KQo out of position

[samircyber9]

So I was watching someone play recently, and multiple times I saw them raise in EP with KQo. They weren't short stacked, so they weren't forced to raise.

Maybe it's from my ICM push/shove analysis, where I learned that you almost never shove with anything UTG, but I've never thought KQo was a very good EP starting hand.

Looking at a couple of opening hand charts, I see one that includes KQo from UTG and one that does not.

And how about in the SB? I saw the player raise once from there with KQo even with the button limping.

Thoughts? Am I being overly harsh on KQo in EP? Or is it one of those hands that is a maybe/maybe not scenario, so no big deal either way?

 

[Joe]

hands like KQo are perhaps good hands to play from UTG/EP for balance... :wink:

Also players are going to have a wide range playing from the button so I can understand raising over a button limp from SB also. :smile:

 

[nuttea]

So I was watching someone play recently, and multiple times I saw them raise in EP with KQo. They weren't short stacked, so they weren't forced to raise.

Maybe it's from my ICM push/shove analysis, where I learned that you almost never shove with anything UTG, but I've never thought KQo was a very good EP starting hand.

Looking at a couple of opening hand charts, I see one that includes KQo from UTG and one that does not.

And how about in the SB? I saw the player raise once from there with KQo even with the button limping.

Thoughts? Am I being overly harsh on KQo in EP? Or is it one of those hands that is a maybe/maybe not scenario, so no big deal either way?

I prefer to limp, so often we will be dominated, because it is not known what the players after us have in their hands. It would be much better if KQ were suited, then you can raise. Post-flop everything is simple, if we didn’t catch a monster, but just a pair with a good kicker, then if the opps don’t fall off ideally on continuation bets, it makes sense to put down only two streets, say the flop and the river (depending on the situation). The main idea is that the main thing is to inflate the pot, because a pair is not a hand to play for a stack. The main thing is to control the bank. For example, if a pair is caught on the flop, we bet the flop, check the turn if possible, and if no one showed aggression, we try to get on the river.

 

[alien666dj]

Our early position opening range should either narrow or widen depending on our opponents and their play lines.

 

[darkvick]

I like to play this hand, but any re-raise pre-flop I fold. Simple

 

[Joselmb31]

That hand is very tempting, especially when it is suited, but you have to know how to play it depending on the position, for example, that hand in UTG is always a fold, but in CO or BTN it is open raise. All hands with study learn to play...

 

[rock0001]

I will almost always open raise with kq in early position, however if there is a 3 bet i might consider folding the hand.

 

[Amanda A]

Yes I would open KQo in early position and jam it in early position on 10 BB. Also probably not a bad hand to 3bet from blinds against wide late position open on 50BB or so.