Hi Guys,

I dont post much, but wanted to post a preflop situation my friend played this weekend.

1/2NL live, he originally bought in for $200 but is now down to $75.

So there are 3 or 4 limpers as he described and he has A5o on the button, maybe even suited but I am not sure it much matters.

He says that he didn't think anyone was that strong and he wanted to raise and find out. He decided to make it $15 leaving him with $60 behind.
Is this ever any good if you are playing fundamentally sound poker and not just wanting to gamble because you can rebuy?

Your thoughts would be appreciated and also any alternative plays he could have made.

Thanks!

Before others get here and troll (which they will cus he has 75 bucks left and kinda deserves a troll) he should just shove or limp pre. Raising to 15 and folding to an all in is totally ret@rded.

Raise/folding is theoretically ok. It's really just a math question. If the pot size is currently $100 and you have $60 to call then (total pot of $160) then you can fold if you are worse than 37% vs villains range which is actually super likely.

The problem here is that you should never be raising in this spot. A5off is not a very good hand and far too often live players limp both their suited Aces as well as hands as strong as AK/AQ/AJ/AT. Also, as a short stack it can be advantageous to keep the pot small pre as it will be very easy to play for stacks postflop if we hit good.

Limping isn't terrible but in general this hand will get you in some very marginal spots and I think folding here is good. Definitely overlimp a suited ace as it plays quite well on various boards and as a short stack you can still put a lot of pressure on opponents (causing players with made hands to fold while getting calls from inferior draws).

No, the play made in this HH is never any good.


Fold pf is really the only good alternative play.