Relatively New to NL, help with AQo and 55

sxz18 · #1 05-09-2005, 01:33 PM

I grew up playing NL, but then chose to focus on limit for the past year. Now my NL game is rusty and today, I think I horribly misplayed two of my hands.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (6 max, 6 handed) converter

MP ($486.6)
CO ($662.1)
Button ($24.6)
SB ($341.7)
BB ($350.6)
Hero ($216)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $2.
Hero calls $4, MP raises to $15, 2 folds, SB (poster) calls $13, 1 fold, Hero calls $11.

Flop: ($49) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP bets $25, SB folds, Hero calls $25.

Turn: ($99) J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP checks.

River: ($99) 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets $50, MP calls $50.

Final Pot: $199

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (6 max, 6 handed) converter

UTG ($392)
MP ($690.1)
CO ($17.8)
Button ($393.4)
SB ($340.6)
Hero ($317)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $2.
UTG calls $4, 2 folds, Button calls $4, 1 fold, Hero checks.

Flop: ($14) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $10, Button folds, Hero raises to $35, UTG folds.

Final Pot: $59

Should I have c/r the flop with hand 1 or bet out on turn? Was c/r the best play on the flop for hand 2?

RoboRob · #2 05-09-2005, 01:41 PM

Lead out on the turn for around $60 or so with Hand 1.

NiceCatch · #3 05-09-2005, 01:50 PM

I think you played the first hand fine. I don't like a checkraise with only TP2K on that flop. You might want to lead the turn, and value betting the river was good.

I actually like leading the flop on the second hand. If you're going to checkraise, a min-raise might be in order. I also like the stop-and-go; call the flop bet, then in the absence of a spade on the turn, pot it.

emil3000 · #4 05-09-2005, 02:37 PM

I like hand 1. I generally lead the flop in hand 2, but it depends, as they say. It depends on your opponents tendencies to bluffbet or call a lot, it depends on what you do with other hands out of the blinds. I lead with tons of hands from the blinds, so it's pretty crazy for me to check anything big.

psuasskicker · #5 05-09-2005, 02:44 PM

Hand #1:
Don't mind calling the raise with AQo in a six max game. I think you played it fine. There are a couple ways I'll play a hand like this. First is to just lead at the flop, though if your opponent doesn't have an Ace you'll just pick the pot up. Second is to play it exactly how you played it, and that will be my most regular line with that hand. Third is to play it the same, except check the river and see if he'll bluff at it. I do this against opponents that tend to bluff, but will fold to aggression.

Hand #2:
You can lead at the flop which is fine, but it's very dependent on your opponents. I think if you wound up getting your opponents to fold there, there's no other way you could have played it to win more money.

I'd have thought about raising before the flop with it. I do that at times with low pp's in late PF position (button or blinds) cause I can often push through the hand and take it as the aggressor, and can build a mountainous pot when I flop a set and someone else flops any other sort of hand. I don't do this all the time, but it's a good time to do it when a bunch of players limp.

- C -

mythrilfox · #6 05-09-2005, 02:53 PM

Raise Hand 1 preflop.

emil3000 · #7 05-09-2005, 03:08 PM

Yeah, just saw 'UTG' in my first post. You're right. Limp reraise is fun too. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

NiceCatch · #8 05-09-2005, 03:42 PM

I've found that AQo is a great hand to limp with in early position, in 6max games. When an Ace hits the board in an unraised pot, you can usually do well and make a decent pot against another unsuspecting Ace with a lower kicker. Additionally, you won't get in trouble by raising your AQ into an AK in later position (or even simply a pair that won't pay you off if an Ace or Queen hits the board).

I raise AQo in early position in short games where there are loose passive players (i.e. players who will call the preflop with crap, then lay down to a continuation).

BobboFitos · #9 05-09-2005, 03:49 PM

[ QUOTE ]

I actually like leading the flop on the second hand. If you're going to checkraise, a min-raise might be in order. I also like the stop-and-go; call the flop bet, then in the absence of a spade on the turn, pot it.

[/ QUOTE ]

i like your recommended line with a weak ace against a habitual button stealer

not with a set. your line maxmimizes vs draws plus allows you to keep pot small

hero's line was fine, he just ran into not much.

NiceCatch · #10 05-09-2005, 03:54 PM

Yeah I can see that... not much you can do when villain just doesn't have much. I just think that a min-raise might keep top pair in for a bit, whereas his big check raise scares away top pair. As to the stop-and-go... yeah that's great against stealers.

What is the consensus line for sets here?