Lets talk about KQ

At what level or number of players left do you like to start open raising with this hand? I tend to avoid it like the plague until at least 50-100 blinds OOP. Even then, me no likey KQ. I will limp IN POSITION early. Who likes to play this early and why. How do you like to play it early if you do?
Oh yeah, I 4-table PP $11 or PS$16.

It of course depends on the table, your image, blah blah etc. But in general I like KQ to open raise early in a tournament from mid-late pos. Moving on in the tourney, or when I have chips to play with I really like raising from any pos with it. The only time you're really in trouble is va AK, AQ, AA, KK, or QQ. Usually anyone holding these hands will let you know with a reraise.

So what is your preflop action from early position early in the tourney? Fold or call. I usually just fold and sometimes limp if my table is a limpers paradise. What do you think of that. Should I be more inclined to raise if my table is a limpers paradise. My reason for started the limp-fest is I hate this hand OOP to ANY raise.

[tjh]

Big stack tournies I will play it Early in position. Party I will wait. I like KQ. As the other poster said you can usually tell when you are in trouble.

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tjh

Good point about stack sizes for I will usually play it on stars or pokerroom. Even then i like to limp early. What do you think of the limp or do you like a raise?

[fluorescenthippo]

Co or button if it is folded to me i will raise, at almost any level. i rarely play it with limpers in front of me from any position.

I almost never pre flop raise KQ untill ITM or HU

[tjh]

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Good point about stack sizes for I will usually play it on stars or pokerroom. Even then i like to limp early. What do you think of the limp or do you like a raise?

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I prefer to raise.

There are times when I will limp. Not sure if that is correct but if I have callers before me. I figure that AK would have raised. So I feel good about my hand.

The more I think about it the more I think I need to work on KQ. Because it is borderline I think a lot of how I play it is read dependant.

Good post OP.

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tjh

I think K-Q is underrated in short-stacked tournaments.

It's basically a suckier version of A-K. The only unpaired hands that have you in bad shape are A-K and A-Q, so if there isn't a lot of pre-flop action and you flop top pair w/ second kicker it plays much like TPTK.

In the first two levels of a SnG, I will fold K-Q from EP. It's not strong enough to raise, and I hate limping and then having to call a raise with it (I won't). I'd rather call a raise with 7-6s than K-Q because after a raise K-Q is often dominated.

In middle position I sometimes limp, sometimes raise if folded around to me. In late position I will always open with K-Q. It has enough value for a raise in late position, and you don't want the blinds to look at a free flop with garbage when most of your good flops will be top pair flops. When it gets shorthanded I will almost always open with K-Q.

I don't usually like to call a raise with K-Q, but if I'm in position against a LAG who will open with weaker hands, I'll call. Otherwise I never call a raise with it in the first two levels (in the later rounds it's read-dependent).

K-Qs is a stronger hand, and I'll always play it a little stronger as well. From early position I'll usually limp, occasionally raise. From middle position I'll always open with K-Qs. If the flop comes 3 rags with two of my suit, I'll play that hand very strongly. I'm also far more inclined to call a raise with K-Qs than offsuit, because K-Qs is a an excellent drawing hand, but if you call a raise with it treat it like a drawing hand, and don't go crazy with just top pair.

If I'm short-stacked and in push-mode, I'm always happy to see K-Q and insta-push with it. I'd rather push with K-Q then A-9, because K-Q is less dominated by calling hands. K-Q is dominated by A-K and A-Q, but those hands dominate any A-x anyway. With K-Q you can coinflip with J-J, which is a pretty good result when you're shortstacked and the 4th best starting hand calls you.

In conclusion, I think K-Q is underrated because too many tight players have a being-dominated-phobia. In a short-stacked tournament however, you simply won't get big pairs and A-K often enough, and K-Q is a good secondary hand. As long as you have decent post-flop skills and know when your top pair is beat, you're in good shape with K-Q.

I'm no expert by any means, and I tend to be a bit on the LAG side, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

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I almost never pre flop raise KQ untill ITM or HU

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This is definitely a leak.