AJ postflop [22$ end-game], horrible?

[MantridNinja]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t1600 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)


Blinds are 600/1800, just moved to the new table, so no notes/reads on anyone

BB (t44172)
Hero (t30451)
UTG+1 (t16813)
MP1 (t25431)
MP2 (t49027)
MP3 (t47561)
CO (t23347)
Button (t54896)
SB (t27666)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t4800</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP2 calls t4800, <font color="#666666">5 folds</font>.

Flop: (t10200) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t6400</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 raises to t44152</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t60752

Standard? Stupid? What other line i could use here (exept folding pre)

[ItalianFX]

I think many will argue that raising AJs UTG is a bad play. I'm not very good at tourneys though so I'm interested in this as well.

[Cablelessray]

i'm patheticly passive with AJs preflop... might be the only hand i limp with UTG lol

[Mingdu]

Yeah ... not nearly strong enough to play from UTG

As played, good fold

[registrar]

[ QUOTE ]
I think many will argue that raising AJs UTG is a bad play. I'm not very good at tourneys though so I'm interested in this as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to drop it but I think a raise is fine (ty Nath for this advice - I'll let you know if it's actually profitable or just serves to make me feel less of a wuss). Then see what happens. In this case, we get called. I probably do a database check and then estimate a pf calling range for this standard of player in this tournie and go from there. The more I feel villain is likely to be thinking, the less likely I am to c-bet there. It's not a drawy flop so my UTG raising range that likes this flop would often check there. Basically, villain is likely to have pairs or broadway cards to be calling pre-flop and he's not folding them yet. He will fold anything else we're beating. So I don't really like betting here and then folding or freezing on an unimproved turn. If we check, he might check behind, which is nice, or bet in such a way that suggests we can take away the pot.

[Cablelessray]

registrar,

just wondering... i consider myself a decent tourney and live cash player.

although most people don't know this is the ONLY hand i currently limp UTG with, when i do, what would you be putting me on... most bad players have no clue.

i limp reraise if i'm deep stacked and someone raised from late position, and i fold to a raise from UTG +1 or 2, have to rely on my read from MP. short stacked i limp muck (which is the reason i know it's a bad play.) but assuming it's a leak i'm not willing to give up, how do i play on to maximize my earnings?

[Potowame]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think many will argue that raising AJs UTG is a bad play. I'm not very good at tourneys though so I'm interested in this as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to drop it but I think a raise is fine (ty Nath for this advice - I'll let you know if it's actually profitable or just serves to make me feel less of a wuss). Then see what happens. In this case, we get called. I probably do a database check and then estimate a pf calling range for this standard of player in this tournie and go from there. The more I feel villain is likely to be thinking, the less likely I am to c-bet there. It's not a drawy flop so my UTG raising range that likes this flop would often check there. Basically, villain is likely to have pairs or broadway cards to be calling pre-flop and he's not folding them yet. He will fold anything else we're beating. So I don't really like betting here and then folding or freezing on an unimproved turn. If we check, he might check behind, which is nice, or bet in such a way that suggests we can take away the pot.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is great great advise.

I use to dump AJ also, but started watching the PXF files and they are very enlighting.

One great thing about raising AJ from utg is , to players that you play with alot this opens your range up alittle and will get more action with AQ and 99-JJ type hands.

[Spee]

AJo is well worth considering laying down in that spot. But not AJs. Not in NLTs. It is well worth playing, but if you are going to play it, then make it worthwhile and raise more. The small raise prices in too many hands. I would rather raise up to 6k or so. You might get all folds, which 2400 unchallenged isn't bad for that hand in that spot. Also, if you get called and the flop hits, then you have a nice pot built up. The nice thing is that this hand is also very easy to get away from if the flop misses, which is exactly the case here. I would check the flop with the intention of going for a free card or folding if opponent bets. You zigged and the flop zagged. It happens. Don't make it worse.

[registrar]

[ QUOTE ]
registrar,

just wondering... i consider myself a decent tourney and live cash player.

although most people don't know this is the ONLY hand i currently limp UTG with, when i do, what would you be putting me on... most bad players have no clue.

i limp reraise if i'm deep stacked and someone raised from late position, and i fold to a raise from UTG +1 or 2, have to rely on my read from MP. short stacked i limp muck (which is the reason i know it's a bad play.) but assuming it's a leak i'm not willing to give up, how do i play on to maximize my earnings?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've no idea. I only decided to play AJ UTG again recently. I don't think limping can be good as a default but obviously there's a time and place for everything. On some sites, well on Crypto, limping when someone in LP or the blinds is aggro and a lot of people will limp behind is a fine play. It's all about ranges and the range your are perceived as having. In that situation, if you limp and it limps round, aggro will push a very wide range and if you then shove, everyone else folds when you probably have a better hand than aggro but not better than some of the limpers. In general, I'm not especially happy calling raises and playing OOP with AJ, so I don't like a limp. At low buyins, you can limp anything you like because you get raised much less often but the higher you go, the more that the hands you limp have to be able to stand a raise and play OOP.

[Cablelessray]

thanks for a reply,

like roman said, i guess i'm a feel player, so i'll just have to rely on my reads [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

in reference to above, i can't help think overbetting with AJs sounds wrong, but it looks ok from the way you explained it