How Do We Play OffSuit Aces?

Possibly the idiot question of the week, but what the hey...

What are we planning to do when we play A2o-A9o?

Just looking at some flop probabilities:-

• AKo will flop TP/TK 29% of the time, with an 11% chance of a 4-Out Draw as a bonus
• ATo-AQo will flop TP/TK or TP/GK ~24% of the time, with a ~12% chance of a 4-Out Draw
• A2o-A5o will flop TP ~15% of the time, with a ~12% chance of a 4-Out Draw
• A6o-A9o will flop TP ~18% of the time

X-referencing this with my HM database (filter: PFR=True, Saw Flop=True, HoleCards=A2o-A9o), i'll flop Top Pair Weak Kicker or Worse w/ a Weak Draw or No Draw (i.e. bugger all) >90% of the time.

This says to me that we don't really want to be taking these hands to the flop in a hurry.

So what kinda spots can we play?

Steal attempts from BTN and 3Bet bluffs vs. hi Fold-to-3Bet raisers seem to make sense, ja?

What about Iso raises? Presumably vs. 1 limper only, and preferably a fit-or-fold type?

And what if we get a call? Is it one-and-done OTF unless we hit 2 Pair+ or a solid draw? We're less that 45% vs. a tightish calling range.

Let me have your thoughts, O Great Ones.

This reminds me of my suited connectors thread.

My conclusion from that thread: there's just too much going on at a poker table to make any in-depth analyses based on level 1 thinking.

Maybe I learned the wrong lesson.

FWIW, I only play off-suit aces from the button in un-opened pots and I'm playing them for steal and to 1 and done post flop.

Offsuit aces are for the most part trash, even opening anything worst then A8o from the CO is generally spewy(Think of the range of hands continuing v you) unless you think villains are atrocious(super nitty at some point, super fishy). Opening all Ax from BTN is obviously standard because now you have a huge advantage whereas in CO if you are opening worst then A8/A9 BTN can make your life hell.

Pretty much never coldcall <ATo except in the BB v minraises and stuff. Can loosen up to A8o if BTN is really crazy and I'd only play A2o-A5o as 3b bluffs(sparsely) if they were really loose pre and we knew they took forever to adjust their opening %.

These are just some basic guidelines. Postflop is a whole different story.

you can fold them, this will rarely if ever be bad
you can steal with them sometimes from co and always from button, but remember that they're not that hot
you can rarely call them (e.g. bb A8 vs a sb steal)
you can 3b bluff with them occasionally ip vs lp opens (particular when loose/bad reg isos from the co and you're on the button) or vs steals
hopefully you can flop quads/top kicker with them if you see a flop

Originally Posted by daven

hopefully you can flop quads/top kicker with them if you see a flop

Originally Posted by daven

hopefully you can flop quads/top kicker with them if you see a flop

nah man - kills my action

Originally Posted by DoubleJ

nah man - kills my action

zeebo

Yeah I'm pretty much throwing away A2o to A9o as standard, except as bu steal. I'd sooner open 64s on the CO than A7o.

Originally Posted by OngBonga

Yeah I'm pretty much throwing away A2o to A9o as standard, except as bu steal.

I'm the same way , there considered garbage hand .
By the way , you have to watch what you call your threads .

How do we play offsuit Aces ?

When i read that i thought to my self what are the chances of getting suited ACES , lol .

Originally Posted by crazzvette

By the way , you have to watch what you call your threads .

How do we play offsuit Aces ?

When i read that i thought to my self what are the chances of getting suited ACES , lol .

^^^yup, me too.

I'll open Ace-rag on the btn and if I know the button is so tight that he/she squeeks then I'm also opening them at c/o and maybe hj.
With someone semi-competent in the btn or c/o then I'm more likely to open A2 - A5 than A6 - A9 in the HJ.
Earlier than HJ I'll dump anything below AT.
If I'm in HJ and have no notes on the BTN or CO then I tighten up considerably (nothing below AT) until I know that they're idiots.

Never just call with them but they're great for 3bets/squeeze when in c/o and btn.

If it gets to the flop then proceed cautiously.

Opening A2o-A8o/A9o is almost always going to be a losing play in the HJ fyi. If you are actually are making this play it's probably a pretty big leak of yours.

These really aren't my favorite 3 bet bluffing hands. I might use them IP sometimes or vs someone who just folds shitloads vs 3 bets, but they flop so badly vs a calling range that I tend to reserve my 3 bet bluffs BB vs CO etc for Axs and other hands that are just way better, eg. Q9s. Blockers are nice, but vs someone that can and will defend some % IP, they make lame 3 bet bluff hands.

In low stakes games, much of the time when we play Ax , whether suited or not, we are (perhaps unknowingly) planning to make the game harder for ourselves than necessary. It's not simply a matter of how often we'll hit TP. What's far more important is how often it will be good vs. the different ranges that different opponents have. Until you develop a decent feel for evaluating opponents and their ranges, you're generally better off to lean towards playing tighter which leads to having to make fewer difficult decisions.

early stretches never play Arags. a8 OR 9 IN LATE POSITION .against limps 3 bet raise sees them off for a good steel. but only in mtt. in cash games anybody that wants to see a flop 90% off the time your on a loser

Ai Saesneg yw eich ail iaith joker?