Hand Advice Post

Doing something "every time" is exactly what you don't want to do in poker. Makes you predictable. Also, what you do depends on your read of other players in the hand.

You need to start thinking of a "hand" in terms of more than the two cards you're holding: position, other players, stacks vs. blinds etc.

 Wow..... thanks bro?

Thats kinda why I said in early stages of a tournament, and described two different situations with varying positions, other players, and stacks vs. blinds....  

I was looking for what would be more +EV with each different situation, which had more variables than me just sitting there staring at A/Q....

So.... thanks?

1. In early position, should I entering in the pot 9 handed with a raise or should I fold under the gun?  Answer: Under the gun I would make a strong raise of 5x the big blind to put pressure on players.  You don't want a lot of people in the pot with this hand.
2. In late position, should I be raising with >1 limper every time?  Is it acceptable to limp A/Q in late position and treat it like A/J? Answer: Always raise more with limpers.  If I had two limpers in the pot with 20/40 blinds I'd make it $200 to go with AQ.  I wouldn't treat this hand like AJ, because its not AJ.  Its AQ.  Limping 50% of the time in late position with a bunch of limpers is the right play.

- Jeezy 88

Well, I agree that you get in trouble with 'always' or 'never' in poker, but for the most part.

I use to struggle with AQ quite a bit, until a pro on this site (I wish I remembered exactly who so I could give him proper credit) told me something earth shattering

AQ is a big hand.  If you are playing it weak you lose too much equity.

It's the truth.  To a limper, in later position, I'm raising it.  About the only way I'm limping AQ from either a blind or button is if almost the whole table limped, and I have too large a stack to make pushing viable, and any strong raise is just going to get called by everyone anyway, then I have a huge hard to play pot if I miss.

From UTG, I'm raising it up. 

Now, it's not to say I won't fold AQ ever.  If you are in late position, and you have 2 extremely tight players (raising well under 10% of the time), then I can fold.  I had a spot like that this weekend.  I was a blind.  A somewhat agressive player (raising 20% of the time) raised from ep, a tight player (no raises in over 100 hands) reraised, and a call from a player with a VOIP under 7% flats).  I was terrified of what I walked into, so I folded out, agressive player played.  Ended up, 2 tight players had AK and QQ.