When is it time to get a divorce?

OhPinchy

In my limited experience playing poker (mostly online) I have noticed that there are some hands which many people get married to and even though the outlook is bleak they stubbornly stick with them hoping it’ll work out for them in the end. This approach obviously costs them money more often than not, so I’m often perplexed when I see it happen, but the standard on Betfair £5 STTs is hardly high, so I want to get some more clued in opinions on hands that I frequently see people get married to.

How should these hands be played and when should you call it a day and file for divorce and lay them down?

AK (either suited or off) – I’ve gotten into big trouble with this in the past, but now raise 4xBB preflop and lay it down to a decent raise on the river if it doesn’t hit. This approach doesn’t lose me too much but I feel I’m not getting well paid with it either. I often see people calling bets on low flops with this hand, hoping to hit on the turn or river. I know I should calculate pot odds and decide whether to stick it out, but I often fold for fear I’m drawing dead. From your experience, what is the best way to play this hand?

With hands like AQ, AJ, AT (lets say off suit as hitting a four flush on the flop is pretty straightforward to play), am I right that you are hoping to pair the kicker rather than the A? How should these hands be played?

Another hand that confuses me is JT(again, lets ignore suit). In Sklansky’s book he mentions some people regard this as a great hand (not him though). I understand that its got good pay off potential if you hit a straight after a A or K is on the board, as you can expect decent action, but whats the general consensus on this hand?

Low/Medium Pocket pairs: From what I’ve read it seems the best way to play these is to limp in against many callers, and fold if you don’t hit your set. I’ve seen plenty of early all-ins with things like 55 and they have often held up. I think that’s too risky early on but against only a few players it seems to me that big raises with any pair is the way to go?

Any other pointers on hands regarded as having potential for getting you in trouble would be much appreciated.

ionapaul

I wish I could divorce JJ, as I am truly in love with AA.

As a general rule, and depending on position as always, I raise pre-flop with AK and will fold the hand quicker than a Japanese fan folding champion if I miss the flop and am raised. Unless you put the raiser on a bluff (and how certain can you be of this?), if you have missed it is crazy to try and chase with AK. I believe the Texas ol' boys used to call this hand 'Walking back to Houston' given players overplaying it and losing their cars!

Again, depending on numbers at the table and position, I would raise with AQ and possibly AJ suited and limp with AT. Limp with small pocket pairs (probably drop most of these if UTG or UTG+1) and maybe try a raise with 88 or 99. Personally, I wouldn't try that big raise with 'any pair', pretty risky business that.

okidoki987

I just wish I could get DIVORCED and then concentrate on the cards!

Lafortezza

The answer to all poker questions including when to lay down certain hands is 'it depends'. There's some occasions when you should drop the bullets, and sometimes you should go all-in after 3 others have gone all in ahead of you.

With experience you'll figure out when you J10 is good on a 10 high flop with a bet and a call ahead of you, and sometimes you'll know instinctively when to drop it. Work on your reads of people, try to remember what Player A did in similar situations, request hand histories from your poker site to see what each player had.

Iago

AKo or s raise preflop, bet on the flop fold if raised and you haven't hit

AQ and Aj similar...

JT is a hand I'm falling in love with, limp in, call a small bet on the flop if you have a drawing hand, flat call if you hit big, fold if you hit nothing

PP's limp in, fold to any reasonable raise and throw them away if you don't hit your set. I hit 9 out of 10 sets on the flop the other night....the other one I hit a FH

Hectorjelly

AK is a very interesting hand, and theres a huge amount of scope for discussing how to play it. In terms of continuing after the flop assuming you were the preflop raiser, then I think it depends on 2 things; how much of your stack went in preflop and how many opponents you have. If its early in a stt and you have put 1/10 of your stack in and got more than 2 callers then I think you should give up on the hand if you dont hit. You shouldnt even call any bets because your hand is so obvious if it hits, and you might be reverse dominated. (For example you are up against A6 and theres is a 6 on the flop. In that case you only have 4 outs).

However against a small number of players a continution bet is often worthwhile, you still might have the best hand. Once a quater to a third of your stack goes in preflop, then I think you are committed to the hand no matter what happens.