The Ace-Jack Offsuit Debate

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rulist1

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There are many speculations about this hand. Some people love it while others hate it. Some people play it wrong while others seem to play it right. But why are people scared of this hand? Why do people overplay this hand? What is the right way to play it?

Let me propose a theory. There are 52 cards in a deck, 2,598,560 different possible 5 card hands and 15 possible hands (unregarding suit) namely AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT, 99, 88, 77, 66, 55, 44, 33, 22, AK and AQ. At a regular 9-man table there is a 1 in 9 chance that your opponent has one of these 15 hands. Would Ace-Jack then be considered a terrible hand compared to the other 154 starting hand combinations or would it be considered gold? What is your opinion and how would you play it given a scenario?
 
SouthparkSith

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By logic yes it would be a high value hand however because of those other hands and ones that aren't mentioned mainly K/Q K/J Q/J and even J/10 especially these suited depending on your board A/J while strong tends to get you in a trouble. In my opinion it's kind of like this:
All of those hands I just mentioned additional especially suited are well within a lot of players range more so the closer to the button you get without a raise. A/J isn't really a hand your going to want to push really hard with Pre. Most of these hands aren't going to fold to the type of raise you would make with Ace jack. They my even be the raiser. Now if you don't bingo an ace. While you may have top kick if the board has a jack and any kind of connection. You're probably beat or in danger of being beat. Even if you get an great flop let's say J 7 2 rainbow. You really like your hand right? Now look at it like this:
Pocket 7/2 either one your basically toast, even if you did get the trips Kings queens aces all still beat you. And any calls to your pot sized or close bet if a K/Q/10/ or even nine come off a bigger pair or 2 pair all make sense? Last but not least there's always the looming possibility that middle pair sees a card with 6/7 Clubs or 7/8 diamonds. It's just not a hand that I think holds up well most of the time? If it does hold up it's not usually a hand you're going to get a lot of value out of unless you out flop a hand like A/Q or king and they decide to be stubborn. With a board like AJ/10 or something. I feel like that maybe more than what you were looking for? Hopefully it helps?
 
SouthparkSith

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Quick note. I ment to say even if your opponent didn't hit trips.
 
SoCalGrndR1

SoCalGrndR1

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AJ for me is very situational.
You are playing against a range of other hands that are likely ahead of your hand or have the potential to improve and beat your hand. SpS gave really good specific detail on the challenges that face AJ.
It is hand that needs to hit the board really hard to have any confidence with. Without hitting the board you will have to play very defensive / passive.
I thinks AJ best use is to steal blinds (in the right situation).


SoCal
 
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Rolco

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The probability of getting one of those starting hands would be 15/169 rather than 1/9, would it not?

Playing AJ is fine in many spots; your question completely ignores the behavior of the other players on the table which would help dictate whether you would play AJ in any circumstance. This is a very vague question.
 
oneybiggs

oneybiggs

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Playing ace anything except king is always going to lead to tricky decisions and utmost use of all information available and can often lead to either taking a gamble or folding.I have found with AJ AQ many times when the bettings kind of half paced and you get to the river in the fold or gamble situation....the opponent may well have the same hand.taken some years to recognise that when it occurs but the tells are always similar.if I'm reasonably certain at that stage I'll push and try to steal the pot.
 
flathead

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Yes it all comes down to position and circumstances in my opinion, but *in general* I think it probably makes sense to throw out a medium raise and see how other players react. If you get called, fine you get to see a flop with a decent chance of hitting a leading hand. If you get re-raised then beware. If all other players fold and you end up with the blinds then no harm done. It can make it a difficult hand to get much value out of though.
This is a massive generalization, it really all depends on how tight/loose/passive/aggressive your opponents are (I suppose that goes for most hands you'd consider playing anyway).
I'd just use the mid-sized raise as a reference point and adapt according to how the game is unfolding.
 
Maikychan

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AJ is a very marginal hand and I think it works more like repush (-25bb) on loose-aggressive players who give many open raises.
 
Ryan Laplante

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Its strong enough to be a raise utg at a fullring table without antes at all stack sizes.

So it is 1 of the stronger hands. And one I rarely fold unless facing a large 3b.
 
Luvepoker

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The truth of the mater is how you play it post flop. AJ is a solid hand Pre-flop but once the flop hits if you don't play smartly you can get into trouble just like with many stronger hands. I will bet a lot of the time for 3 streets of value with top pair of jacks but will be carefully doing it. If I get to much action or worse 3 bet I will need to re evaluate if I can or should continue with the hand depending on the player or players still in the hand. With top pair of an ace I will bet as well but will be a bit more careful as I could have a kicker problem.
 
pancho_1954

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I think it should not be overvalued, AJ is a hand a little complicated, I play depending on the situations that arise and often following my instinct, I always try to play it very carefully
 
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thejuice1

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to me this is simple. AJ off is a fine raising hand, be it in early or late position.
But unless I have someones stack covered by many times, its a hand I am going to fold, nearly instantly, to either a singular raise and/or calls or multiple raises and/or calls, every single time. Its just to often not only beaten but dominated. I don't really vary on that from hand to hand regarding this particular holding.
 
Alekxandrovi3

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It all depends on the species of the tournament and your opponent. If you play this hand gipperturbo tournament is very strong. If you are playing a regular MTT then it is also a strong hand. In the early stages you will face with hands Aa Kk Qq Ak Aq here your Aj will be vulnerable. At a later stage it's pretty strong hand. There are opponents who play only the hands of monsters and Ak aq against them this hand will always be weaker than against other players.
 
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I am also one of those people who are scared of AJ, as if you get A on the flop, it is really hard to get rid of the hand, as you may have the highest pair, but at the same time opponent might have even stronger high card than your J even though chances are slim, they still exist. I usually play it if there was no more than 3BB, but if there was too much aggression pre-flop, i'm most than not out of the hand. However, it depends also how many people are playing the hand, as you may win big at the same time. I believe it is not certain case every game, so needs more thinking based on who you are playing against and their style
 
German629

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Hi rulist! If to say very shortly: AJ (suit and offsuit) are most unlucky cards for me!
How many times I promised yourself not to play with these cards!.. But, sometimes,
I'm play anyway... And almost always I lose again... May be after this post I finish
eventually to play with these cards?.. Time shows...:rolleyes::cool:
 
makisaa

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AJ off suite is a nice couple of cards, but it is not from the strongest and the hottest. Because of these I play it rarely, and when I decide to open it I must be very carefull. How nice when another two J appear on the deck, or another A J! Or when the opponed opened his A5 suited and just an ace appears on board among useless other cards!:D:D
 
yomarianob

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AJo is a great hand in late positions, I always open with it. From early positions I still open, but you have to be very carefull.

I'm also using it as a 3Bet bluff lately against middle-late open raisers.
 
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