How would you play this hand?

Question

No Limit Hold'em

7 players at the table, I am SB with around 10 BB in my stack

Average stack is around 15-20 BB

One person in middle position calls the BB, everyone else folds

Back to me - I have AQ offsuit, and raise to 2.5 BB. I have been either raising to 2-3 BB or folding pre-flop for most of the game so far.

BB is a new player at the table and seems fairly loose overall

He goes all in with about 15 BB - I follow and go all in. Player in middle position folds.

BB has JQ offsuit. He catches a J on the turn and wins the hand with the pair of Jacks.

Thinking about this hand now, I think I should have probably gone all in immediately instead of raising to 2.5 BB, the BB probably thinking I was trying to steal. Would he have called my all in with JQ offsuit?

How would you have played this hand?

Answer 1

Sometimes, you're just going to get 3-outered.

In this situation, the pot is already approaching 25% of your stack (more if antes are in play), so I'd have been inclined to simply shove the AQo.

The line you chose probably would work better with a balanced range consisting of your stronger hands (say QQ+, AKs) and a corresponding set of the weakest hands drawn from the fringes of your raising range for balance.

Now, in the later stages of a tournament, there are ICM considerations which might affect your reasoning; e.g., the UTG player is a microstack about to be blinded all in on the next hand, and the MP is some uber-LAG who has just limped for the very first time ever. But, in general, I tend to lean to the more aggressive line -- put your opponents to the test.

I wouldn't waste too much time wondering about what might have happened had you followed a different line. You made a reasonable choice for the game situation that you faced -- after that, variance happens. Focus on making the best decisions you can, and the rest will take care of itself in the long run.

Answer 2

I think the your raise was too small. Under 10BB you should better go all in, then there would be a chance that BB folds. If you played tight and go all in, the guy will probably put your on a premium hand or pocket and fold. But your small raise didn't show strength, it looked like you wanted to see the flop. The BB-guy made a good move pushing all in, as the middle player just limped (not strong) and you raised too little: 2,5 BBs were already in pot, so you just made it more attractive by putting 2 more blinds in the pot. It was of course bad luck that you lost with a better hand, but this happens way too often in poker :)