01/02 NL Playing Ace rag

[Teddie]

Havent figured out how to use the Ipoker hand converter so i hope this attempt isnt too bad. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

I always struggle on the best way to play Ace rag. So heres a rcent hand that sums it all up for me. Wht should i be doing?



NL $0.01/0.02. 10 seater

Preflop Hero is UTG with [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]6
<font color="red"> Hero calls </font>, UTG+1 raise by $0.08,UTG+2 calls, Cut-off calls, SB folds, BB calls.

(Pot = $0.41)

Flop: 5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
BB checks, Hero Checks, UTG+1 checks, +2 checks, <font color="red">Cut off goes all in for $0.11 </font>, BB calls, Hero calls, UTG+1 fold, +2 calls.

(pot = $0.85)

Turn: Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
<font color="red"> BB blind goes all in for $0.81 </font> Hero??

(pot = $1.66) - i have $2.58 left

I am pretty sure i shouldnt raise it UTG but should i even limp or is folding the best thing to do? On the flop i still dont really know how i am doing. Fold with the all in?

I think the turn is an easy fold, yes/ no?

I hope the hand is radable.

[The Phoenix]

I'm a new micro NL player as well, so don't take my advice as gospel.

In this case, I think you've got to fold. You're pretty much only beating busted straight draws and the odd middle/bottom pair at this point. To make matters worse, you're facing a pot sized bet on the turn with two more players to act behind you.

It's possible the BB is making a desperate attempt to isolate the cutoff, but that line of thinking is besides the point.

You have no idea where you stand at this point, and you're behind a lot of hands, plus you are probably already drawing dead. This is a symptom of playing this type of hand out of position.

For unsuited Aces, stick with playing AT or better in position, and you'll be much better off.

Where you really went wrong here is playing Ace-rag in the first place. It's a trash hand in general, and it's even worse UTG. You're playing a FR micro game, where players are typically loose-passive. That means they will call with a lot of hands, and will not raise preflop. You don't need to make crazy plays like this or put yourself in a lot of difficult positions because the other players will call anyway, even if you're tight preflop.

So why not wait until you have a hand worth playing? One that either has good preflop pot equity, like a pocket pair or AJ+, and/or one that has a good strategic advantage, such as a suited connector (when in position). With pocket pairs and suited connectors, for example, you'll have a good idea where you stand. Either you hit the flop with trips/a good draw or you don't. When you don't, you get out of the pot and wait for next time. When you hit your hand, you think about how to get everyone's money in the pot (and you'll still lose sometimes, but this is WAY +EV trust me).

GL at the tables.

[Niediam]

Fold preflop (Ace rag offsuit sucks!), really really fold when its raised.

If you think you have enough of hand to continue on on the flop I'd raise to try and knock BB out with his draw. (If you don't think that he is drawing then you don't have enough of a hand to continue.)

Turn is a very very easy fold. Even if you had a hand like AJ I'd consider folding.

[ledders07]

FOLD PREFLOP!

[ne14dirt]

fold preflop!

[pzhon]

[ QUOTE ]

NL $0.01/0.02. 10 seater

Preflop Hero is UTG with [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]6
<font color="red"> Hero calls </font>, UTG+1 raise by $0.08,UTG+2 calls, Cut-off calls, SB folds, BB calls.

[/ QUOTE ]
You left out your call at the end. The first call of the big blind is wrong by over $0.01 if you play well. After putting in $0.02, I think you only expect to get back $0.005-$0.0075. That's because A6o is a lousy hand in a multiway pot and you have a bad position. It will be hard for you to get paid off when your hand is best, while you will often pay off when you have a second best hand. A6o is a decent, but not great hand when you are heads up. It's even more dangerous to call with A6o if you don't know to release the hand to aggression later, such as if someone raises preflop after you limp -- you might be able to call in limit, but you shouldn't even call a minimum raise in NL.

Your second call of $0.06 more was also very bad. I think you expect to get back about $0.015-$0.02 from this. It's hard to make errors larger than this in proportion to the bets. You will not often flop two pair or better (about 3.5% of the time), even then your hand will not always win, or win a big pot, and you simply don't expect to win much if you don't flop at least two pair.

[ QUOTE ]

(Pot = $0.41)

Flop: 5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
BB checks, Hero Checks, UTG+1 checks, +2 checks, <font color="red">Cut off goes all in for $0.11 </font>, BB calls, Hero calls, UTG+1 fold, +2 calls.


[/ QUOTE ]
I think you should fold rather than overcall. Perhaps calling is wrong by $0.02, so this is conceptually much closer than the preflop decisions. You do have top pair, which could be best, and the bet is small in relation to the pot. However, you are overcalling, the CO is unlikely to be making a complete bluff with a small bet in a multiway pot, and you are not last to act.

[ QUOTE ]

(pot = $0.85)

Turn: Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
<font color="red"> BB blind goes all in for $0.81 </font> Hero??


[/ QUOTE ]
Easy fold. Maybe the BB called on the flop with top pair and a better kicker. Maybe he called with a flush draw. The flush draw just hit, so what are you beating now? Only someone bluffing into a dry sidepot -- and there is a player acting after you who could have a big hand, who might raise giving you no draw at the river (unless you make another bad call). That's quite unlikely, since there is no reward for the BB to transfer the main pot to the all-in CO.

If you call, I think you might get back $0.10-$0.15 for your $0.81 investment. Maybe you will improve to 2 pair and that will be good enough. Maybe you will make a 1-card flush and the BB will not have a higher club. Maybe top pair with no kicker is the best hand and holds up. However, this is a bad gamble, and you'll lose money rapidly if you make these types of calls.

[raze]

Hey Teddie

You will not lose money folding Ace-rags in NLHE.

[riverruss]

FOLD,FOLD,FOLD pf in early position along with AT,KJ,KQ,QJ,KT,QT,JT unless your confident with your postflop play.

[Teddie]

Thanks for all the replies, i must learn to throw away ace/rag/o more often.

Anyway in case anyone was wondering the river was a 6 of clubs and the BB won the pot with 2 pair Queens and 7's.

[Seventh_Street]

[ QUOTE ]


Preflop Hero is UTG with [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]6


[/ QUOTE ]
Flop: 5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
[ QUOTE ]
in case anyone was wondering, the river was the 6 of clubs and he won with 2 pair queens and sevens

[/ QUOTE ]

RIGGED!!!!