AQ Preflop Versus Coldcallers

[gaming_mouse]

A loose 3/6 table. UTG, a loose player, raises and there are two coldcallers. You are in the CO with AQo. Your Move...

Also, is your answer different on the button?

[eric5148]

Whoever said fold should be banned.

It's close between call and raise. I think I call at a loose table. If the rest the table was tight, I'd raise.

[private joker]

[ QUOTE ]
Whoever said fold should be banned.

It's close between call and raise. I think I call at a loose table. If the rest the table was tight, I'd raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think once you have this many cold-callers, any chance of it being a tight table just went out the window.

I raise because I'm in position, I'd like to buy the button, and I'd like to take control of the action on the flop. I'd also like to get the blinds out of there -- don't want some guy with 83s calling one bet from the BB and flushing out my TPTK.

[ecooke]

[ QUOTE ]
It's close between call and raise.

[/ QUOTE ]
I personally disagree with this. I think it's much closer between fold and raise. In my mind, calling is the worst option. Since the PF raiser is loose, my greatest concern stems from the two cold callers in between - if they are likely to have very strong holdings then I'm a likely to fold. However, if they play poorly post flop and are likely to cold call with less than premium holdings then I will raise. Raising in this position can help me in three ways: 1) knock out the button, 2) knock out the blinds, 3) if anyone involved 3-bets they are likely to have a very strong hand.

[Shillx]

So is the loose raiser passive or aggro? Without that info, a case can be made for all of the options.

Brad

[Michael Davis]

The coldcallers and the description of the UTG raiser as loose make this a hand that you simply cannot fold.

Interestingly, I really don't think the coldcallers affect the AQ test here that much. They make it a little better to just call agains an UTG raiser who will sometimes have you dominated, but not much.

-Michael

[Michael Davis]

I think we should assume he is raising loose. Obviously if his VPIP is 100 with a PFR of 2 we should fold.

-Michael

[gaming_mouse]

[ QUOTE ]
I think we should assume he is raising loose. Obviously if his VPIP is 100 with a PFR of 2 we should fold.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, in the actual hand, the guy had seen about 40% of flops over 2-3 orbits, but had only raised PF once before.

[ecooke]

[ QUOTE ]
I really don't think the coldcallers affect the AQ test here that much.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting - Are you saying that the cold callers are in fact increasing your equity?
Regardless, I do think the cold callers are important. Without them in the middle I will no longer consider folding and shift to raising as the best option. Am I alone in this line of thought?

[Michael Davis]

Yes, I still think the decision whether to raise depends a ton on UTGs hand range and not at all on the coldcallers.

-Michael