Quote:
Originally Posted by Nogyong
I think I'm always opening AK/AQ from ep. Whether I open AJs depends on the table. At a 9-handed table, usually folding AT from ep without too much thought. If stacks are deep, and if I feel the table is weak enough, I guess I'll sometimes raise ATs from ep.
It's too complicated to go into what my plan will be for different flop textures.
No limping in with ATs? Even on a crazy table, can't we at least limp it from early and not go crazy on an Ace or Ten high board.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisV
AJs in a raised pot 4-5 ways is a great spot. The offsuit hands it's a lot less good but it's still far from horrible.
I always muck ATo UTG. I typically raise AJo, but will fold it under some circumstances. Virtually always raising ATs+ and AQo+. I will also limp, raise or maybe even limp reraise smaller suited aces depending on the game conditions. I'm always opening 5x, I'm not sure I'm a fan of huge raises from UTG for a couple reasons - firstly you have a positional disadvantage, so you don't really want to pump huge money into the pot. Secondly, your UTG raising range is strong, so you don't really want to blast everyone out of the pot.
In general it's possible to open a bit looser in LLSNL than in more serious games because the game plays so passively. Preflop, this means you don't get threebet much, which is a huge plus when opening light. Postflop, from early position, hands tend to be worth a bit more because people are not very aggressive, which means positional disadvantage is less severe.
There's nothing wrong with raises getting called 4-5 ways from UTG. It's not ideally what you want with AJo, but it should still be a profitable spot. You could try raising more, but you want to be sure the cure isn't worse than the disease.
If it goes 4-5 ways I'm typically check folding if I don't hit anything. There's nothing wrong with that. All else being equal, you only expect to win 20% of pots 5 ways. That you have a slightly better hand than anyone else doesn't entitle you to win much more than 20%.
I'm following majority of what you just said as a default strategy with ATs+, ATo has been an almost insta much, AJo is the in between hand. And, I've been mostly folding for reasons you outlined above. It creates a 4-5 ways pot and I've experimented opening 5-7x pre with AJo. On this note, I'm folding KQo from early, and KJs as well.
The game that I play in is so soft that I'm wondering if I should be in there with ATo/AJo when the game is tight enough.
- Develop a limping range with ATo/AJo?
- Open for 2x with ATo/AJo?
If the table is tight enough, I'm almost always limping suited Ax.
Any part of my range here from early I can clean up even more?