How do you play QJ?

[Ragequit]

I'm going with most of the herd on this one. Any of the 5 "Brunson" trouble hands {KQ KJ KT QJ QT} need to be played with the utmost caution. The risk of reverse implied odds situations and stack murder are high when the flop comes Kxx, Qxx etc. I'm definitely mucking these in EP during high M unless they're suited in which case I will occasionally limp or open with them depending on the situation and the opps behind me. I use 'Suitedness' to decide whether to play them or not. That basically means I auto-muck 75% of them and play the other 25%. Being suited means that they can flop flush draws which provides some extra backup equity, in case I get to the flop dominated. I'll normally continue as normal on the flop OOP but will fold to any heavy action. If my opponent smooth calls the flop then I'm checking the turn. If they then bet into me, I will use the size of that bet to determine my next move. If I think they're just floating for one street and trying to pick off a bluff, then I might call and see the river. But if it goes much further than that or I get re-raised then I'm strongly leaning towards folding. My goal with these hands is to play a small pot with a cheap showdown or not at all. If I'm in late position or in the blinds, then I may complete or call behind several limpers when there are passive fish or nits in the blinds. If any sort of squeezing, heavy 3betting action has been happening behind me then I don't get involved unless the odds are good. Really, i'm looking to hit a flush draw or straight flush draw type board. I don't value top pair with these hands and am ready to fold with them facing big bets. Now if I flop two pair and the board is two or three suited and connected, then I will play my two-pair fast and bet over the pot to deny drawing hands the correct odds to continue. By doing this I can punish my opponent for their draw and charge the maximum for them to break me. Overall, my advice with {KQ KJ KT QJ QT} is to go into the hand first assuming that you're already beaten. And then look for evidence to contradict this. Don't commit a large portion of your stack until you are confident that your hand is not dominated. A small flop raise is a good way to check this early, and save many more chips you would have lost on later streets. One caveat: Once the blinds are starting to get huge and M has got very small then I will open up my range more in late position. There will be times when you won't have the luxury of removing these hands from your range. In these situations, when the pot odds are greater than 2:1 then you'll just need to use judgement facing ships vs. blinds etc. Sometimes the money is going in whether you like these hands or not.


R

 

[PHX]

One of those hands you cannot get too attached too or sturborn post flop must be willing to fold it even if you hit.

Here is when I play it:
>20BB single raise pot
>40BB 3bet pot
<20BB single raise pot from blinds or late position
Call <60% stack shove pre from late position
Shove <15BB over single raise pre from late position against active player
Open Shove <15BB pre from middle to late position

 

[IamVALHALLA]

I'm going with most of the herd on this one

Have you by any chance written a book?
That's 2 very good posts I've read by you and would read more. Very good advice here that I will also take on-board.

 

[Kingpoetmusic]

QJ offsuit is a tough hand. I recommend playing it suited rather than off suit it opens up your percentages alot more. I recommend seeing a flop cheap instead of calling any raises or raising with this hand.

You gotta watch the board and watch out for hands that can easily have you dominated.

You want to see a flop like 789, 910x 10Kx, QJx, 108A, 1087.... 8910 rainbow...

 

[Ragequit]

Have you by any chance written a book?
That's 2 very good posts I've read by you and would read more. Very good advice here that I will also take on-board.

Not yet my friend, right now I'm too busy soaking up all the great articles and wisdom here on Cardschat. This is a community of so much sick advice and experience. Great to be here.

R

 

[vpashuta]

Depends on position - it's a crap starting hand so be cautious . I think you're playing it perfectly by folding 9/10 times.

 

[3betfish]

So many variables... but if I had to answer in a simplified way, you play it if you think you have the best hand preflop (which is determined by actions before you).

 

[ederato]

Even though it is a strong hand, the QJ, like AK, AQ, AJ, A-10 can be defeated by a simple pair of 2. Since you do not know how the other player will behave, a 3-bet or 4-bet initially will already eliminate some players from this hand. And after that is to analyze what comes on the board. If the board is good, raise bets or play safer to try to extract a good amount of chips.

 

[Caryn]

I mean if there is no preflop action I might limp to see the flop in late position...

 

[SeriousBizzness]

everyone here is pretty muc h right. i dont like the hand personally. but i also try to watch the board. if i get qj and on the last hand q and j boated up, or a ace high straight just hit the board, then ill fold em. but if i havent seen them for a while and i think that they might be due, ill play it . but not too aggressivly.

 

[bkkblues99]

Imo QJ is a drawing hand (by drawing I mean ideally drawing for a straight or flush, not pair) and does well multi-ways in early stages, specially if suited. But as others pointed out, don't get married to it, specially if u hit a single pair. In those cases try for a cheap showdown, if not possible, fold.

In early/mid stages, 25-50++ BB deep, I try to see cheap flops, in position, preferably being the RFI or flatting an EP/MP RFI from HJ/CO/BU. I usually avoid calling from SB/BB.

But these are just general stuff. Other variables must be considered and sometimes QJs can be a monster. (Think 6 handed, folded to you on CO, wtih two weak players on the blinds).

 

[Forbesy604]

play it in late position like others have said

 

[Paya_31]

Hello, I play depending on the position, as I can match or can double the main bet. Depending on the stak rivals. And considering the gameplay leading opponents at the table also make bets before the flop. But be very careful with this kind of hands. Greetings.

 

[Paya_31]

Imo QJ is a drawing hand (by drawing I mean ideally drawing for a straight or flush, not pair) and does well multi-ways in early stages, specially if suited. But as others pointed out, don't get married to it, specially if u hit a single pair. In those cases try for a cheap showdown, if not possible, fold.
In early/mid stages, 25-50++ BB deep, I try to see cheap flops, in position, preferably being the RFI or flatting an EP/MP RFI from HJ/CO/BU. I usually avoid calling from SB/BB.
But these are just general stuff. Other variables must be considered and sometimes QJs can be a monster. (Think 6 handed, folded to you on CO, wtih two weak players on the blinds).

Very good what you said, they are letters drawing, in the early parts of the game tournaments in the same way. Now my question is how you play the Torne half? And before the bubble of a tournament such hands?

 

[bkkblues99]

Very good what you said, they are letters drawing, in the early parts of the game tournaments in the same way. Now my question is how you play the Torne half? And before the bubble of a tournament such hands?

During later stages I always feel it's an OK hand to RFI (Raise first in) from late postions. But depends so much on so many factors. Stack sizes, not just your own but of the BU & Blinds. Is it a bounty tournament?

So for example, on the bubble of a bounty tournament, you have 35BB, it's folded to you, on CO you 2.5X with QJs, the BU flats, the SB, with 7 BB shoves. What do you do? I'll probably overshove or fold depending on how they (the SB & BU) have been playing.

This is just an example. Play optimum according to stack sizes, position, ICM and villain stats.

 

[beatlebug]

I have played these hands differently on certain occasions. If I am in the late position, I will limp in, however, if I know I am calling someone who is overly aggressive, I just may go all in on the push....I have gotten good results as this hand is one that can make you money...

 

[TonioArmani]

I randomize my play so table dont hav a good read on me, almost like 3 personalities in my head. I switch between agressive, tight and by-d-book player.If its time for agressive, then I play QJ regardless of position. But I always try to remember, its still a trap hand and should b willing to fold.

 

[Nathan Smith]

You should try to stop thinking like this: how do I play xx hand?

QJ or pretty much any hand can be played in so many different ways depending on the situation.


For example: You could fold it most of the time from early position in a normal tournament environment. Against weak opponents and if you have a good stack/image it could be an open.
It could be a call in late position against a mid position open. It could be a 3bet against a loose opening player. Against a tight early position open it could be a clear fold against their open.


My advice is to start thinking what would my range of hands look like in this situation and do that. Just make sure your range has a balance of value and bluffs.
Note that your value and bluffs should change depending on effective stack sizes / no of people in the hand or people left to act behind you.


It's like the old - how do I play AK. Same thing - a lot of the time you are happy getting it all in preflop and other times you fold. Sometimes post flop you can make the nuts and sometimes you only have Ace high. The same logic applies to every possible hand.

 

[Erase209]

I play this hand only in late position

 

[dimon4ik89]

I agree with you, this hand in most cases brings a lot of problems.

I agree with you, this hand in most cases brings a lot of problems. I call her in late position, or raise at a late position if all the players have made a pass before me. In the middle and early position, I always do the pass. If someone raises, you should always fold this hand, because even if you hit the flop, you will most likely lose on the kicker. Similarly, the hand of KQ, it needs to be played the same way as QJ.

 

[arnaldo]

Hello all from brazil,

I like to play QJ mainly IP and against players who had a good % to fold to cbets. I'd never checked in my stats, but it looks likes this hand had a huge reserve implied odds % too.


Best regards,

Arnaldo