AK/AQ early position

My thoughts...when dealt AK/AQ maybe even AJ in early position you should focus on controlling the size of the pot. This means raising 2-3xBB, putting some pressure on those left to act, but not creating a situation where you are unable to comfortably make a continuation bet on a missed flop.

The reason for my post is lately I have seen quite a bit of weak play by AK/AQ in early position. A player raises 5-6xBB, gets one or two callers, the flop comes all unders and they check/fold??? Why on earth would a player check if they are the initial raiser OOP, it absolutely screams I have AK and I missed the flop. Anyone with AA,KK,QQ is firing on an all under flop. They are strong and they are not going to give out a free card. The only reason I have been able to come up with is players are not controlling the pot and so postflop they find it hard to make a continuation bet out of position that will require them to fire 7+BB when they have nada. Now personally, a CB of 7BB is not a problem at all, but I have seen a ton of people check/fold lately. But, if there are two callers and definitely if there are 3, it is much more difficult to pull the trigger. With 19-25 BB's in the pot, it is not easy to fire a CB.

So I guess that is why I am posting the strategy for discussion, advocating a smaller preflop raise OOP with AK/AQ.

Personally, I never vary my bet into an unopened pot, regardless of what I'm holding. I'll always open for 3xBB. The presence of multiple callers makes it harder to c-bet, but when it works you'll win more, so I figure that kinda balances out.

PokerVic said:

Personally, I never vary my bet into an unopened pot, regardless of what I'm holding. I'll always open for 3xBB. The presence of multiple callers makes it harder to c-bet, but when it works you'll win more, so I figure that kinda balances out.

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I personally take Ted Forrest's line of thinking, mixing up the size of my preflop raises. I find it more difficult for players to read what that means.

I don't like following "book" advice all the time, especially because I want to stand out, rather than playing like a bot. I want players to keep guessing what 2.5x-5x means. Open limping with certain hands when most hate that play (me included in the past... until I witnessed the affect it had on the table).

Unorthodox = confusion = xtra chips being cashed out.

They keep guessing, and thinking I'm a donk... while I sit there, smiling inside, knowing exactly why I do what I do. Nothing Better!

Good luck,
Dayne

Hello sir,

For the AK+ i tend to change the bet size
I play the AQ a bit more foreward but i can lay this one easy down if i don't flop a thing. On a fullring it's more difficult than on a shorthanded although for me.
I like dayne's style there ... he gave a good explanation for that
You still have to know that you're not going to be in a good position..
ALL HANDS ARE DIFFICULT TO PLAY OUT OF POSITION.....


See you soon

neophyzer said:

Hello sir,
I play the AQ a bit more foreward but i can lay this one easy down if i don't flop a thing. ALL HANDS ARE DIFFICULT TO PLAY OUT OF POSITION.....

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This is the point of the post..it is exactly what I am talking about. You see people raise from early position and when the flop hits T75 they check...that screams AK,AQ please bet so I can fold!!!

What neophyzer is saying is in effect if he doesn't hit a flop he is not making a continuation bet.

My counter strategy is to use pot control to allow yourself to make a continuation bet post flop when holding AK/AQ in early position. Instead of raising 5xBB, raise 2-3xBB so post flop you can comfortably make a continuation bet.

Dr_Dick said:

This is the point of the post..it is exactly what I am talking about. You see people raise from early position and when the flop hits T75 they check...that screams AK,AQ please bet so I can fold!!!

What neophyzer is saying is in effect if he doesn't hit a flop he is not making a continuation bet.

My counter strategy is to use pot control to allow yourself to make a continuation bet post flop when holding AK/AQ in early position. Instead of raising 5xBB, raise 2-3xBB so post flop you can comfortably make a continuation bet.

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I agree that you need to continuation bet OOP most of the time, but...

You must mix it up, because if you intend to eventually move up limits, the better players will peg you, and start firing back on these types of flops... testing you big-time. Unless you can re-fire w/ air, you'll have a very difficult time against these players.

You need to be able to check when you miss... and check when you hit. You want your opponents to think, "I remember he put in a big C/R OOP post flop a couple hands ago... is he making that same play again?" (You'll be surprised at how many weak players check behind when you train them to think like this).

Obviously, you also need them to guess, "Is he continuing on the flop because he hit, or because he was the preflop raiser?"

YOU TRAIN THEM TO DO WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO!!!

The only way to attain that type power is to mix up your post flop play. Don't just continue because "the book" said so!

Continue... or don't continue... because YOU said so!

Good luck,
Dayne

Dayne,

I don't disagree, but the post is not really about mixing it up or not. I don't think anyone, including myself is saying any one strategy is to be used exclusively. I'm not advocating with AK/AQ that you never limp or that you never raise 6xBB UTG. I'm also not advocating you push all-in with AK UTG, just to "mix it up".

The post is primarily about pot control and using this to maximize your ability to make a continuation bet or get away from the pot if needed. I see too many players checking on a dry flop, in fact I just left a table where a player bet 10xBB preflop UTG with AJo, was called by A8o, and after the flop it went check, check, check, check, check, check, all the way to the river and AJ picked up the pot.

3xBB no matter where no matter what always.(a)they never know what u have (b) a continuation bet won't bust your bank if you miss the flop (c) you can get away and not be committed to the pot.

I guess both A-J and A-Q must be played like mid-pairs in early position. Bet like 3-4 X BB if U get trippled just fold. If any callers exit, hope to hit the flop good.

The texas dolly is right about hating A-Q.. It is not a huge hand.

And I guess people a little exaggerate the hand and continue betting even they got nothin on the flop.