Big Cards in early position

How do you play big cards out of position? I'm speaking of KQo or Ax suited in the small blind or UTG, do you just smooth call a raise if there was one? if there wasn't a raise do you bring it in for a raise and hope you don't have to check the flop. does it matter how many limpers are in the pot as to the value of your hand. this seems to happen a lot in cash/nl tourneys and i always feel like i am stuck calling a raise or just folding, or do you only play premium AA,KK,QQ, AK suited from early and let the rest go? thanks in advance.
Xandit

I fold those hands ;]

you talking limit or nolimit?

They may be worth raising if only one limper came in the pot, if there is a raise you gotta fold. You are out of position going against a raiser, not a good place to be.

If there are a lot of callers and your in the small blind I would call as well and hope the flop hits me hard, otherwise fold on the flop.

Generally though those hands in that position are trouble, you will be best to get rid.

Xandit you need to redefine what you mean by "BIG" cards, Ax and KQo are not big cards, in any position, these hands can rarely if ever stand a raise, unless the game is shorthanded. Heads up these hands become "BIG" cards.

Have a good look around the different posts on starting hands, trust me youll look back on this thread in 6months time and have a nice giggle for yourself.

If I was dealt these cards, I would just call. If there was a raise, I would call unless the raise was half my stack or it was an all-in. :hello:

If I'm playing late in a tourney and there aren't many people left, I tend to not play KQo or Axs at all unless I'm in a great position to bluff if I need to. In the earlier rounds, its much harder to throw these hands away (when the blinds are so small), so I tend to just call and see what comes on the flop. With a decent raise coming my way, i'll be looking to dump my hand.

Probably the most profitable lesson I have learned is to tighten up CONSIDERABLY to preflop raises, regardless of the opponent, to the point where about 5 hands are playable and then smooth calling is rarely correct a reraise is most often appropriate! One reason for this is you want to be in control of the hand not reacting. Also you should play many fewer hands in early poistion as opposed to late position reason being in late position you have the benefit of what your opponents haave done in regards to their bets. So play ultra tight early and to preflop raises.

UTG and the blinds are completely different situations. From the blinds I am more likely to play middle suited connectors and gappers along with small pairs against several limpers, or even a small raise. Pot odds alone make those hands profitable. High unpaired hands are too likely to be dominated.
I'm likely to raise 3 to 4x BB against one or even two limpers. If anyone hangs around check. Your almost always looking at a pair. Most other hands would have raised pre-flop or folded post flop.
UTG you just cannot restrict yourself to AA-QQ. I step in with 3xbb with any top 10% hand. Unless I'm out of position against more than one caller I'm going to bet-out on the flop almost every time.

You can limp with kq utg or even raise it if your playing at a very tight table. You are going to need at least at suited to even consider playing it early in position and then only just call. It mainly depends on the type of table your at tight or loose whether or not you play these hands.