AQ - Struggling with AQ early

[MonkeyButler]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (9 handed) Hand History converter Courtesy of PokerZion.com

UTG (t1095)
UTG+1 (t1635)
MP1 (t1380)
MP2 (t1195)
MP3 (t1230)
Hero (t1295)
Button (t1930)
SB (t2300)
BB (t1440)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to t200</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, Hero calls t200, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, BB calls t100.

Flop: (t650) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets t200</font>.

Ok 2 questions on this hand. How is my line PF? Then given the flop and his bet... is this a smiple fold?

[_Towelie_]

I don't think calling is an option here. You need to either push this or let it go, based entirely on villain's opening range.

[Webster]

Agree with Towelie - except for the pushing option.

Gotta fold AQ here - looks pretty but if you are calling a raise you have to have a hand BETTER then the raiser and being unsuited that probably is not going to happen.

Given the flop I check/fold to fight another day. You are still more then 10 blinds but more importantly you have AMNY players in the same boat - let THEM get antsy and do silly things. Let the game play out for a few orbits unless you can pounce of a real hand.

There are only 2 guys way ahead of you and plenty of time.

[_Towelie_]

[ QUOTE ]
Gotta fold AQ here

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? What if villain is a 60/40 powerdonk?

[Niggel]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think calling is an option here. You need to either push this or let it go, based entirely on villain's opening range.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. It really depends on buy-in and reads [to determine his range] but for me this is moste of the time a push [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[MonkeyButler]

i didn't think about that thought before Webster-- i haven't been comparing everyone else to myself... guess that's a leak i haven't seen... thanks

[MonkeyButler]

it's a $27 FWIW

[Webster]

[ QUOTE ]
i haven't been comparing everyone else to myself

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea - I'm looking at who is left and thinking they are all either getting twitchy or going into a shell as they near the 10 Big blind range. I'm all for pushing but not when somebody has opened maybe with a 22 or something (you are even vs. a 22 pushing).

With so many players and all looking for stealing cards (ICM and all that) I'd rather wait it out to see what develops in the next few orbits. There is plenty of time, no need to be thinking you NEED chips . . . . yet.

See who is tight and who is stealing and maybe you can catch a stealer.

If I'm not first to act I'll fold almost everything and wait it out.

side note - UTG is basically limping in and is much shorter. Why?? weak? trap? so many questions why bother if you don't have too!

[AMT]

i shove or fold and 9 handed in this spot its read dependent.

[sbj]

I agree that it's either push or fold.

Reasons to push:
Opponents have shown weakness. BB checked and UTG bet 1/3rd the pot.
The pot (now 850) would almost double your remaining stack (1095).
AQ is a reasonably strong hand.
You are left with only 10X the BB so you'll start open-pushing anyway so might as well do it now with AQ and a good sized pot.

Reasons to fold:
AQ, although reasonably strong, is now only a drawing hand and there are only two cards to come.
Your FE is relatively small as UTG at least is likely to call you given the pot-odds he will get.
Depending on how good you are relative to the rest of the table, you may have more +EV opportunities later.
I hate AQ. Seriously. Perhaps irrationally so, but I feel I get into so much trouble with it.

In the end, I think it depends on your reads of the opponents but I learn towards a fold here.