A 10

The Sheriff 101

when playing low stakes .25 .50 .50/1 9 handedis it good to raise with A 10
i have been playing it very timidly not calling many raises with it unless i have a very good read on him

I know the tables are looses and call alot of raises with muck so raising would be +ev

but i find it hard to play as really u need to hit 2 pair i feel i used to play 1-2 and felt much more comfortable raising with it as i felt i it was alot easier to know where u are with it.

im really not fond of AJ either for obv reason. but i play it alot more aggressively than A10
late positioin i will always raise with it but early very little i just limp/fold mostly

henbane

The Sheriff 101 wrote:

im really not fond of AJ either for obv reason

Ah, the glass cannon

eggie

the obvious answer is it depends.

Position, opponents tendencies, no. of players, stack size, pot, type of game, etc. A T is easily dominated , therfore calling a raise out of position (especially with people yet to act) is not recommended imo.

the other edge of the sword is you can play any 2 cards and represent a strong holding, but this requires good knowledge of your opponent, combined with interpreting the texture of the board correctly. If you prefer to play the cards and not the people then play it cautiously, raising or folding with it is better than flat calling a raise, as you will get a reaction which u can then work from.

The Sheriff 101

sorry my post may have been a bit all over the place but
1 i call a raise about as often with A10 about as often as i fold 10/jj preflop
(not a joke)
what i want to know is it profitable to raise with A10 preflop in a loose game when i say loose i mean .25/.50 loose i know u have to factor in position game etc but is limping the best option or a small raise better

Ste05

No A10 is rubbish in a cash game.

I only use it on the Button or CO, and basically to just steal the blinds or win small pots with it. I'll often play my position with little or no regard for my cards at all PF, (and just pick up small pots or hope to get lucky and hit a nice flop, but I rather either have what I'm representing (JJ+, AQ+) or something like a small pair, suited connectors, low rags (something they'd take a while to realise I have - by the time the realise hopefully it's too late). So I either have a lovely hidden hand or what I'm saying I have. (the possibility of having either increases the chances my big hands will get paid off, and my ragged hands can take down the pot with a bluff)

But what I hate to have is a hand that is so often dominated. People will generally put you on a strong A when you raise and if they call they'll usually fold to a cont. bet on the flop if an A falls (hence you don't actually need one for this) but when they call they'll invariably have a better A or can either beat a pair of A's or have a good chance of beating them on the turn or River, obviously there's LOADS of other reasons why they might call, but the fact of the matter is AT is not a hand that you can play (and win) a big pot with, therefore in a cash game it's rubbish.

The main thing to remember in a cash game is to try and have some sort of hand that you can play a Big Pot with, either because it's hidden and can stack a guy with a better starting hand than you (when our S/C's, PP, or rags connect), Or to actually have a big hand that doesn't get outdrawn on. AT is neither of these...

Personally I like to play lots of small pots waiting for the big pot that pads my profit, but AT is a hand for winning small pots, and it should be played as such. Raise with it by all means, but just don't go to town with it...

EDIT: Forgot to also add, as with everything in Poker.... It Depends...

eggie

the limits dont really dictate how loose a game is, its the players.

In a 6 handed game i will normally raise with A T in middle to late position (sometimes in early). In a full handed game i will normally raise only in late and fold to an early raise, maybe limp from middle position. Sometimes i will vary this not to let players get a fix on my cards.

This will obviously change if i'm at a very passive table or a very aggressive table, and dependant on my stack (tournament especially). There is no secret answer really, u learn from experience (and it takes time and costs a few quid too).

The Sheriff 101

Right so generally concenses is its fine to fold in early position all the above is info i have debated and yes stev i play the button c/o the sme way most of the time not all as it seem predictable if its done too often (thats ok higher limits as they will fold their rubbish to u)
But i know what u are saying eggie but the standard in 25.50-1 is alot weaker than 1-2 2-4.

i was folding it in early positin lately and wanted to know if that was playing too tight / weak