ATo preflop -- your move?

[tardigrade]

How do you play ATo preflop?

Will you play it from EP, and if you do, do you open-raise? How about mid and late positions when you are opening, and when you are behind 1 or more limpers? Do you defend it against a raise when you are in the blinds? Under what conditions?

On a related note ... do you ever play A9o when you must VP$IP, or is it an auto-muck for you? Under what conditions will you play it if you do?

[chief444]

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How do you play ATo preflop?

Will you play it from EP

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No, or at least very rarely.

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and if you do, do you open-raise?

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Yes.

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How about mid and late positions when you are opening, and when you are behind 1 or more limpers?


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I'll raise from LP with 2 limpers or less if the limpers are loose. I'll open raise it from MP or LP. Against 3+ limpers I'll typically limp from LP but muck from MP.

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Do you defend it against a raise when you are in the blinds? Under what conditions?


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I'll 3-bet against an LP player who I perceive to be stealing often. Usually I'll fold when facing a raise. It's too likely dominated.

Right or wrong, that's generally what I do.

[papawawa]

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How do you play ATo preflop?

Will you play it from EP

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No, or at least very rarely.

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and if you do, do you open-raise?

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Yes.

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I am confused about raising w/this hand in EP - what is the purpose? Is it because ATo can win showdowns unimproved against few opponents? What about the likelyhood that your hand is already dominated?

[chief444]

I'd open raise it at the 2+2 table because an open raise from EP will typically win the blinds right then. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Seriously though, the times I play it from EP is very rare and usually at a table that is actually playing too tight (they do exist, but I don't think at micro limits and not often at mid limits either). Many hands that dominate you (AJ or AQo) will fold to an EP raise. But if you always folded it you aren't missing much if anything.

[kgrad5]

you fold AQ to an EP raise at the micros? i usually 3-bet, maybe im too lag, AJ i fold.

[chief444]

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you fold AQ to an EP raise at the micros? i usually 3-bet, maybe im too lag, AJ i fold.

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Not always, but often. My point was that in those rare cases where your opponents are actually playing too tight then they will fold it. Besides that why would you be more prone to 3-bet at a typically passive micro table where many limp with anything but premium hands than you would at a more aggressive table where the pf raising standards are obviously lower? Just because the opponents are bad doesn't mean you shouldn't respect an EP raise unless you know something otherwise.

[kgrad5]

i wasnt saying 3-bet was the correct play, its just what i do. its a combination of what a typical party might raise with, i.e. any pocket pair down to 10Jo if they are maniacal enough and the fact that many people with far worse hands then me are coming along for the ride and im fairly confident i can get away from my hand if it doesnt smell right. I think a 3 bet is +ev for me, but Aq is a hand that im reviewing my play with. 1 thing i do is give it too much credit after a raise methinks [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Sidekick]

I fold ATo from EP, except when a table has gotten EXTREMELY timid (happens occasionally at PokerStars) and then I will raise in an attempt to steal the blinds.

In middle and late position, if there have been no raises in front of me I'll raise (though I have to admit I don't like raising with this hand from MP). If there have been any raises in front of me I fold this every time.

From the BB I will call a raise ONLY if I have a read on the person making the raise as a loose player or someone who loves to bluff a lot and no one cold calls the bluffer's raise after him. Otherwise I fold this any time from the blinds when someone has raised.

A9o is pretty much a fold every time. VERY rarely I might play this hand by leading with a raise if I'm on the button, there have been no callers so far and both the SB and BB seem to be very tight and timid players.

This may not be correct play, but it is how I play those hands.