$5.50 NL HE MTT: How to play AQ on the button here?

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champ_mc99

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For context I am 2/13 places and money was at 20th place.

Whats the best play here?
 
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fundiver199

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If BB had folded, it would be a snap call against a SB jam, even for significantly more chips, than he had. However when BB has cold called the jam from SB, and committed himself to the pot against a bigger stack (you), you need to ask yourself, what kind of range he is doing this with? Its probably rarely anything, which AQs is ahead of, and for that reason you should fold and hope, that SB bust, so that you get one position closer to the final table.
 
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champ_mc99

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fundiver199 said:
If BB had folded, it would be a snap call against a SB jam, even for significantly more chips, than he had. However when BB has cold called the jam from SB, and committed himself to the pot against a bigger stack (you), you need to ask yourself, what kind of range he is doing this with? Its probably rarely anything, which AQs is ahead of, and for that reason you should fold and hope, that SB bust, so that you get one position closer to the final table.
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What if BB had 10bb and cold calls?
I feel like there were so many worse hands they could do this with like AJ, A10, KQ and pocket pairs from what ive seen in these tourneys (loose ranges), i block AA, AK - KK and QQ were the only hands that dominate me. I am representing a wide range here against the blinds no?
 
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fundiver199

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champ_mc99 said:
What if BB had 10bb and cold calls?
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Then I would stick in a call, since you would be risking much less, and he would be on a wider range.
champ_mc99 said:
I feel like there were so many worse hands they could do this with like AJ, A10, KQ
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I disagree. Unless BB is a clueless fish, this is never AJ, AT or KQ. At best it could be another AQ, but more commonly its AK or a big pocket pair like TT+.
champ_mc99 said:
from what ive seen in these tourneys (loose ranges)
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Are ranges really that loose, when there are only 13 players left? I have played a lot of MTTs on pokerstars, and its certainly not my experience, that a lot of wild gamblers are left at this stage of a $5.5 MTT. Usually they tend to bust must earlier. Are you using a tracker/HUD, so that you have actual information about the other players at your table? If not that might be a good investment, if you play regularly.
champ_mc99 said:
I am representing a wide range here against the blinds no?
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Yes this is true, but SB is representing a much narrower range, and since he is all-in, BB have no fold equity, so he cant bluff. The risk/reward is also unfavourable for BB, since he has to risk his entire stack against you to potentially play a flip with SB for his 7BB. And especially with ICM this mean, there is a ton of incentive for BB to pass on this one and let you try to bust SB.

Its also kind of a tell, that he only called, even though this committed him to the pot. Its like saying "please give me action", and alarm bells should be going off in your head. Realistically his range might be as narrow as QQ+ or even KK+, if we go with that read. Its a bit like, when a solid regular suddenly limp UTG with a 10BB stack. Not because he is trying to see a cheap flop, but because he has pocket aces and want to induce action.
 
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champ_mc99

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champ_mc99 said:
What if BB had 10bb and cold calls?
I feel like there were so many worse hands they could do this with like AJ, A10, KQ and pocket pairs from what ive seen in these tourneys (loose ranges), i block AA, AK - KK and QQ were the only hands that dominate me.
Click to expand...
fundiver199 said:
Then I would stick in a call, since you would be risking much less, and he would be on a wider range.

I disagree. Unless BB is a clueless fish, this is never AJ, AT or KQ. At best it could be another AQ, but more commonly its AK or a big pocket pair like TT+.

Are ranges really that loose, when there are only 13 players left? I have played a lot of MTTs on PokerStars, and its certainly not my experience, that a lot of wild gamblers are left at this stage of a $5.5 MTT. Usually they tend to bust must earlier. Are you using a tracker/HUD, so that you have actual information about the other players at your table? If not that might be a good investment, if you play regularly.

Yes this is true, but SB is representing a much narrower range, and since he is all-in, BB have no fold equity, so he cant bluff. The risk/reward is also unfavourable for BB, since he has to risk his entire stack against you to potentially play a flip with SB for his 7BB. And especially with ICM this mean, there is a ton of incentive for BB to pass on this one and let you try to bust SB.

Its also kind of a tell, that he only called, even though this committed him to the pot. Its like saying "please give me action", and alarm bells should be going off in your head. Realistically his range might be as narrow as QQ+ or even KK+, if we go with that read. Its a bit like, when a solid regular suddenly limp UTG with a 10BB stack. Not because he is trying to see a cheap flop, but because he has pocket aces and want to induce action.
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Thank you for the detailed response.

I would use a HUD but I play solely on the App haha
 
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champ_mc99 said:

CardsChat Poker Hands Converter

Convert your hand history into forum code, plain text or relive your hand and create animated replays
www.cardschat.com

For context I am 2/13 places and money was at 20th place.

Whats the best play here?
Click to expand...
this is where note taking comes into play--how have these players been playing this close to the FT pro skilled? nit tight? Weak tight? still loose? AQs is a strong hand versus weak tight and loose but nit tight is a fold and pro skilled will trap more of their range.

so we have to ask ourselves who is the BB? How wide is their call range there?

AQS can crack hands would this V risk letting you over call? why not iso? Why put their stack at risk post flop OOP to an over call by you? When they had KK QQ JJ AK would they jam to iso?--if yes then there are far more combos of hands played poorly than AA played to trap by weaker players. Axs comes to mind.

However again player read needed here--
The easy way to play this is fold we have a good stack and if our V are weak we can print money in other easier spots

:unsure::geek:
 
martinoni

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Shove to put pressure...
 
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