Ace-Little, How to play

[fortunesknave]

Referring to NL HE, tournaments. Also, question pertains to a table of 8-10 players.

I fold Axo in an unraised pot where x<9 unless I am on the button or am the cut-off. If a pot is raised, I fold A9o & A10o, unless I am on the button or am the cutoff.

How bad is this, and do you have any recommendations on how I can learn to play these Aces more skillfully?

[SheridanCat]

Unless you're short stacked, there's no reason to play Axo for anything other than a steal. If you are short stacked, you push and hope for the best. The problem with these hands is that you can make a hand that may be easily dominated.

[reddred]

Axo(x<8)= complete trash....I'll play it against certain opponents if I'm on the button in a SH game and its folded to me, I'll steal. I'll also defend my BB against certain opponents stealing from the button....other than that, unless short stacked in a tourney, i fold it.

[Youre A Towel]

test

[Rosencrantz1]

I would even consider dumping AQ-AJo if you respect the raiser; those hands are easily dominated and hard to get away from after the flop.

Playing unsuited aces -- and playing them too far -- is a hallmark of bad play.

Just remember that it is very dependent on position, action and reads. You can definitely play some unsuited aces for a steal, as was mentioned in one of the other responses, but 1) make sure you have a read on the blinds (e.g., if they NEVER fold, you need to know that; if they are passive, you need to know that, etc.) and 2) Make sure that the table conditions are right -- e.g., best if folded around to you, but you can sometimes try it against an early limper if he is passive.

[twoakers]

A suited ace will get me into a pot, if I can do it cheaply. I agree with everyone else as far as Ax offsuit when x<9, dump it other than in special situations.

[KenProspero]

Here's the question I think you should be asking with Ax -- what flop is a good flop for me.

Certainly, flopping two pair is helpful, but that's true with almost any two -- not enough reason to stay in the hand. Likewise, flopping trips.

Now, let's say you flop an x (X<9), are you going to be able to stay in the hand if there are overcards and there's any action?

Alternatively, if you flop an A, you have a kicker problem.

In either case, you 'may' have a play fom late position if it's checked around to you, otherwise, I don't see a lot of happy options.

[MJL]

GAP theory.....You need a much stonger hand to call a raise than it takes to make a raise.


Ax and Axs are usually muck hands with out a raise and should not be used at a full table with any heat unless you are very short staked and you must make a move.

[BJK]

In a LHE game, I'll occasionally try to limp with Axs where x<T if I have decent position and there are players in the (unraised) pot in front of me.

In a NLHE game, Ax, whether it is suited or not, is autofold unless I have late position with no limpers. Then, I'll raise to try to steal the blind or to try to take down the pot with a continuation bet after the flop. The rule of thumb here is that I never want to show down my A-rags unless I hit two pair or better. It happens occasionally, but rarely.

In tournaments, your decision is going to depend on what your M is. "M" is your chip stack divided by the total amount of money in the pot (including antes) before any action commences preflop.

I'm not going to give a step by step guide on when and where you should be playing your A-rags, but I will say that I autofold them unless I'm in good position to steal a blind. The problem is, I'll try to make a steal with any two cards in those situations, so the fact that I'm holding an A-rag is kind of irrelevant.

Now, when the table gets shorthanded (six players or less), I tend to play my A-rags aggressively.

I hope this helps.