Confused by opp's push

why did you raise 10bb?

your hand isn't one of the best, and it's still early, so fold.

those limp/pushes are always nice aren't they?

He could have anything from any pocket pair to AK or Ax suited. Since you don't know what he has your best play is to fold here - but if you are one of those guys who likes to gamble it up early and win early races, a call wouldn't be horrible. If you're asking what we think he has - my guess is AK.

Eh. I recognized the aces, folded quickly and romstyle10 called him with J5. I wasn't looking for what to do in this situation as much as I was looking for a discussion about how donks like to limp after several other limpers with AA.

Originally Posted by gabe

why did you raise 10bb?

your hand isn't one of the best, and it's still early, so fold.

I don't mind his 10x BB raise. He was on the button, with 3 limpers in front, the two blinds still to act and early on in a tourney when you sorta have to raise huge just to whittle the field down. AQ isn't great, but against a pile of limpers and with position, I'll take any day.

why limit the field with AQ? protect it from getting out drawn?? if you want to win the pot, just go allin.

In the early stages, I like to punish the weakies for calling with weaker aces and any two broadway. The 10xBB raise was pretty large by my standards, admittedly. This table was full of players who would show down crap and I felt like capitalizing on that edge. I was reraised, so I folded. No great loss. Some scenarios:

-Someone has AK. If they don't come over the top preflop (unlikely as AK is good enough for a reraise in most situations), I'm probably up a creek if an ace flops.

-Someone has AJ or AT or even weaker. I'm going to win a lot of chips postflop if we both hit the ace.

-Someone has two broadway cards, KT QJ or the like. This is great as long as I have position, which I do.

-A lower pocket pair calls and flops a set. Again, this sucks if the queen or ace comes, but I can avoid any crippling losses in this case as well.

-A lower pocket pair calls and flops nothing. Since I have position, I'm in there with a continuation bet postflop and maybe even firing on the turn with a donkbet.

To me, all this adds up to being a good idea to put in a lot of money preflop. I know I can get away from it if I flop nothing, so I push the edge over dominated hands while I can. Early in the tourney this is how I like to play... Isolating one or two players and winning small pots by thinning the field. Sure I take my licks (like losing this bet), but there it is.

One more thing, I wouldn't have made this play in any other position. That is all.

No idea why someone wants to take the chances of limping in with AA after 2-3 other people are in the pot. The only thing I can figure is he is very disciplined and will lay it down to agressive betting on the flop if the blinds are called around pre-flop and the flop doesn't hit him or give him a strong draw. I don't think it is a move I'd want to make.

As for your play with the AQ, that is pretty agressive this early. If AK wants to play, depending on the player, they just flat call you here pre-flop since AK is still a drawing hand they don't want to go crazy because you've already shown strength, your raise was so big, and then if the A flops you don't know what your up against and stand to be destacked and out. I'd be VERY careful with this hand if cold called pre-flop by a decent player when the A flops.

EDIT: I also just re-read your last post. I think your philosiphy is ok as long as you are prepared to double up or go out early in allot of tournaments. I know for a fact that making a strong move with AQ is a reckless move in a tournament with strong players but then again you are typifying your opponents as loose 'any A' players. I dunno, good conversation at least.

This may be a leak, it may not.

I guess the best thing I can hope for in a situation like this is that nobody hits the flop and I can c-bet enough to take it down. Action postflop with an ace on board is bad news for me in any case, and a pretty good reason to fold the hand. This might be a little reckless early on in the tourney, but I feel like my position combined with my postflop ability makes it a worthwhile bet. I'd like some more opinions if possible.

EDIT: If this seems like a leak to a lot of people, I'd like some helpful advice or maybe even some one-on-one discussion about some similar problems I've had in MTTs recently. I'll make a separate thread about that if need be, but first I want some honest opinions.

Is this AQ button raise a good idea? Why/why not?

are you trying to play a big pot with AQ?

Originally Posted by gabe

are you trying to play a big pot with AQ?

No way! I'm looking here to isolate and build the pot to 500-700, then to take it down on the flop by making a big bet.

Lately in these spots I've been limping and looking to hit a big hand. Last two times I did it was with AJ, both times I was destacked - AJ7 board - guy had 77 - AKJ board - opp had limped AK UTG. Both early in tourney. Really I've been folding a lot of AQ/AJs early, but on the button that smells weak. But taking the pot down pre flop just isn't worth it, and 'building the pot to take it down on the flop' is just too fancy IMO. I think limping and looking for a big hand or a steal spot probably has the most EV, but with more variance. I don't think anyone has every said "I would have won that tourney if I just hadn't folded that AQ early".