ken Poklitar

Toro · #4 12-10-2002, 04:56 PM

I would have called in this situation and see what the flop brings. From the actual hand, it sounds like you both missed the flop. If he bets,you can now give it up. If he checks you're in position to make a steal. Even though he's the chip leader, he's got to feel uncomfortable after missing the flop and you having position on him.

ohkanada · #5 12-10-2002, 05:09 PM

Greg,

Do you really want to call for 1/7 of your stack, when you don't know if you want to see an ace or a queen?

If your stack is 20k and your opponents is 30k, then I can see calling as an option when he makes it 1k. With those stacks you can afford a bet and fold to a re-raise.

Just wondering,
Ken Poklitar

gaylord focker · #6 12-10-2002, 05:33 PM

yes it was 100-200, sorry about that. I agree with your thinking that folding is the best option, with calling next, and raising the worst. Even if he is raising a hand K 10, I still dont really want a call because I am really not that big of a favorite over any sort of hand, and its getting down to crunch time with only 20 left. I think thats why I have to go all in if I do decide to play the hand to have a legitimate shot at folding him. Thanks for your response.

SlimS · #7 12-10-2002, 05:33 PM

You already said yourself, he has not been bullying the table with his big stack. What was the question again?

gaylord focker · #8 12-10-2002, 05:36 PM

My question is simply what is my best play here, that all. Also, as it turned out, I did flop a queen, and he made a king on the river as I was yelling at my girlfriend and beating my dog at the same time. Haha.

2ndGoat · #9 12-10-2002, 06:46 PM

"I was yelling at my girlfriend and beating my dog at the same time. Haha."

If he takes AJ against you and wins, is it the other way around?

2ndGoat
(not a wifebeater)

Toro · #10 12-10-2002, 07:23 PM

Gaylord, if you had played it my way, calling the preflop bet, and as it actually happened, you flopped a Q, you could move all in after the flop(regardless if he leads) and now the AK has to fold before drawing out on you at the river. The you played it, it was just a game of showdown, no poker skills necessary!