AJs in the small blind

[bentax1978]

Here's a hand from last night's 7 handed session. It's a pretty deep stack 1/1 NLHE (average stacks are around $300-400 at this point).

Hero has around $500 to start the hand and has Villain #1 (~$200) and #2 (~$400) covered. Villain #1 is pretty loose and passive overall, although lately he's been raising on occasion, although not always when and with you'd expect. Villain #2 is loose and aggressive.

A few limpers around to Hero who raises to $10 (pretty standard raise at the table) from the SB with .

BB (villain #1) calls the raise as the does the Button (Villain #2).

Flop is

SB acts first and bets $25 into the $32 pot.

BB raises $50 on top to $75. Button reraises $150 on top to $225 total.

Action is on Hero (SB). What does he do?

[jbutler16]

insta-fold. not to be preachy, but i'd also not raise AJs from the blinds unless there's a very good chance of seeing the flop heads up.

[BGinGA]

Originally Posted by jbutler16

insta-fold.

Seriously? I'd say insta-push. What am I missing here?

[DrStrange]

Yikes! This is a nasty spot.

That board offers a complex mix of possibilities. Different players are going to value their hands in unexpected ways, making it a little hard to figure if "strong" means better than top & bottom pair.

I doubt the 'loose and passive" villain one is reraising Hero with a hand worse than top + bottom pair unless he has KJ for the bottom two. I could imagine Button reraising with a big draw.

I think Hero is in trouble. If Hero's hand is best, he is fading a lot of draws - maybe nine clubs, two more kings, three more queens and tens. 17 outs twice with money left behind. If Hero is behind, he has four outs (perhaps less.)

Then, of course, the betting isn't done yet. It seems almost predictable that BB might end up pushing QT (QT = broadway) if Hero flats.

All of this makes me want to fold. Hero might be best, but often he isn't and even when Hero has the best flop hand he doesn't win more than half the time at the river.

DrStrange

[bivey]

+1 for folding here.

[jbutler16]

Originally Posted by BGinGA

Seriously? I'd say insta-push. What am I missing here?

this imo:

Originally Posted by DrStrange

Hero might be best, but often he isn't and even when Hero has the best flop hand he doesn't win more than half the time at the river.

i was definitely too curt in my "insta-fold" reply, but the reasoning above seems kind of apparent from the board and action in the OP.

[MikesDad]

+1 for insta-fold and +1 for not raising preflop... IMHO, AJ(s) is not that strong of a hand out of position against multiple opponents

-- dennis

[jldecarlo]

Originally Posted by jbutler16

insta-fold. not to be preachy, but i'd also not raise AJs from the blinds unless there's a very good chance of seeing the flop heads up.

This ^^

FWIW I'm much happier raising with suited connectors from the blinds than a hand like AJs just because they don't end up second best nearly as often (i.e. they are easier to get away from) and at least with 8s7s you know you're making a move.

L

[spikeithard]

very tough tough fold but it is a fold. your either dead to one of them or a good chance to getting drawn out. your t and b pair is likely to improve but too many draws out there..

its a bite your lip fold.

[JM]

Originally Posted by jbutler16

insta-fold. not to be preachy, but i'd also not raise AJs from the blinds unless there's a very good chance of seeing the flop heads up.

this^^