How to play JQ

[H Dogg]

I've read on numerous books and sites that JQ really shouldnt be played up with the higher hands, because, in all actuality K2 OS could easily dominate JQ. So, I was just wondering, almost like a poll, how you all play JQ. Do you raise preflop ever? Call a moderate preflop raise? Or would you fold it to a 4 BB raise? Just wondering, thanks for your input!

[EasyT]

I'm not a winning player, but it seems pretty dependent on factors other than your cards. In late postion with 3 limpers I might raise with it and then try to claim any card J or higher. In early pos, I fold it.

[eeeee]

I'm not a winning player, but it seems pretty dependent on factors other than your cards. In late postion with 3 limpers I might raise with it and then try to claim any card J or higher. In early pos, I fold it.

Just started playing this way too. Used to always just fold JQ. Position is a huge consideration, and oppenent weakness too, but I don't want to play many other raised hands holding JQ.
I saw someone else sum it up better -- whoever it was said

I just play QJ as a suited connector.

[ensign_lee]

early position, I fold it. Late, I raise it.

Also, JQ suited (especially diamonds) is my favorite hand, so I'm playing it from lots of places.

[whileone]

I limp it late.

let's say you get this UTG. You raise, 1 caller flop is Q 2 5... you bet they call. are you winning? or limp utg, 2 callers. same flop, you check limp 1 bets limp 2 raises. i can't think of anything other than everybody folding or a miracle flop like JJ2 that makes this profitable from early position.

MP everybody folds to you... limp? raise? maybe if you think you can get everyone else out... but what flop are you looking for? A K x is really pretty but your chances of hitting that T are pretty slim.

Late position two limpers in front, worth raising maybe. one raiser in front.. depends on the guy, i might call looking for a straight/flush, if i think he'll give me cards. a flop like A J 2 sucks pretty bad though, J T 2 might work out.

If there's a whole bunch of limpers and you flop a 4 flush with a board of 6 6 T, whatcha gonna do?

Seems like a tough hand. Good for taking down small pots if you're feeling frisky.

now if the game is 4 handed, i'm playing this. i'm rasing and possibly calling. If the game is super tight, i'm rasing to steal the blinds. If the game is super loose, i'll limp it from strange places. As a general rule, i think it's a fold.

[Greedo017]

JQs i will limp from any position and play like a suited connector. usually call small raises fold to bigger ones. think about it, if you're playing it for pairs how confident can you ever really be? aj/aq/kq/kj/qq/jj/kk/aa are all dominating you. what hand that someone raised with are you ahead of?

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[LeFou]

I'm with ripp. You raise it PF if you're going to play. This hand needs help, and raising is all the help you can give it.

[dsaxton]

ISOLATE ISOLATE ISOLATE

So, what happens when you isolate A-Q, A-J, or K-Q? Is that good?

[a500lbgorilla]

Junk it unless an opportunity presents itself.

Don't look for reasons to play QJ, look for reasons to fold it. And don't hold high standards.

-'rilla

[Molinero]

I agree with those who say they play it like suited connectors. But I also agree with Ripptyde. Then again, I like to raise with suited connectors... :P

Seriously, though: with QJo, i limp/fold early, raise/fold or limp fold late. QJs, limp/may-call early, raise/call late.

I won't call reraises or significant raises preflop with it, and if I catch top pair in a raised pot, I don't like it much.

[jmontis]

i'm with rilla on that one. You guys who play QJ aggressively are crazy. This is a drawing hand more than anything to me.

QJs, call small raise from bb or a min raise in MP/LP
QJo, fold to any major preflop action

any raises that shout big pair, this is an automatic fold.

[Legendash]

I'll limp QJo from the button with lots of callers looking for an OESD. I don't really play it elsewhere, i don't think i'd play it in NL at all.

QJs I'm looking for an OESD or flush draw and i'll only play it in the last few positions for a limp. If the flop is J72 or something the late position gives you the chance to see if your pair might be good.

[H Dogg]

what a productive thread heh...Yea I personally call no more than 2-3x BB raises with jq. The thing is, AJ and AQ are so common that if you hit a queen or a jack you're in big trouble. How often will you fold top pair, queen kicker?

[Roco415]

very true, often when u play qj, you hit TP and get so attached to the hand you dont want to fold until your whole stack is depleted because your out kicked

[physsie]

I wanna see the flop with these. i would call or limp in with them...but if im first to act after the blinds....well then....three times the big blind to try and get people to fold...

[TylerK]

Play it if you are good at playing postflop, otherwise don't get involved. Simple.

[Bmxicle]

I'll raise it if its folded around to me, or there is one fish caller infront of me when i'm on the button. Otherwise i just fold it. QJ suited i'll limp in but i'll usually be out of there unless i hit a draw or two pair or something.

[JeffreyGB]

I will never call a raise with it, personally. Way behind many of the hands people raise with. Whether you limp or raise is a play style thing. Typically, aggression is good, so...I definitely prefer this hand in late position, typically folding it under any circumstance in early position.

[JeffreyGB]

Note: H Dogg, please check your pms regarding your signature.

Added note: If you've worked this out with 'rilla or someone else already, ignore me. If not, I'm not the only one who has mentioned it.

[aleksandr]

I say play it late and not early, and raise it, but fold it to a raise. I prefer JT because the high J and the T on the flop are much more bettable, and there is another card you can add to it's straight draw. A bluff or two and position are good reasons to play this hand, but don't play it against a raise.

[ihategnomes]

Id limp or raise with it, Id hardly ever call a raise with it, nor would I ever open limp with it. There are 188 starting hand combinations that pwn QJ preflop.

[EasyT]

LoL I am the only one who voted to raise pre flop I see
You are all spineless cowards
ISOLATE ISOLATE ISOLATE

Rippy - what % do you see the flop?
I'm assuming you raise most of those, but what % do you voluntarily put $ in the pot?

I'm way curious.
Awe and respect.

[dsaxton]

It's kind of stating the obvious saying that Q-J is a pretty weak hand. Consider seeing the flop or folding. Done, next thread.

[hazelblue]

QJ is a hand that ends up costing me a lot of money at times. Mainly because I don't fold it when I should.
I tend to limp with it from any position and will fold to any violent raises.
I ended up losing with this hand because I know realise that I should've raised preflop to get rid of the hands I USUALLY lose with, like K2o, J2, and the like.

Good advice, Ripp.

[melinda27]

QJs i'll limp from everywhere except UTG, QJo i'll limp from MP2 or better, easy fold to any preflop raise unless i'm on the button with 4 or more callers in front of me, BUT i'd play any kind of coordinated hand from there with enough implied odds to hit a big hand.

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[Fnord]

OJo
Limit - I play it from the Button, CO, CO+1 and will complete my SB with it. I never call a raise with it, but will open raise or isloate with it.
No Limit - If I'm playing it I'm comming in with a raise. Not really the kind of hand I want to be limping. Maybe over-limp the Button/CO but I will play it really carefully.

OJs
Limit - Play it from any position unless I'm facing a raise.
No Limit - Much more of a limping hand, but will open raise with it if I think I can take down pots with aggression given my position and the action in front.

[lolzzz_321]

OJs
Limit - Play it from any position unless I'm facing a raise.
No Limit - Much more of a limping hand, but will open raise with it if I think I can take down pots with aggression given my position and the action in front.

Or limp when triptanes has JQs too, catch a pair and flush draw. Watch 4 to a flush come on the board, trap me into betting on the river, then calling...



I'll limp JQos from mid-late position, maybe raise CO or Button (SB and BB too) if it's folded to me.

JQs, same thing, but will call a moderate raise, cuz it's s00t3d.

[Rorgg]

got a QJs on the button as I was reading the thread. Raised it and bought the blinds.

I'm with Rippy. Raising is the only help this sucker's going to get. Early, I'll limp, but I do NOT fall in love with it post-flop and will abandon it on pretty much any pretext. It's just the biggest of the suited connectors far as I'm concerned.

But late, if there's not a lot of action in front of me, I'll happily raise it. Hell, even if I don't hit, the pf raise and position give me a good chance to buy the pot anyway.

[owhynot]

[quote="Rorgg"] "got a QJs on the button as I was reading the thread. Raised it and bought the blinds."


- I think this is the point: what are the blinds? is the game shorthanded?? whats your position??? no easy answers to the question, other than short-stacked & heads-up go all-in with it..

[Xianti]

Note: H Dogg, please check your pms regarding your signature.

I've removed the solicitation from his sig. If it appears again, PM me.

[ender555]

raise!!