Basic? How to play AQo against PFR?

[Roadstar]

I just noticed on the preflop chart that you're supposed to fold AQo to a raise (I know the chart is just a "guide"). I mainly play $1/$2 and a 3 bet AQo against lags and sometimes coldcall against TAN and TAGS in late position.

What is the consensus here on how to play AQo against a raise?

Please break down your answer to consider 1) number of players in already, 2) type of raiser (LPP, LAG, TAG) 3) Position (EP, MP, LP, or blinds).

and tell me when you fold, 3 bet or cold call.

Thanks - This could be a leak in my game as I'm never too comfortable with playing AQo against a raise.

[DrunkHamster]

It really does all depend on the raiser. If you think he is capable of raising hands significantly worse than AQ, then you reraise. If he is not raising much less than AJs, then it is probably wise to muck. For example, against a typical 2+2 TAG (there are a few at .5/1, honest!) I would probably fold it to an EP raise, and reraise if he raised from MP or later. Also, if we know our opponent open raises liberally, be more inclined to reraise from one!

[KeysrSoze]

I think the concensus around here would be to never cold call with it from outside the blinds. If its good enough to call against the raisers standards, its probably better to reraise to limit the field/get better position.

[Roadstar]

Do you cold call in the SB though? Being OOP for the rest of the hand?

I know "it depends" applies to a lot of my questions - so maybe the way to go is, please name some instances (with logic) why you would 3 bet, cold call or fold? And also, does more coldcallers before you change your line?

Thanks guys!

[istewart]

It's a tough hand to play against a raise. Clearly it depends almost completely on who the PFR is, and how often he raises. I routinely fold AQ to a lot of UTG raises because so many players are 30/5 and pretty passive. But there are tons of players I will 3-bet with AQ, especially/almost always players opening or isolation-raising in MP2 or later.

I think correct times for cold-calling or cool-calling from the SB with AQo occur, for example, when a semi-aggressive player raises UTG and multiple people cold-call in between. I think your edge here is minimal and postflop play with this hand can be difficult if you 3-bet. With AQs I think it's an auto-reraise.

[Paxosmotic]

Unless my opponent is just a flagrant maniac with no respect for decency in his preflop raises, I fold AQo to any raise.* For a good reason why, I'll use PokerStove.

When you bring up the hand distribution page, there is a slider at the bottom where you can enumerate what percentage of hands a given player can have. The first position on the slider which includes AQo is 6.5%. This means that if a person has a PFR of 6.5%, AQo is the worst hand he's raising.

(Obviously, no one is using PokerStove to determine what they raise, but it's a valid assumption to make that a 6.5% PFR will be raising AA-88, AKs-ATs, KQs, AKo, and AQo.)

Any time we cold call a raise or 3-bet, we need a hand that will fare favorably against the possible range of hands that Villain could have. Thus, for AQo to be in the top half of Villain's hand range, Villain's 13% PFR would include such luminaries as K9s and QTs. Not unreasonable, but not what you are going to find very often.

If you do come across a maniac who is raising light enough so that AQo is in the better half of hands he'll raise with, you'll want to get it heads up and keep as much of his money for yourself as possible. For this reason, I submit it is never correct to cold call with AQo out of the blinds.

In the blinds, you are getting much better pot odds (50% better in the SB, 100% better in the BB), and I will cold call a raise from any point on the table in either blind, occasionally 3-betting to take the lead in the hand or to blow out the big blind if it's a steal raise.

* - This advice is meant to be as general as possible, and I will occasionally 3-bet if I'm first after the raiser if I feel the raiser is weak or simply a 'bad' player. Your mileage may vary.

[Runin]

[ QUOTE ]
If you do come across a maniac who is raising light enough so that AQo is in the better half of hands he'll raise with, you'll want to get it heads up and keep as much of his money for yourself as possible. For this reason, I submit it is never correct to cold call with AQo out of the blinds.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this pretty much sums it up. AQo if a hand you are either folding to the raise or reraising. Reraising is only going to be done with this hand if you have a fantastic read on the PFR. I know sometimes AQo looks like a very attractive hand, but it can get you into a lot of trouble when cold calling with it out of the blinds.

[Marquis]

I never knew about that slider thingy. I just tried it and I think it adds the hands in a weird order when you slide it. It adds 99 and ATs before AQo.

I think a typical micro player, one who raises about 4-5% of his hands, raises AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK, AQ, and sometimes KQ. I think it's pretty obvious that you arent looking to play AQ against that group. Its the guys that raise KJs and 99 routinely (us) that AQo will fare better against.

[Paxosmotic]

[ QUOTE ]
I never knew about that slider thingy. I just tried it and I think it adds the hands in a weird order when you slide it. It adds 99 and ATs before AQo.

I think a typical micro player, one who raises about 4-5% of his hands, raises AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK, AQ, and sometimes KQ. I think it's pretty obvious that you arent looking to play AQ against that group. Its the guys that raise KJs and 99 routinely (us) that AQo will fare better against.

[/ QUOTE ]
AQo is a large hand, but that doesn't make it all that great.

Equity against 3 random hands:
99: 41.148%
ATs: 37.218%
AQo: 36.796%