AQ TT raise size in middle phase

    • pobe27mo
      pobe27mo
      Bronze
      Joined: 22.01.2011 Posts: 13
      Hi all

      I'm new here so please be cool. I've been studying the articles and have a question about the starting hands AQ and TT in the middle phase of a SNG.

      Suppose you have 14 BB, so raise size should be 2.5BB + 1 BB per caller. You are in late position so you can raise with this hand, but there have been 5 callers. As the raise size should be 7.5BB or more than half your stack, should you go all-in or should you play it safe, call to see if you hit the flop, or reduce the size of your raise?

      Thanks
  • 5 replies
    • joeldowey123
      joeldowey123
      Bronze
      Joined: 09.06.2010 Posts: 961
      im more of a cash game player, but if it were me, id push the TT and limp with AQ and evaluate the board texture

      but like i said, i dont really play SNGs, only for a bit of fun!
    • joeldowey123
      joeldowey123
      Bronze
      Joined: 09.06.2010 Posts: 961
      in the middle phase there shouldnt be that many players anyway, maybe 5-6 USUALLY, sometimes if its a tighter table then yeah, its still FR, but generally there wont be that many limpers in the middle stages

      your question depends on a lot of variables - are the players loose, will the call an all in with Ax against our TT, or will the fol more, will the blinds def fold etc, is there a short stack limping in and you wont get much fold equity

      lots to consider really
    • ghaleon
      ghaleon
      Black
      Joined: 17.10.2007 Posts: 5,940
      In this example you should shove basically always. First limper might have strong hand he is trapping with, but most of times those who limp after him has mediocre hands. If everyone folds we get 6.5bb without showdown. In small buyin games you might see quite frequently limp-call with some smallish pocket pair. But that is not a problem even with AQ. There is still dead chips quite much in the pot so flipping is ok result. Not something we want to see though, but combined with fold equity it's profitable spot.

      With hand like KK+ you might consider to raise e.g. to 6bb as your hand is not that vulnerable.

      It doesn't matter if some short stack has limped as our shove/raise range definitely crush his range (+dead chips).
    • pzhon
      pzhon
      Bronze
      Joined: 17.06.2010 Posts: 1,151
      If your normal small raise would be more than 1/4-1/3 of the effective stack depth, it is often right to push instead.

      Open-pushing for 10 bb to attack a pot of 1.5 bb is not that different from pushing for 15 bb after a couple of players limp to make the pot 3.5 bb. The amount you risk is actually smaller in relation with the reward. Sometimes it can be right to push an even wider range after limpers, but be careful that some bad players like to limp/call with mediocre hands like QTs, 33, and A5o, so try not to push hands that do too badly against hands like these if your read is that you may get a crazy call.

      After several limps, it is reasonable to push for much more than 15 bb. You should be inclined to push larger amounts if you are in the blinds, so that playing a multiway pot out of position is not a great option.

      If there is a short stack who will get good odds to call, this reduces the amount of dead money in the pot, which means you should not push quite as widely even if you expect to be ahead of the short stack's range.
    • pobe27mo
      pobe27mo
      Bronze
      Joined: 22.01.2011 Posts: 13
      Ok thanks guys. Some interesting stuff here, I was hoping for a simple x or y answer, but as I am starting to see, to progress from the basic strategy you have to take more variables into consideration.

      It's interesting how with an even stronger hand, as you say KK, you can play less aggressive I guess so you perhaps get one or two callers and win more chips.

      And I am seeing from my play how you have to be wary of the short stack, if they get a chance to go all-in against only one player they will often go for it.

      Hopefully I'll get to read the silver level articles soon, looks like theres some good stuff in there too.

      Thanks for all your responses.