A situation that's been troubling me.

[Kluddeludde]

I would like some help with a situation that comes up quite often, but I'm not sure how to deal with it.

Consider a typical low-limit (2-4 - 5-10) game at Party (Typical meaning pretty loose and pretty passive), and you get dealt AQo in middle or late position. A couple of seats before you there is a raise, and you have no specific read on this player. However, before the action comes to you 2-3 people coldcalls this raise. What do you do now? Do you raise? I believe raising is wrong, since the original raiser most likely has a better hand than you. Do you call? A bit weak to call, isn't it? Besides, this hand would prefer fewer players. Do you fold? I hate folding when I finally get a playable hand, and you are most likely dominating the coldcallers, and there is a slight chance you are dominating the raiser as well.

I've ended up folding this hand, but I'm not sure if that's right to do. All advice are welcome, need them!

Kludde

[daveymck]

I think in that situation I would be more interested in the reads on the players between you and the raiser, what are their standards? Effectively I think you need a better hand to cold call a raise than you did to raise in that position in the first place, so not only have you got to worry about the raise you have to know what the other players are like. Ok typical party players at 2/4 maybe are not thinking as much but if there is a good player between you who has called that is an additional risk.

It probably becomes an easier question if there has been no callers then its either a raise to try and isolate or a fold.

Thats my initial thoughts on this be interesting to see if the experienced guys contradict me or agree.

[JeffO]

I would fold this hand. With a raise and a couple of cold calls theres a very good chance that your AQo is the dominated hand.

[crockpot]

i agree that raising is probably not right. here it helps to know whatever you can about his raising standards. the four hands you do not want to see him turn up with are AA, KK, QQ, and AK. if he has one of these hands most of the time he raises, you are out of there. if his raising hands go down to 77 and AT, you can play on for sure.

[Homer]

Coldcalling becomes more acceptable as more and more people coldcall between you and the open-raiser.

You don't have enough hand to three-bet, but you have enough to coldcall, assuming the opener's EP raising standards aren't extremely tight (if he'll only raise with QQ+/AK/AQ, then you should fold, but if he'll raise with 88+/AJo+/KJs+ or thereabouts, you should call).

-- Homer

[Kluddeludde]

Ok, let's say he has some loose raising standards and will raise with hands down to 77 and AT, but what should I do then? Reraise or just call? There is no way I will get rid of the coldcallers by raising, even if the first raiser caps...

Kludde

[Kluddeludde]

Even though my hand doesn't play that well multiway? I hate to play AQo with 5 or more players in a hand, it seems I'm always on the losing side. That could just be my imagination, though...

Kludde

[el_grande]

I think the right thing to do at a typical table in that situation is to fold, but I admit I would have a tough time doing that.

[hutz]

I think this is a pretty easy fold.

[rkiray]

[ QUOTE ]
Coldcalling becomes more acceptable as more and more people coldcall between you and the open-raiser.


[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree with this, no way would I cold call with AQo. If the original raiser is a loose raiser and at most one other weak player calls two cold, I'd reraise. If the original raiser is solid or there are more than one cold caller it's an easy fold. AQo doesn't play well aginst multiple people who can play for 2 bets (unless they are all simply terrible).