Irritating ace rag situations

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Does anyone else just routinely fold a-x off from the small blind, especially in small pots? I lost a lot of money in situations like this because I could never figure out how to play it, and it seems like a spot where you're either going to win a small pot, or just dump to better aces.

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If 3 or 4 are ahead of me I think that's odds to put up half a bet to flop trips or two pair with a marginal hand. Otherwise I fold.

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Does anyone else just routinely fold a-x off from the small blind, especially in small pots? I lost a lot of money in situations like this because I could never figure out how to play it, and it seems like a spot where you're either going to win a small pot, or just dump to better aces.

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i was thinking the same while reading the replies up to yours. instafold for me, since its a very dangerous hand postflop.

[TeeVeeDude]

Fold preflop.

On this flop, bet and fold to a raise. If called, check/fold the turn UI.

With this hand in the SB you're really hoping to hit 2 pair or trips, you really can't expect top pair to hold up often enough to be profitable.

[Aaron W.]

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This is a situation which happens occasionally, and I am never sure what to do.

Say hero has A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] in SB. 2 Limpers, I complete, BB checks.

Flop is 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

I bet, 1 fold, raise...

What to do? Call, fold turn UI? Fold straight away? Call down?

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If you always folded top pair weak kicker in a 7 SB pot, I think you have a minor leak. This is one of those spots where it's impossible to say what to do without knowing anything about villain. The simple question: Is villain aggressive enough to raise without an ace? If you can't figure out the answer to that question, you probably shouldn't complete Axo in a small pot.

The only times I complete Axo in a small pot is when I know I'm in control postflop. Since I'm OOP the whole hand, I want to know that I can realiably interpret bets/checks/calls/raises. This happens at Paradise 5-max tables, where I see lots of hands with a particular player and get to know him pretty well.

[Aaron W.]

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Fold preflop.

On this flop, bet and fold to a raise. If called, check/fold the turn UI.

With this hand in the SB you're really hoping to hit 2 pair or trips, you really can't expect top pair to hold up often enough to be profitable.

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[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

In a 4-handed limped pot, I think this qualifies for weak-tight.

I was wondering why no one has suggested not leading out on the flop? I don't really see what leading out accomplishes here... There are no strong draws to fear, you are first to act, and you're really only setting yourself up to be raised and confused. No overcards can come to your pair either. If you were to check here, you might get it checked through, in which case you could feel more confident on the turn. Alternatively, it might come two bets cold to you, in which case you could feel good about folding. Finally, it might get checked to the a limper who bets, in which case you could call or c/r to drive out another weak ace.

I really don't see much advantage to leading out this flop from the SB.

[car ramrod]

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Fold preflop.

On this flop, bet and fold to a raise. If called, check/fold the turn UI.

With this hand in the SB you're really hoping to hit 2 pair or trips, you really can't expect top pair to hold up often enough to be profitable.


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this is the worst advice in this thread

[Wetdog]

This may answer some of this thread's questions. I think the key here is position. In Nate's hand, he was CO; hero is in SB. Nate was also sooted. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Carps and Poohs, chime in here if I'm out of line. The disadvantage of hero's position makes this hand more difficult to play. The decision has to be made preflop how it's to be played. If a) an ace rag rag flop I'll check/call the flop (fold to 2), check raise the turn, b) if a K52 flop I'll bet/call the flop, check fold the turn UI or c/r if an A or 5 turns, c)if no A or 5 muck.

The idea is to have a plan, a type of decision tree, formulated before entering a tricky situation.

Please critique my plan. I really don't know if it's any good.

[deception5]

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I was wondering why no one has suggested not leading out on the flop? I don't really see what leading out accomplishes here... There are no strong draws to fear, you are first to act, and you're really only setting yourself up to be raised and confused. No overcards can come to your pair either. If you were to check here, you might get it checked through, in which case you could feel more confident on the turn.

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It's for value and for hand protection. They'll fold to your turn bet if you have the best hand and you'll lose a bunch of money if they hit 2-pair or better on the turn.

[ReptileHouse]

I'll often check raise here and lead the turn. This represents to a lot of folks more strength than I actually have, which has two benefits. Most directly, I can fold out better hands (other aces with medium kickers). Secondly if I still have a caller on the turn, I may well get a cheaper showdown w/ this line as they'll be fearing another c/r on the river and check behind, saving me one SB compared to calling down.

If I'm 3-bet on the flop, I'll call and check/fold the turn UI. Similarly, if I'm called on the flop, I'll bet/fold UI. Whether to call a river bet is very read-dependent. Usually I won't unless I have reason to believe it's a missed draw taking a shot at me or something like that.