Is it too tight folding AJ\KQo OOP to a nit?

When a nit open raises a hand and I am the BB, I have started folding AJo and KQo if everyone else has also folded. I mean why should I play HU OOP if much of his range has me dominated?

I am a fairly loose player actually but I am willing to be very discipled when the situation demands it. And I am trying to play a tighter range OOP.

i dont think ts a crime to fold those hands OOP, just to avoid trouble spots. . Esp if a nit has opened.

Thinker_145 said:

When a nit open raises a hand and I am the BB, I have started folding AJo and KQo if everyone else has also folded. I mean why should I play HU OOP if much of his range has me dominated?

I am a fairly loose player actually but I am willing to be very discipled when the situation demands it. And I am trying to play a tighter range OOP.

Click to expand...

How nitty is nitty? But generally speaking, calling with AJ and KQ OOP especially versus EP open raises from nits will get you in a heap of trouble. Just fold and let them bleed blinds to the rest of the table for being overly tight.

KQ is just dominated in every possible way, AJ does a bit better but still..3bet or fold imo.

Thinker_145 said:

When a nit open raises a hand and I am the BB, I have started folding AJo and KQo if everyone else has also folded. I mean why should I play HU OOP if much of his range has me dominated?

I am a fairly loose player actually but I am willing to be very discipled when the situation demands it. And I am trying to play a tighter range OOP.

Click to expand...

All nits aren't the same. They have different levels of aggression / passivity, different degrees of post-flop ability, different areas of strength and weakness in their games, etc. So it's not simply a matter of always or never playing these hands OOP vs any nit, but of gauging if / when they're playable vs the particular nit who opened.

I look at their bet size... is it a good 'buy'?

Make an estimation of your opponent's range. Always.

How nitty is nitty?

99+
A10+

Pre-flop most of that range is ahead of AJ.

Combinations:

12 hands are 50/50.
15 hands are 70/30.
3 hands are 90/10.
24 hands are 75/25

42 hands are crushing your range. 12 hands are about even (although slight favorites against AJ).

So how many hands total is a nitty nit playing on that range?

Pocket pairs: 27.
A10+: 45.

Maybe throw in KQs (4), KJs (3).

Total hands: 54/70 hands are ahead. 42/70 are way ahead. You're out of position. There's nothing wrong with folding here!

I don't like 3-betting here because you are mostly folding out hands that you are ahead of! You fold another AJ, maybe AQ, 99, TT, POSSIBLY JJ. But otherwise you're folding A10, KJs. QQ, KK, AA, AK, and KQs are probably sticking around. So the only benefit here is that you have strictly narrowed your opponent's range.

Looking at it that way, you can see why RELATIVE value is so important. Playing AJ against a nit for me is that same as playing A4 (actually I might prefer A4s to AJo). You're not looking to hit top pair, you're looking to hit two-pair, a straight, a flush, or some kind of combo draw. It's not that you can't do it, it's just that you have to know what you're up against! 99-KK it's going to be hard to get paid well if an Ace hits. AK and AQ give you pretty bad reverse implied odds if an Ace hits. In most scenarios you're looking for a controlled showdown.

On average, fold those hands against a nit. Your just wasting chips.

Situations where I would call might be if its cheap or my implied odds is somewhat good.

If they open from button or cut off i might play unless they never steal which I doubt but utg-hj is pribably a fold.

facing an early position raise i'd just fold, way too likely we're dominated and playing OOP. If he's stealing a fair amount and opening up wider from LP i'd make a call.

Would do the same and fold these hands oop against a known nit. You have to hit the board perfect to avoid to be dominated most of the times.

OOP folding these hands vs a NIT seems standard, unless you are in the blinds vs a steal - then contemplate raising if he ever opens light.