Cloutier writes that he is willing only to raise AA-QQ, AK and to limp JJ-88 in EP. Therfore, he folds AQ in EP.

Harrington on the other hand likes to raise AQ in EP.

Personally, I do follow Cloutier and fold even AQs in EP (UTG, UTG+1, and UTG+2).
If you raise or limp with it you have to fold to a raise/reraise of a player with better position than you, right? With the other hands in Cloutiers list you may withstand a raise.

Opinions?

MHFlush

I limp with AQ in early, and then fold to a strong raise

Every piece of advice I have ever been given is to FOLD AQ in early position, but I play at the penny levels, and to be honest, AQ is just too strong a hand to throw away without even trying to see a flop at this level.

At bigger stakes, I can see why you'd not want to limp with it, as limping in early position is going to draw attention from those a little closer to the button...

my $.02

Just remember that both Cloutier and Harrington are talking about NL MTT's with strong opposition, not low stake Ring (and esp. not 6 max Ring).

IF you want to know if it's +EV to play AQo or KQo from EP at your tables then just filter PT stats for EP and take a look.

If I filter my main Full Ring DB I can see that from the first 3 positions AQo is a very healthy +0.23PTBB/hand and KQo +0.06PTBB/hand. This is aggregate of both limped and raised.

So by not playing them I would be flushing money away.

Don't take advice from books by players who don't play in anything like the environment you do. THINK FOR YOURSELF and look at your own data first.

The reason of course is that at low stake tables (and that means at least up to $100 level) plenty of folks play KJ and KT and just about any Ax above A7 (or any suited ace at all). So if you manage to see a flop in a unraised pot with these hands and hit your kicker is almost sure to be good (and often will dominate a loose player's TP).

Actually for me KJo and all the aces down to ATo are also profitable from the first 3 positions, but they are very marginal hands...

Ace Queen is an easy fold for me most of the time (90%) depending on the player making the riase (live game) - online I will make a normal raise and if re-raised just muck it.

Online I have had Ace Queen 30 times and am winning about 1.30 ptbb/hand. Not very good but positive.

I do not like to limp with AQ and then hit an ace and wonder. I am going to play it for raise or not play it.

i really wish i had pokertracker on my laptop right now

Interesting - My win rate (3,000 hands so far is not that many) is 88% with suited and 60% with offsuit.

I will have to keep an eye on my progress with this troubled hand. Thanks

PT is great

I don't have PT on me either, as I'm at work... But I can't imagine limping AQs and folding to a raise on the back end as -EV... I'm folding to any kind of raise, but I don't mind playing them in EP... There are gonna be TONS of times that you have a 5 or 6 way limped pot, where you can make some money... And, while obviously it does suck being OOP, you're gonna win money, especially at the lower levels, by some jackass who will call you all the way down w/ his A9s...

I also limp EP w/ AQ. I will fold to any raise behind me. If I hit an A or Q high on the flop I will make a pot sized bet and try to take down the pot right there. If I dont hit either on the flop I check/fold. You get alot of people calling with TPWK. I dont have pokertraker with me but I know that I am winning with this strategy at the $25NL and $50NL tables.

Guys, thanks for your advice. Most of you play AQ but fold to a raise. I think I will still fold it but occasionally I will limp to mix up play.
@ Excession, I agree that the books are written for high-stakes players. On the other hand, if all players would play according to the books I guess we all would win much less money...
If anyone has some more stats for AQo in EP I am curious to hear them.

Regards, MHFlush