AK-AQ in blinds?

[roy3]

Hi all!

How do you guys play AK and AQ from the blinds?
Some players don't like raising these OOP, but perhaps that is a decent move if there are just 1-2 limpers in the pot. Logic: you'd possibly drive some limper off and be able to take the pot on any flop with a continuation bet (often likely to be a value bet).

Alternatively, with more limpers having entered the pot, a limp (SB)/check(BB) might be better since weak players tend to limp into pots with AJ and worse Ax hands. You'd dominate these hands and stand to win nicely.

Thoughts on these situations appreciated!

Roy3

[DimitriT]

It really depends on how many limpers I have, what position they limped from and what their style of play is. The problem with raising from the blinds is that if you miss the flop, you are at a disadvantage.

If you have been playing a tight game and have shown down strong hands and have been getting respect from your PFRs and you are up against players who have folded to PFRs on a regular basis, and there's only a few of them, and they're in late position, etc, etc. Then a raise is a good play (especially with AK). OTOH, if you feel you will get called anyway, why raise. You will commit more chips and will likely miss the flop and have to check to the late position plrs.

The only other reason to raise is if you feel your opp. is making a move on the blinds. Then a reraise is a good play to defend your blinds.

But if you are seeing 3 limpers from OOP who likely have strong hands (high cards or pkt pairs) chances are they will call you anyway and will have position on you after the flop. Here I may just check and see the flop. If you connect with the flop, its a great opportunity to check-raise since you've effectively disguised your hand.

[outphase]

In most situations, I almost always raise AK because it's too strong compared to other hands preflop, AQ and AJ i'll sneak in because position sucks. I raise with AK because the hands I want to stay in are hands I have dominated (a weak ace or KT, KJ etc)

[journey075]

im a fan of making a larger-than-normal raise from the blinds with big cards such as AK/AQ. that way i compensate for shitty position later by squeezing in as much money as possible while i still have late position preflop. chances are if you raise large from the blinds into an unraised pot youll just take it down right there anyway.

[jmontis]

If it's a 3-4 way pot, i sometimes won't even raise here. It's nice when the other guy flops TP with KJo and you have AK

[Rondavu]

Early in a SnG I'll limp it. Later on when blinds get high I might go all in to pick up dead money since everyone expressed weakness by limping. Picking up a 500-600 chip pot without seeing a flop from the blinds is very helpful.

[heatman]

I like the raise option if there are all limpers. I like to look for "safe" ways to show that you shouldn't screw with my blinds. I make the raise big enough to win right there-I'd prefer not to show down. I want the table thinking that the blinds are mine and that they should leave them alone.

[BobbySalami]

Coming from the micro-limit point of view.....I have recently found that playing AK-AQ out of the blinds or in EP, it is good to limp and call raises with these hands.....not too many people will put you on a strong ace limping in preflop....And if you miss, you dont have to continuation bet, you can just let it go......Different story in M-LP though.

But again, this is micro-limit play...dont know if this holds up for all limits.

[EricE]

Coming from the micro-limit point of view.....I have recently found that playing AK-AQ out of the blinds or in EP, it is good to limp and call raises with these hands.....not too many people will put you on a strong ace limping in preflop....And if you miss, you dont have to continuation bet, you can just let it go......Different story in M-LP though.

But again, this is micro-limit play...dont know if this holds up for all limits.

Same as you, I tried this the last couple of sessions. It worked really well. I found that when I hit I could take down a bigger pot because they don’t put you on a strong pair or a strong kicker since you didn’t raise. I use it when there have been a number of voluntary folds. If there are too many people in PF I still raise it up…often that is not the case.