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#1
09-15-2005, 02:53 PM
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$20+2: How to play KQ from early?
KQ is in my opinion one of the hardest hands to play from early. KQ and I never seem to make real friends, and if I'm well stacked I sometimes feel like throwing the hand away (it has happened...) from UTG if I face solid players and a full table.
The following was the very first hand in a 10-handed $30+3 STT at Ladbrokes tonight. So the blinds are puny 10/20 when I - as the observant reader will know - pick up: K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] I try to vary my play with this hand, from raising 5 x BB to limping. Since it's the very first hand I have absolutely no read on the field and choose to limp. Everyone execpt from a middle player who also limps folds to the SB who raises 140, 7 X BB. I make a questionable call, so does the middle player. The flop is: K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] SB checks. I set out to trap and make a probe bet of 200 into the 510 pot. The middle player raises to 400. SB folds, I reraise to 800, the middle player goes all-in with 960 and I call with my last 560. He flips over K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] - turn and river is 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] - my top two pair hold up to win the pot. I guess my postflop-play was allright here. But I would love to get some input on how to play KQ preflop from early. Thanx. D. 
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#2
09-15-2005, 02:59 PM
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Re: How to play KQ from early?
Fold.
Cody
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#3
09-15-2005, 02:59 PM
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Re: How to play KQ from early?
[ QUOTE ]
I guess my postflop-play was allright here. But I would love to get some input on how to play KQ preflop from early. [/ QUOTE ] KQ is easy to play early on. Fold it. Also fold it again to the raise. That is a terrible call of that raise. I'll limp KQs from UTG+1 and on if I want to mix it up on some occasions, otherwise I'll fold that too. I will fold it to any raise that isn't a miniraise or multiway. If I didn't get this across - fold it early. Fold, fold, fold. Fold.
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#4
09-15-2005, 03:12 PM
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Re: $20+2: How to play KQ from early?
KQ is really, really, really hard to play in a raised pot. That is because players like to raise (or just smooth-call a decent-sized raise) with AK and AQ. With KQ, much of the time what you'll be making on the flop is top pair-2nd kicker, and if that pot has been raised pre-flop, you'll usually either get no action or lose your whole stack.
All that said, KQ is very playable. Just not in a raised pot. Which is why you generally muck it when in early position if you feel the table is agressive at all and the pot will get raised by someone behind you. --Z
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#5
09-15-2005, 03:23 PM
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Re: $20+2: How to play KQ from early?
KQ in the early levels is strictly a chip extraction tool for the donks who like to play weaker K/Q broadways and/or suited weak Kings and will call/bet reasonable bets down once they hit top pair regardless of their draw. This is where all the post flop extraction methods you see Unarmed/Irieguy posting about become very nice in order to make sure you are making the hands profitable.
As Zen mentioned, as long as you're playing KQ only in unraised pots, it is playable from any position. This is b/c you can discount your opponents' holdings to not include AQ/AK/AA/KK/QQ when there has been no pre-flop raise. A similar line can be taken with AJ, IMO, for all the above reasons. Yugoslav
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#6
09-15-2005, 05:43 PM
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Re: $20+2: How to play KQ from early?
Thanx to all for educating answers. Have to admit I was puzzled over the very distinct reccomandations to fold KQ from early. So I checked my pokertracker and found that I'm actually loosing money on the hand. Not much, but I'm leeking. And I'm not that bad at poker, I'm winning player and have StatKing to prove it.
What can I say? You live and learn. D.
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