Playing AQ with varying chip stacks

Alright everyone...

I'd like to hear a bunch of opinions on how to play the following, the only variable in this situation is your chip stack - you are either a) short stacked, b) middle stacked (15-25 blinds), or c) big stacked

From the small blind, everyone folds around to the cutoff who limps in. You're looking at AQo. What do you do in this situation?

We are looking at an 8/9 handed table here.

__________________
1st place, March/April 2008 Sunday League

Fault always lies in the same place, my fine babies: with him weak enough to lay blame.

small stack.. if blinds are big i go all in. middlestack- raise 2 or 3 times the blinds. big stacked ya can do whatever ya like.

Ya Im all in small stacked. Middle stack I'm raising 2-3x. Big stacked I'm calling and hoping to slow play a monster.

It really all depends on how small you consider "small stacked." You say the blinds are 15/25 which are extremely low. At this point in a tournament, a "small stack" probably still has a very high M, so I think the situation would be played the exact same no matter your stack. If you only have 300 or less here, you go all-in, but if you are around 700+, you make a standard 3-4xBB raise. I'd probably put in about another 60-75 chips with those blinds in this situation.

The only difference between mid stack and big stack for me would be the size of my preflop raise. I would raise with both because AQ is still a drawing hand and I don't want others to see a free or really cheap flop with chances of catching when I don't, but with a big stack, I would probably put in less chips because I am not as concerned with winning small pots but rather with the chances of winning big pots. With a medium stack, my strategy is just to take down as many pots as I can and continually building my stack. I don't necessarily need that big double up.

I've heard this from a pro before, and I tend to agree, AQ is one of the hardest hands to play in holdem. It seems so tempting, nearly premium, but the fact is that it can be dominated. And if you are getting into a preflop battle with another person, that probably means they have a really big hand, possibly one of the three that will dominate AQ.

My variation of the earlier statement is that AJ is the hardest hand in holdem to play. It can be so tricky at times. If you hit the jack, it might not be best. If you get the ace, your kicker might be beat. A lot of times when I play limit cash games, at least the higher stakes, I will drop this hand preflop if it comes into several different factors. A lot of times if I'm UTG or early to act, I'll muck AJ. It does depend on my feel for the table. If they are playing loose, I'll let it go. If I think my bet will be respected and I can take the blinds, I'll come in for a raise. Also, if I'm in mid/late position and there's a raise in front of me, I'll let AJ go. Again, this is limit holdem where play and strategy are far different from NL.

__________________
cky12 - PokerStars
cky12 - FullTilt

My Poker Journal

with low stacks I will go all-in if I have to but with mid to high stack I will just call here because I don't have the right position to raise especially if the the big blind called.

Small Stack - I push all in no doubt

Medium Stack - re-raise 3 - 5 xbb depending on the table (you are out of position so would rather be the pre-flop agressor)

Big Stack - Pretty much the same as Medium stack - not giving away cheap flops, being the preflop agressor - I dont like a call here because you give the BB a chance to hit two pair with there 9 3o which could cost you a big pot if the ace came, and if they hit the flop a little (say bottom pair) their not gonna pay you off anyway, so why take the risk? making a 3-5 x bb raise will probably provoke a call from the limper anyway, and if he doesn't call taking it down preflop is not so bad, especially considering you will miss the flop anyway 2 times out of 3.

(you are out of position so would rather be the pre-flop agressor)
a pre-flop aggressor can raise from any position so if i am out of position why raise? besides the table description says it's tight and taking the number of players into account i can say that the cut off has probably AK or high pair at least and so would be the big blind if he called and what would you do if the big blind reraised you? this will mean AA or kK will you encounter that with AQ, I dont think so, that is why I think a raise will only be justified if you are really low stacked

Small - All in
Mid Stack - 4x BB with a continuation bet no matter the flop
Large stack - 4x BB with a continuation bet no matter the flop

Hmmm...I'm okay with the answer, but not the reasoning. I didn't say much about how the table was playing, only that one player from late position (the cutoff man) folds. It could just be that everyone received hands such as J2o. Anyways, even if the table was tight, I don't think you can put villain on something as solid as AK or better. It's also quite possible that he has something along the lines of AJo, or T9s. As for the big blind..he could have pretty much anything, you don't have any information from him yet, so you can't make any assumptions on his holdings.

Personally, I would raise. Someone limping from late position could have anything, and the big blind will most likely fold (unless your table image is that of a maniac). You now have control post flop, giving you the option of putting in a continuation bet no matter what comes out. If you are reraised at any point, go ahead and fold, but most likely you will get a smooth call at best. You'd expect a raise from the cutoff he held a monster.

I don't think there really is a correct answer, I'm fine with anyone limping or raising in that sort of position, I just wanted to see the various reasons behind the answers

__________________
1st place, March/April 2008 Sunday League

Fault always lies in the same place, my fine babies: with him weak enough to lay blame.