AQ/AK 2NL

[Ash256]

I'm just starting out on 2NL, properly 'rolled, having decided to quit playing the Joe Bloggs game of depositing and taking your money to 20NL, only to get a bad beat and lose it.

I'm a fairly experienced player (about 1 year), but seeing as thie post is about 2NL, I figured that the beginners section is the best place to put it.

I 5-table 2NL 10max on iPoker, which is a mix of calling stations, Preflop Strategy Guide players (who tend to make ok money), and complete donks.

I have been having a lot of trouble recently with AK and AQ - I'm just never sure what to do with these hands. I make the standard preflop raise of 6-8BB depending on position, but I can't seem to get very far with it. I tend to stack with it if someone's playing KQ/KJ, but these types of situations don't come up that often.

I'm never sure where I'm at preflop with these two hands, because you regularly get people limp-calling with JJ-AA for some strange reason. After the flop comes, my c-bet tends to get called, at which point I slow down. How would getting all my money in preflop with these two hands do? I also have the problem of people hitting sets/straights on Broadway boards, where I've hit my TPTK. I do often see people calling AI preflop with any Ace and KT+, but there's also a lot of pocket pairs floating around, and I figure I'd get called by 77+.

Anyway, if anyone could help me out, I'd appreciate it.

Cheers.

[ElKrem]

"After the flop comes, my c-bet tends to get called, at which point I slow down."

If you notice your c-bets are getting called, I think you either need to stop making them at that table with those particular players, or you need to fire second and third barrels instead of slowing down. My first inclination is to say that c-bets at 2NL might not be profitable. People have to be willing to fold for c-bets to work.

(I'm a total n00b, so if I'm wrong here, please beat me about the head and neck )

[greenOak]

If people are always calling your c-bets than don't c-bet. Check behind, take free cards and hope to improve your hand. Generally people at 2NL are very passive and won't bet into you very often. Bet when you connect with your AK/AQ and they will donate their chips to you.

[jyms]

@ 2NL, just play the hands you have. big hands=big bets, small hands=small bets. Read the board and reraise when your ahead. Don't bluff, C-bet or make moves. Just play your hands, they don't see the board, just their hole cards. TPTK rules these limits, bet it hard and make them pay to draw, they will pay and once in a while hit but 2 out of 3 they don't. If you have 3 and 4 playing after the flop, one of them is suited and chasing a flush, don't call the all-ins on a 3 to a flush board. And any all-in is a big hand in their mind, don't call all-ins they can have anything between a ful house to an Ax looking to hit, but don't be afraid to go all-in with 2 pair or better against them, they will call with MPWK or a OESD.

[gutshot]

Firing 2nd and 3rd barrels is a pretty bad idea. If they are calling c-bets, they will rarely fold on later streets in these games. You said yourself there are calling stations in the games.