QJ,KJ,KQ both suited and non suited. Do you guys raise or just limp?

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blacknight92

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Hello everyone


As mentioned in the question above, do you guys raise when you get this hands from any positions as well as call if there is a raise from others. i have hard time playing this cards. i always end up losing vs two pair or high kicker.
so i decided to just limp with this card and lost against player who limped as well with 74o (made two pairs on flop and i had Q pair). so it made me wonder if i had raised preflop he might have folded those card.

So can anyone give me some guidelines how to play those cards and also is it good idea to play from all positions?
Please suggest some book to improve my cash game.

Thank you
 
Hey blacknight, welcome to CardsChat!
The problem with recommending you play certain hands certain ways is that I don't know anything about your postflop ability, and that is one of the biggest defining factors on how you should play certain holdings preflop.

If you are struggling with that hand type right now, there's nothing wrong with nitting it up for now and playing a tighter range of hands until you get more comfortable postflop and can slowly start to widen preflop.

I know right now it feels like "every time" you play those hands you are losing to two pair or a better hand of some kind, but this just isn't the case. You are going to remember your losses much more than your wins, and it's also definitely possible that you haven't played enough hours to see a bunch of situations where it levels out. So stay patient in that respect.

Generally I would not have an OPEN limping range (meaning you are the first one into the pot and you limp) at all from any position. Maybe you can overlimp them. But generally I'd be adopting a raise or fold preflop mentality in your shoes so you can minimize the tricky, multiway postflop spots you might find yourself in.

Good luck!
 
Limp? almost never. In a 3 hour session, I MIGHT limp in once, maybe.
If it is not good enough to raise, then it isn't good enough to play.
 
If you do not raise pre-flop - be prepared to go with any hand ....

Everything is simple
 
Usually with such cards , I call any bet , and only after flop make decision continue to play or fold
 
blacknight92 said:
As mentioned in the question above, do you guys raise when you get this hands from any positions as well as call if there is a raise from others
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Unfortunately, there is not a "one size fits all" answer. There are a lot of additional variables that must be considered in each hand before playing KQs, KJs, and QJs.

Pre-flop: What is your position at the table? Did the action fold around to you? Are you the first to enter the pot? If out of position what will you do if someone who acts behind raises?

Flop: What will you do if an overcard hits the board? What will you do if you catch air? What will you do if your opponent bets and you have middle pair?

blacknight92 said:
Please suggest some book to improve my cash game.
Click to expand...

 
6 handed ? You don't have to play hands like KJo QJo from utg or mp and i wouldn't be doing much calling with those hands either apart from in the BB vs a BTN or SB open.You can easily find 6 max ranges these days on youtube or just through basic searches.
 
I found I was losing a lot of money with trouble hands KJ KT QJ etc. unless I was the opening raiser preflop and in position, so I play them if I am the opener, but tend to fold them to a tightish player's open.. though I still play them sometimes I just am more careful about it now.
 
Like some others, if I am playing I usually raise. Whenever you don't you can't get mad at the BB flopping a set with a 2 in his hand. I on the other hand, love it when I am in the BB. A free flop is always cool, I have flopped a full house with 42o in my hand more twice. Sweet deal. Then the player likes to raise, too late and thank you.
 
There are many things you need to consider. Effective stack size, blinds and antes in play, position and the villains tendencies. Doing some research on these things will help you be confident when playing these hands. For one you should never limp these hands. Ever. In general you should just be folding KJo KQo and QJo from early positions. KQs and QJs I play from just about anywhere if I'm on a healthy stack. Throwing away QJs to a 3 bet usually. If you don't connect with the flop just throw them away. These are drawing hands. Don't over value having top pair with QJ. AQ and KQ have you beat. Remember that if you just flat call the original raiser, they have AA KK AK AQ QQ in their range and if the the board comes Q 7 2 and they are betting like they got the nuts, they probably have you beat. These broadway hands are are drawing hands. Ideally you want to have top 2 pair or a straight or flush at showdown and when youre betting. Don't bet to just bet. Be aggressive when you have a strong hand and get money in. Hope this helps GL!

As far as books go I've been told the grinders manual is a solid choice. Never read it or any poker books to be honest.
 
Look stack size etc I rarely ever limp pot but when ton people have done it etc doesn't seem best if going into limped pot rember ranges are wider and it's much much easier give credit for big hands as people have very little vested in a hand
 
Raised that KQ suited last 4 big blinds bad boy in tonights freeroll and woolla AK kills me again be careful with all these tricky hands lol.
 
No limping allowed in poker says I, raise is the proper move here.:frown:
 
I try to avoid limping, so, in position, I'd probably raise with these if I'm first to act. It's nice to see a flop with these hands.
 
There is no set of guideline in without considering the position, if you just limp you will find harder to read other calling person card strength. if you are in position raising 2x or 3x depepnds on the stack level can give you an edge in playing after the flop. Good Luck and Cheers.
 
blacknight92 said:
Hello everyone


As mentioned in the question above, do you guys raise when you get this hands from any positions as well as call if there is a raise from others. i have hard time playing this cards. i always end up losing vs two pair or high kicker.
so i decided to just limp with this card and lost against player who limped as well with 74o (made two pairs on flop and i had Q pair). so it made me wonder if i had raised preflop he might have folded those card.

So can anyone give me some guidelines how to play those cards and also is it good idea to play from all positions?
Please suggest some book to improve my cash game.

Thank you
Click to expand...

Never limp.
If it is not good enough to raise it is not good enough to play....
 
Smokewood said:
Never limp.
If it is not good enough to raise it is not good enough to play....
Click to expand...
Agreed limping is never and should never be an option! Because if you miss the flop you won't be able to rep the top pair and your opponent will bet on you since you don't have any idea what he has. But let's say you got raised pre-flop, and you call and miss, anything he bets you'll have to most likely fold so whatever you plan on calling to see a flop you should raise! Makes you look stronger and most likely you'll be able to take the flop with a raise of half the pot or 2/3 the pot. And if you get re-raised preflop after your initial raise then you'll need to consider the player's position and range in order to continue!
 
always increase with these cards from any position ,the essence of Texas hold'em is a good book
 
On QJ, KJ and KQ, I call in a late position or raise in a late position

On QJ, KJ and KQ, I call in a late position or raise in a late position, it all depends on the situation. If someone raises before me, I do the pass. It is more likely that I will find my match on the flop and the opponent will have an older kicker or an overpair in the hands of an overpair if he raises before the flop. I do not really like these cards, so I rarely try to play them.
 
Raise in position. Occasionally from mid position but that depends on the way the table is playing. Never limp but in position isolate and punish any limpers.
 
The later the position, the more likely I'll be to raise these hands preflop if no one raised ahead of me. Occasionally I will raise them in earlier position esp if my table image for the session has seen me raising and getting called down with my premium holdings.

In terms of calling raises, depends on the raise, number of callers, and position. KQ and QJ are better than KJ (both suited and unsuited) because with those hands we're looking to flop a big draw (like open ender straight or combo draws) but with KJ, we're likely not going to get odds on the flop to continue. Now it is true that KJ (and many one gapper hands) are great if they hit the flop hard as any straights are often well disguised, BUT do we hit them often enough to justify calling raises pre flop? No.


And with all three hands it's important to remember we aren't looking to get into a betting war and big pot if we hit one of our cards for a pair, we're looking to hit a good flop hard with outs and draws in our favor. Many times people call with KJ, hit a K on flop , start bloating the pot and then lose to AK or KQ lol.
 
Ero2407 said:
Usually with such cards , I call any bet , and only after flop make decision continue to play or fold
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Simple and accurate strategy. thanks for the post. I agree.
 
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