SCENARIO 25
Suppose you are on the button with introduction:
The blinds are $10-$25. Solid Sam opens for $100 and Tight Ted calls to his left. Everyone folds to you on the button no limit holdem.
What's Your Move?
A. Call
B. Fold
C. Raise to $300
Analysis
Big Slick is a playable hand in a lot of situations, but this time two of your opponents have already entered the pot for a raise. Further, you know from observing their playing poker styles that neither of them ordinarily enters a pot without a premium hand. If one of them has A-A or K-K, you would be a huge dog.
Your best poker strategy is to fold (B). You have nothing invested, why get involved?
SCENARIO 26
Now suppose you are in the button with:
With the blinds at $10-$25, action Al brings it in for a raise of $100 from first position loose Louie calls Behind him and everyone else folds to you.
What's Your Move?
A. You're a-o
B. Fold
C. Raise to $300
Analysis
You're A-K looks Better in this scenario because neither Action All nor Loose Louie necessarily have to have big hands to enter the pot no limit holdem poker game. Naturally, either of them could have a big hand, but you know that they are very capable of playing card game that are inferior to you're A-K. You've seen them play hands like A-J, A-Q, and K-Q in similar situations. If the flop comes with an ace, they will be in trouble if they are holding an ace with a high low poker kicker. Ditto for a flop with a king in it. Your best strategy is to call and see the flop (A).
Big Connected Cards
How to Play A-Q
In the early stages of the tournament while the blinds are low, limp with A-Q when you are in early position. A-Q is a hand you can get in trouble with when an ace comes on the flop and someone else has A-K, giving them a better kicker. When you are next to or on the button and no one has entered the pot, raise to three or four times the size of the big blind shifting online poker thinking.
The value of A-Q changes as the blinds increase. You will hold only so many premium hands during a tournament and, in order to stay alive in the higher rounds, you will have to pick up some blinds and antes. Although A-Q isn't a premium hand, it is one that you can raise with after the blinds get higher. You can start making a normal raise of three to four times the bigs blinds after the blinds reach the $50-$100 and higher levels glossary.
Before you raise with A-Q, take into account your opponents' style of play. For example, do they defend their blinds or will they give them up without a fight? This is a very important factor to consider. (If you have an ace or queen in your hand, it lowers the chance that other players have a pair of aces or queens.) This is the type of hand that you can play strongly when you are in trouble and need to make a move.
SCENARIO 27
Suppose you are in first position with:
The blinds are $10-$25, and you have $1,000 in chips.
What's Your Move?
A. Raise to $100
B. Fold
C. Limp
Analysis
At these low levels you want to limp © with an A-Q because there isn't enough gaming money in the pot to risk someone reraising you. Too many players are yet to act after you if you raise, and someone might wake up with a poker hand.
If you limp, your opponents might be afraid you have limped with A-A and therefore decide not to raise you. If you hit a good flop, you're in clover for a cheap price knowing how to bluff.