AQ facing two raises, no limit tournament

DailyHandQuiz

Game type: $150 freezeout, PokerStars
Stage of tourney: Mid stages
Avg stack: 5k
Your image: Aggressive
Opponent’s image: Same
Your hand: A♥Q♥

The setup: You’ve been playing a lot of pots in this no limit tournament and have a stack that’s over 2x the average when the following hand comes up.

The table folds to you on the button and you make it 500 to go. The SB shoves for about 1900 total and the BB reships for a little under 5k.

What’s your play with AQ?

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14 COMMENTS (Jump to comment form)

DHQ Staff

You’re playing two pots here – a main pot worth about 4500 and a side pot worth about 2900. However, in general the SB should have a far weaker hand than the BB, so when you win the side pot, you’re probably winning the main pot as well.

Ranges: The SB is probably in here pretty wide with a 10BB stack and your image, but he doesn’t have any fold vig, so he’s not in with garbage. Lots of pairs, aces and big broadway is my guess.

The BB is likely aware that both of you can be light and is iso-ing with stronger aces and medium to big pairs.

Against those ranges you have about 33% equity and you’re getting a good bit under 2-1 to call. For the sidepot, you probably have about 42% equity or so. Without doing the sidepot math, I’d guess this is probably a slightly -EV call, but the chance to add over 50% to your stack and still have a very playable stack if you’re wrong might tip it to a call.

If you think the SB or BB are especially loose, that makes this a call as well. Tighten them up a bit and you’re looking at a fold.

What actually happened: You called and were shown KT by the SB and JJ by the BB. KT made a straight to win the pot; JJ made a set for the side pot.

[Reply]

kaimano

With only 500$ invested, I fold as fast as light!

[Reply]

_CityBorn_

I fold…..we’re beat and could be sharing outs if we’re up against an underpair. Id rather not put 5k on this hand. And like the staff said, the guy with the bigger stack is the one with the stronger hand….makes for a tough to win sidepot.

Theyll have to show anyway, so Ill see if theyre reraising light cause of my image and use that info in later hands when Im in late position.

[Reply]

samo2

I voted fold. Likely ahead of SB. Given the hero’s image, may be ahead of BB, but too risky going further with AQ. Little invested, so move-on.

[Reply]

catcher

Given the circumstances I don’t think it is such an obvious fold at all. Yes, you could be sharing outs and yes, someone is likely in with a pair. However, taking into the account that we were raising with a stronger end of our distribution we are actually doing fine equity-wise, as both SB and BB can be expected to be pushing and isolating relatively light here. And, like staff pointed out, we do have a stack to play with.

In any case, calling here is definitely not a spewy play. If you dislike volatility, fold away – I personally would be very tempted to call.

[Reply]

dick

fold

[Reply]

insane

Call

[Reply]

caleb

call

[Reply]

CIRCASURVIVE

CALLLLLL

[Reply]

Anonymous

non suited = fold.
suited = call, thus call

[Reply]

Luizeba

easy fold o.o

2 guys all-in…or u took down the 2, or they take a half of your stack -.-

[Reply]

livohim

obvious fold. You have too much chips to risk loosing half of the stack against midlle pair or a bigger ace.

[Reply]

Panda

I wonder if you had less chips ( wheather they would make a diffrence)

[Reply]

Loki

Fold fold fold. Against two opponents you would have to hit to win here because you are starting with ace high and the chance of neither opponent improving to beat ace high is tiny.
Finally, the BB isn’t re-raising, he/she is re-re-raising. Smells like AKs or a big pair to me.

[Reply]