AJ, A on flop late in $4/180

[Marc M]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t150 (8 handed) internettexasholdem.com

Button (t10920)
SB (t4825)
BB (t430)
Hero (t4195)
UTG+1 (t5760)
MP1 (t1495)
MP2 (t6455)
CO (t4310)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
Hero calls t150, 3 folds, CO raises to t300, Button calls t300, 1 fold, BB calls t150, Hero calls t150.

Flop: (t1275) K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4 players)
BB checks, Hero bets t750, CO calls t750, Button folds, BB folds.

Turn: (t2775) 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets t750, CO calls t750.

River: (t4275) J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets t1000, CO raises to t2510, Hero calls t1395 (All-In).

Final Pot: t9180

Criticisms please? I think I did ok until the turn. At that point I probably should have either checked, or bet more. I didn't see much point in folding to the river raise once so many of my chips were already in the pot.

[AggroFish]

I've only played a few of the 4/180 SNGs. However, at this level I think limping UTG is bad...Blinds are low enough where people are still trying to see cheap flops. Plus, take a look at the BB and he's pretty comitted to any resonable hand. I'd fold.

But you didnt so... flop comes and you hit TP in a multiway pot. Min raise = AK AQ QQ KK? What about the limpers KQ / JT?

I'd check the flop in EP to see how much someone likes this hand. You bet and get 1 caller...Hmmmm what does he have? Time to slow down and check. I check the turn, hoping to get a cheap showdown, again you bet.

You bet the river after CO called both your flop and turn bets. You have 2 pair but what does he have?

Maybe I'm weak but looking to get away from this. Even on the river with that many chips in there and being comitted you still have almost 10xBB; push or fold time.

Monkey logic on my part so people that know what they're doing please elaborate.

[Marc M]

Folding AJ UTG pre-flop seems incredibly weak to me. I'm happy to go up against the BB for 430 chips.

On the flop I was definitely worried about AK, AQ,etc. I bet out a little over 1/2 the pot with every intention of folding if someone came over the top.

On the turn I'm thinking he has A-rag since he just called and I'm ahead. In hindsight I think I should have just pushed here.

The flop just made things more complicated. It improved my hand, but now if he was playing Ace 10, he just made his straight. I probably should have just checked here, and folded to a push.

[Jeff76]

[ QUOTE ]
Folding AJ UTG pre-flop seems incredibly weak to me.

[/ QUOTE ]It isn't. AJ is an easily dominated had that you don't want to play OOP, which you'll most likely be doing if you limp UTG, and it's even worse if you face a raise. I'm not saying you should always fold AJ UTG, but it's a marginal play either way.

The rest of your comments illustrate why playing AJ OOP can be difficult, even when you get the flop that you want.

[ps27]

If table is really really tight i raise AJ otherwise fold.

Definatly check and maybe call a small bet on the flop, playing for the straight and nothing else.

[kleath]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Folding AJ UTG pre-flop seems incredibly weak to me.

[/ QUOTE ]It isn't. AJ is an easily dominated had that you don't want to play OOP, which you'll most likely be doing if you limp UTG, and it's even worse if you face a raise. I'm not saying you should always fold AJ UTG, but it's a marginal play either way.

The rest of your comments illustrate why playing AJ OOP can be difficult, even when you get the flop that you want.

[/ QUOTE ]

How is this a flop you want, this is a bad flop imo, since where you're at is so ambiguous on every street on almost any card.


To OP:

Folding AJ is a counterintuitive habit you should get used to, at almost all positions. This more than any other hand I think you should find reasons to fold it as opposed to finding reasons to play it, as it quite possibly is one of the most initially deceptive hands in holdem. If you miss the flop it very rarely has value and if you hit it you end up in alot of marginal situations.

[nath]

I don't mind playing AJ PF but I almost always raise or fold here, and me being me I usually raise
Don't understand the point or size of the turn bet, when the PFR calls you on this board you are almost certainly in trouble, and I probably C/F

[AceLuby]

[ QUOTE ]
Folding AJ UTG pre-flop seems incredibly weak to me

[/ QUOTE ]

Leak?

AJ is not a hand you want to tangle with UTG because you will be OOP the entire hand w/ a hand that is easily dominated. Learn to play tighter UTG and tough decisions with little information will be avoided. Oh yeah, this is not a good flop for you. JT is almost always played at these levels 4 handed, probably also a KQ and you are really worried about a dominated hand like AK. All streets here are pretty bad IMO (betting anything on the turn after being called on the flop is stupid).

[Spee]

Absolutely raise or fold preflop, 100%. The weak-ass limp is what let CO hang around with his weak-ass AT long enough to make the straight on the river. Leading out on the river is by far the worst of Hero misplays on this hand.

[Marc M]

Not that it matters, but the cutoff had Q T.