Originally Posted by Vice_PK

hey thanks for the replies guys

OK, first of all, i would like to say I will never play A2o on the button with callers, especially not from UTG, to keep myself out of trouble.

I do have a question still, Had you been in my position post flop. How would you have played that hand?

Originally Posted by handsomestan

I'm extremely LAG, and very aggressive with position in ring games, but I will never - ever - play A2o outside the blinds.

Way more trouble than its worth, as you found out.

Originally Posted by melinda27

thats just crazy. I'm open raising A2 from the button and 1 off every time I can. That said, i definetly fold it here preflop, post flop its not a big enough pot for me to worry about right here so i fold it without a read telling me not to. If my read tells me not to fold it its probably because the bettor is hyper aggressive and i'm just letting her bet it for me all the way down so I'm going call/miniraise/value bet as my line in that situation.

Originally Posted by melinda27

thats just crazy. I'm open raising A2 from the button and 1 off every time I can.

Originally Posted by Ash256

I much prefer raising 45s from that position to raising A2o. Anyone with me, or am I talking crap?

Originally Posted by benny999

I could definitely see AJ/AQ doing a flop c/r here, but then I see them folding to the push.

And raising A2o OTB isn't even a crazy move at all imo.
If I knew the limper/blinds were weak I would very often raise here, and I'm not even really lag. It's just abusing position and weak opps who give away blinds and small pots.
And they will donk away into a medium pot with AJ on this board too.

Originally Posted by Chopper

that may be true, but how often do you hit the 2 to be aggressive post flop? what do you do when the flop comes A 6 Q? or A 4 T w/ 2 of a suit? the latter are much more common. when i play AJ oop, i will donk bet your 2 pair, and adjust when you play back, but if you have A2 against these flops, you cant play back at my AJ. i have no way to know when you hit your Aces up, but AJ wins TPGK way more than A2 wins with TPNK.

do you hit 2 pair and/or steal the blinds often enough to make this profitable? if you fire away into the flop examples i mentioned, and get called, you would have to steal the blinds around 10 times to make up your lost ground, wouldnt you?

somebody also mentioned that this "is not a tournament." this is one of the problems with TV, imo (not that its a bad thing, i thank the TV for the fish). people watch the "blind steals" on TV, and try to take it to a cash game. while i agree blinds are somewhat important to steal, you simply need a decent starting hand to do it. the blinds alone are just not big enough to justify the risk, except in the most passive of games. when you raise with A2, you are asking for A4 to defend his blind and dominate you. is that really worth a quarter/half dollar/sawbuck?

imo, it costs you more to try and steal, and get called, than you make off the blinds. A8 or A9, now thats worth the steal, but A2 is dominated by any A, which most blinds call opening raises with, and is a big loser except for the times you hit the 2, too. just my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by benny999

Have u read the "pokey's blind stealing" article before? I can't find a working link to it, but it started as a 2p2 post.

Originally Posted by handsomestan

I'm a 43% stealer. I still think A-2 is shitty lol.

You guys are right - it's a sufficient hand to steal with, but you certainly don't want action with it.