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  #1  
Old 07-30-2007, 02:29 PM
allyasia allyasia is offline
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Posts: 182
Default Raise AK & AQ in early position?

I know they are good hand, and should be raised.
but i found, after getting called, i'm out of position.
AK & AQ are the biggest losing hands, that i play. the problem, i just don't hit the flop.
25NL 0.1/0.25
I rasie 3.5x BB early position, get 1 or 2 caller.
i cbet it 3/4 of the pot. get two call with flop like J88.
turn is a blank, so i check, 1st caller bet, and 2nd caller call. i fold.
I rasie 3.5x BB early position, get 1 caller
flop is rag
Cbet the pot, get called.
turn is a blank for me, i lead out, and he push allin.
i have to fold there.........
with with AK & AQ, when i raise, and cbet it. endup folding. multpier by 10. it's almost a table max buy-in.
so far, AK & AQ are my biggest leak, i can play 4-5hr, endup break even or slightly lost. then after review my HH on PT, i found out, if i just limp in with AK & AQ, and fold if i miss, It would actually be a pretty good night for me.
i hit the flop about 5% of time.
when i hit the flop
70% of time, i just take that small pot down with cbet.
30% of time, someone endup hitting it harder.
I am looking for advise on how to play those hand to make profit.
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  #2  
Old 07-30-2007, 02:44 PM
UATrewqaz UATrewqaz is offline
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Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,542
Default Re: Raise AK & AQ in early position?

There are several things that can be done..

1. Raise slightly more in EP with these hands, to further narrow the field and reduce the chance you'll have to play the hand out of position.

2. Don't always feel the need to Cbet. Cbet's are great and also greatly overused. Only Cbet against 1 opponents (or 2 if they are both tight). Only Cbet on boards that are favorable for it.

Sure a check might scream "I have AK" but then the next time you raise and cbet it will look like you have something, because they'll know you don't always cbet.
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  #3  
Old 07-30-2007, 03:02 PM
oddsock oddsock is offline
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Default Re: Raise AK & AQ in early position?

Don't play the same every time! Consider an open-limp, see what the field does. I open-limp often in these games - see what other players do first, call a raise - if you hit the flop fantastic because the raiser will almost certainly c-bet - if you don't you probably saved more than by raising, c-betting yourself. And you have disguised the hand, pulling in all those A-x raisers (of which there are many).

If the raiser is a tricky player, bet out first and see where you are. If the raiser is a maniac, bet out small first and incite him into a re-raise or even allin! It happens...


AK/Q are the most overplayed hands especially at lower limits. I'm not saying these are perfect methods, I'm merely giving you some other options to consider.
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  #4  
Old 07-31-2007, 06:55 AM
Ligarius Ligarius is offline
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Posts: 19
Default Re: Raise AK & AQ in early position?

[ QUOTE ]

Sure a check might scream "I have AK" but then the next time you raise and cbet it will look like you have something, because they'll know you don't always cbet.

[/ QUOTE ]

you mean check/raise on flop or in turn? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
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  #5  
Old 07-31-2007, 09:42 AM
oddsock oddsock is offline
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Default Re: Raise AK & AQ in early position?

AQ can suck hard UTG.

Never underestimate the value of position. If you play it well in micro stakes you will do well.

You know that? Fine, but i'll tell you again because it really is that important.
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  #6  
Old 07-31-2007, 10:04 AM
V_R_L V_R_L is offline
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Default Re: Raise AK & AQ in early position?

is real funny, AQo is the hand i got the most in NLholdem,
i won 66% of these hands, it has an reasonable win rate. I agree early pos is not that much of a hand to play when you don't hit, but in pos i like this very much and almost always C-bet
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  #7  
Old 07-31-2007, 10:11 AM
oddsock oddsock is offline
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Default Re: Raise AK & AQ in early position?

Absolutely! Position is extremely important when you play hands like AQ/KQ.
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  #8  
Old 07-30-2007, 04:31 PM
pzhon pzhon is offline
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Posts: 4,515
Default Re: Raise AK & AQ in early position?

[ QUOTE ]
25NL 0.1/0.25
I rasie 3.5x BB early position,

[/ QUOTE ]
Unless you are playing on a site with a "Bet Pot" button, why not just raise to $1? It will provoke less thought in your opponents than raising to $0.85 or $0.90.

I think AQo is worth less than the blinds on average in early position in NL, so it would be a good result to raise and to have everyone fold. However, the hands you can get to fold by raising to an odd-looking amount are the hands you want to play against. People are going to play QQ and AK against your raise regardless.

Limping with AQ in early position can be ok in NL. Limping in is a form of attacking the blinds, though more passive than raising. (I always raise AQ UTG in limit, though.) The point is that you want to let people in behind you who are happy to play dominated hands hands like A9, but who may fold these when you raise.

[ QUOTE ]
i cbet it 3/4 of the pot. get two call with flop like J88.

[/ QUOTE ]
You should consider varying the size of your continuation bets. On some flops, it doesn't take a large bet to protect your hand from missed undercards, or to bluff out a low pair (which is only a slight favorite over AK on this flop, for example). I think you may be making continuation bets which are too large. This is particularly dangerous when your opponents call too much.

[ QUOTE ]

i hit the flop about 5% of time.


[/ QUOTE ]
It may feel like that, but I bet your hand histories don't say that. It's very common to try to make a better story, but that gets in the way of obtaining accurate advice.
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  #9  
Old 07-30-2007, 05:43 PM
leatangclan leatangclan is offline
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Posts: 117
Default Re: Raise AK & AQ in early position?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

i hit the flop about 5% of time.


[/ QUOTE ]
It may feel like that, but I bet your hand histories don't say that. It's very common to try to make a better story, but that gets in the way of obtaining accurate advice.

[/ QUOTE ]

He is correct. I don't know if you pokertracker or not, but I always thought the same way you did until I have PT. I was surprised to find I was winning 58% with AKo and 53% with AKs.

Like earlier posters have said, you may want to vary between limping in raising. And not bet so much on your cbet.
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  #10  
Old 07-30-2007, 06:48 PM
oddsock oddsock is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 222
Default Re: Raise AK & AQ in early position?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

i hit the flop about 5% of time.


[/ QUOTE ]
It may feel like that, but I bet your hand histories don't say that. It's very common to try to make a better story, but that gets in the way of obtaining accurate advice.

[/ QUOTE ]

He is correct. I don't know if you pokertracker or not, but I always thought the same way you did until I have PT. I was surprised to find I was winning 58% with AKo and 53% with AKs.

Like earlier posters have said, you may want to vary between limping in raising. And not bet so much on your cbet.

[/ QUOTE ]


I think the OP is referring to the amount of time he hits a pair (or better) on the flop. This will average out to about 30-35% over time.
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