Ax early position

Hi there,

I play mostly in 6 player sng and I wonder what the viability of play Ax off-suit from early position as well as K-9 K-8 at these smaller tables.

Any imput would be appreciated.

Regards
Mark

Depends on the stage of the SNG. It can be correct to fold, limp (rarely), or raise.

Try posting a hand history or something where you're unsure about your play with Axo.

(Welcome to the forum )

Maybe a limp with the smallest of chips, but any raise would make me consider a fold.

Remember anytime playing Ax or Kx if you do hit on the flop are you losing already because of a weak kicker?.

The more players in a pot also could well mean someone is beating you with a pair of any size if it was a table of limp-ins.

Best to play very rarely and cautiously when you do, if you really have to.

Hi there, welcome to the forum.

Oh, and I'm moving this thread to the Poker Strategy board.

A9 or lower:

With 6 players, I'd play it VERY carefully. Maybe limp in as was stated (in early position). If I get a good size reraise back at me, I'm probably going to fold.

With 6 players, odds are just too good that there are better hands out there. As was said, what could you hope for on the flop - what are you looking for?

Any A pairs you up, but also pairs up someone else. With 6 players, odds are good (especially if you were reraised) that you are beaten. If everyone checks to you, bet a SMALL bet and see if you get a reraise. If no reraises, maybe make a good size cont bet on the turn. The only thing that makes you confident in your hand is 2 pair on the flop (pair up your kicker). With A2, I maybe call a small reraise relative to my chip stack hoping for a Str8 or Str8 draw.

With A10 and up, I still limp in, maybe small reraise, but then I'll play it more agressive if I paired it the A. I'll bet enough to announce I have the A and see if I can win right then, but I won't bet so much to leave me crippled if someone has me beat.

Anyway - as the table gets smaller (3-4) I play it a little looser.

I haven't heard anyone give the most obvious and best answer to this question. Don't play it. There's usually no need to. Better opportunities lay ahead. But, if you must, then limping is almost always wrong from EP. Maybe with SC's if you think you can see a cheap flop. But if you must, then raise. You may win the hand outright. If you do get called by someone in LP then take one good stab at the pot if you flop an Ace. But really, in most cases it's just not worth the aggravation.

I hate playing hands where my kicker could be no good in early position. Weak aces & kings, I almost always try to play them in late position. Early position, gross. However, with a 6 seat SnG, it could easily be the best hand if there's only 3-4 players remaining. I would only play it early position late in the SnG, after I had a good read on my opponents. And play it cautiously.

If you're talking 6-handed, with healthy stacks all 'round, I agree %100. But I can think of several situations you might have to play it; shortstacked, vs a very passive table, or even both for instance.

Say you're dealt A6 in first position with a 600-chip stack and 50/100 blinds - do you really fold here? I think your only option is to push.

Another one might be if you're deeper stacked vs a very passive table with say a 1300 chip stack in that same situation, you might consider to raise like 1/2 the time there.

Like you, FD I also really don't like a limp. I don't think it's %100 wrong, but with the way I play SnGs, it's something I literally never do.

I'd push in that situation too Chuck, but I might be tempted to do the same with A2C (any 2 cards). But I think as a general rule it's safe begginer advice to just stay away from Ax(x<T). Hell, I consider myself SLA and don't feel the need to stick my neck out like that without a good reason, IE a good read or a short stack low M.

Completely agree FD.

I'm definately here to better my game. But I don't understand sometimes why limping is bad?

If it's early and blinds are low, and I have AX or even KX if late position and everyone else limped/folded...I find myself limping. Maybe that's a hole in my game.

But it seems if I bet, someone goes All-In (low stakes : $3). I can't go all-in with it. But if I limp, I can sometimes see the flop on the cheap. If I land a flop that helps me and everyone else stays away from it - I can put some chips in and see if I can win it before the turn.

I'm not arguing on the limping being 100% wrong - just trying to find out why. I understand in home games. We play tourney style with some guys at work and usually have anywhere between 15-25 people on any given weekend. I don't like to limp in there unless I'm just adding a changeup on a high pair. But in general - I don't like to limp.

But online - bets get called so much. So in my mind (flawed?) I have two options with a medium hand - fold (do a lot) or limp. Bet big and you will get called until blinds go up and numbers get small.

Fold Ace rag everytime until down to 2-3 players at which time you start raising, Ace rag is crap!

Well, the question was how to play Ax from EP. That's the difference between late position and early position. Same hand different strategy. You can limp with Ax, or almost any hand from LP because of 2 things, you know your pot odds with little chance of being raised, and you have position after the flop. If the board checks around to you maybe you can bet, but you're going to have to bet hard to thin the field and be willing to let the hand go if the betting picks up on a scary turn or river. I don't play like this myself, because I know through experience and hand histories that I'm better off raising.

Don't forget that 1/2 the game is what your opponents think you have, not what you do have. When you raise, you drive out the weaker hands and when an ace flops, the remaining players will most likely check around to you with weak pairs and drawing hands assuming you have a sharp Ace ('cause they would have raised themselves if they had AK right?). By just limping, or just calling a multi-way pot, you're really going to want to see something better than top pair. By not raising you have in effect made the descision to play your hand as a draw like QJ, essentially handicapping your ace by taking away it's usefulness as a high pair. The only hand I might play this way would be A2 or A3s. As far as the Kx goes, I'd be looking for 6:1 PO's or better, from the button, and not really expecting anything 19 out of 20 times.

Makes sense. Thanks for your input.