What is the best way to play AK AQ preflop?

Hey, this is one of my first posts on these boards, but I have been reading for a while, and I have always learned a lot from the posters here.

I have been playing online for a few months now, playing B&M and homegames for about 3 years. I play on pacific, 50NL because most of the players are absolutely aweful. This of course can be very good most of the time and very frustrating at other times.

My question has to do with how to play the AK, AQ, and KQ (LP) type of hands. It seems like reasonable raises often do nothing to chase out limpers, because they already feel "committed" after posting a whole fifty cent blind. This makes continuation bets a nightmare, because it seems near impossible to represent a flop to five other donks who may have caught any peice of the flop and will call your bet with that peice or any draw or any overcard. I figure if I actually hit the flop about a third of the time, then most of those hands I will actually win (if I dont get drawn out on).

My question is this. Should I just be limping in w/ AK AQ since if I don't hit, a bluff wont yield +EV, and if I raise preflop they will just call anyway? Or is it best to raise since I am probably the favorite preflop and let them make the mistake of calling with a 3 6 sOOted?

Or should I be raising more preflop, to say 10 times the BB? This would make a significant continuation bet more expensive and still present the problem of trying to move a donk of a now even larger pot?

What do you guys do at table like this?

[SmackinYaUp]

Sounds like you just need to adjust to the table a little more. If you're up against a bunch of calling stations and completely whiff the flop after raising preflop, just check it down and hope you hit something. Also gonna need to remember that even those damn 36sooteds can flop two-pairs.

Definitely raise with hands like AK because as some 2+2 book (dont remember which) put it: AK will win more than its fair share of times vs random limpers, so putting in raises will increase your net profit.

Oh and raising 10x isn't necessary.

[ericlambi]

You need to make your raise based on the number of limpers. If you are in late position after 4 limpers, 10xBB is about right. If you are in EP at a very loose table, I would raise 5-6xBB to make sure I don't get called in too many places (Normal table would be 4xBB).

If there is more than 1 player with position on you and you don't hit, don't cont bet. If there are 4 or 5 players to a flop, then don't cont bet even with position.

[rikz]

[ QUOTE ]
My question has to do with how to play the AK, AQ, and KQ (LP) type of hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's what I've done NL $25, $50 and $100 full ring. It's ok so far. It's pretty weak tight with these hands (I'm 17% VPIP, 7% PFR).

Obviously reads change the general rules, but these work for me without any read besides PT stats.

I figure a standard raise is 4xbb+1bb/limper.

AKo and AKs: Any position, standard raise.

EP and MP out of position on caller(s): On the flop, if I'm EP heads up, then I'll make a continuation bet if an A or K flop for just under the size of the pot. If I miss, but there is a J or a Q, I'll make a continuation bet. If I miss and it's all low cards, I'll make a continuation bet half the time, and check/fold half the time.

If there is a field of 2 or more behind me, I make a continuation bet if an A or K hit, but check/fold otherwise.

Out of position, I fold to a reraise if I think the villain is tight preflop, but call up to a min-raise otherwise. I then lead the flop if A or K flops and check/fold otherwise.

LP and MP (with position on caller(s)): On the flop, if I'm heads up with position and everybody checks to me, then I'll make a continuation bet if an A or K flop for just under the size of the pot. If I miss, but there is a J or a Q, I'll make a continuation bet. If I miss and it's all low cards, I'll make a continuation bet half about 3/4 of the time, and take a free card 1/4 of the time. I'll take a free card every time if I have a note on at least one villain like, "Calls c/b w/ TPWK." I'll reevaluate my position, and fold to a reraise here if I missed the flop altogether. I'll also check the turn unless there is an obvious draw, in which case I'll bet 1/2 pot on the turn and reevaluate my situation on the river. I'd really rather give a free card if I think it's most likely not to hurt me since this keeps the pot under control for me. It also feigns weakness so my 1/4 or 1/2 pot value bet gets called by TPWK or 2nd button on the river.

I call a min-reraise, but fold to bigger re-raises. I also respect most re-raises and don't bluff at the re-raiser on the flop if I miss my TPTK. I fold to an all-in re-raise.

KQs LP or MP w/ position: If limped or folded to me, I make a standard raise and play it just like AK. I call a standard raise with position, but fold to an overbet-sized raise.

KQs EP or MP without position or EP: I limp/call playing for a straight or flush draw to semi-bluff with, or call with if there are the right odds, or two-pair. I don't play TPWK for any money if I only limp in, especially out of position. I fold to a raise out of position.

KQo in any position: I fold this everywhere except on the button or SB if its folded to me, in which case I make a standard raise and play it like AK.


IN ALL CASES: I really, really, really hate getting stacked with TPTK because I didn't read my opponent correctly and he really DID have that set or 2-pair instead of something that I beat. TPTK is good, but it's not worth getting stacked over. Rarely, I'll put it all in with TPTK vs a maniac who routinely goes too far with too little, but these guys are rare and don't last long.

[rikz]

And what to do if you miss A or K on the flop and somebody bets into you or raises a cont bet? fold

But what if you have position, you hit A or K on the flop, and somebody bets into you? Do you call (way ahead or way behind), or raise, or push? This is entirely situation and read dependent. Do you think villain is drawing? Is he just testing you to see if you will fold QQ or JJ? Each situation is different, and reading posts about it is best to figure these out.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I will try some of the things you mentioned. Guess on these tables though, it's pretty much "bet what ya got, fold what ya don't"

[MisterNatural]

How about AKo ep, you open 4xBB and get rr'd to 10BB by a fairly unknown player (40 hands) with preflop stats of say 19/3, everyone folds to you and you both have equal stacks?