Statistically, the answer is 72 offsuit, with the suits being the same as the Aces which I hold. But let's rule that out and narrow it down to cards where the call of the all-in is backed up by something worth playing heads up.
Ideally, I'd want him to have another pair, again with the cards being exactly the same two suits which I hold the aces. That way, getting beaten by a flush isn't going to happen. AAs cracked by another pair usually means that one of their two cards comes out. It happens, but not often. Sometimes another pair can win with a wrap-around straight, but again, not often.
Next preference is for him to have AK, and the K of one of my suits for the anti-flush reason. Whilst this hand limits the number of cards which can help me to just one, his chances of winning rest on drawing 2/3 kings or QJT; both very unlikely.
My worst ever beat with AA was against someone who called with 22. Needless to say, the suits were not the same - all I remember was that I had the red Aces, he had 2spades. Flop came down with 2 middle spades. Turn was the Ace of spades but river was the Jack of spades, and he'd won with the spades flush......
"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way" Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs.........(Kipling)........you probably aren't in possession of all the facts....(Anonymous)
Nope. The answer is A9off (with 9 same suit as one of your aces.
Ah, but that's why I first clarified that we are talking about hands that would actually call an all-in. You haven't talked about stack sizes, the level of buy in, the experience of the players or zip else.
I can see why A9o is a worse holding than 72o - thanks for that clarification. But then, how is A9 any worse than A8, A7 or A6?
Anyhow, depending on the state of play, I'd not call an all in with A9-A6 offsuit either, certainly not if losing it crippled me. They're a gambler's call - a coin flip at best against any pair, and massive underdog against AK-AT.
Which is why I said that I'd rather them flip over a pair themselves.
Subsidiary question then to you. The scenario is heads-up, winner takes all. Your opponent has played a solid game throughout and has more chips than you entering this hand, though not by much. He goes all-in - if you call and lose, you're out, if you call and win, he is crippled and you are going to be a massive favorite to win.
What range of hands would you call his all-in with?
"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way" Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs.........(Kipling)........you probably aren't in possession of all the facts....(Anonymous)
Nope. The answer is A9off (with 9 same suit as one of your aces.
I can see why A9o is a worse holding than 72o - thanks for that clarification. But then, how is A9 any worse than A8, A7 or A6?
Simply becuase of the straight possibilities and it's only fractionally worse than those hands. With A8 for example any board with 4567 or 9TJQ on the other end of the specturm will obviously give a straight. With A9.. there are fewer straight possibilities because if the board is TJQK then it is a split pot with AA since both have A high straight.
It's increidbly small percentage difference but you want to see A9 when you have AA.
Heads-up question: If he has played a solid game i would call any pair 77 or higher, AK-A8, KQ, KJ. I would think twice calling with KT or QJ.
It depends on how he has been playing - if he is raising a lot i would probably call with something like 44 or even A3, K9 etc.
Heads up, you are looser than I in tight corners - if he's played a solid game, I'd rather avoid any coinflip situation which takes me below my danger level of 1/4 total chips in play. It's very hard to recover from being that badly short-stacked.
So when a solid player goes all-in and risks putting his tournament life at stake, I'd only call with AA-TT, AK-AT, KQ,KJ and QJ suited. There are plenty of other hands which I would play all-in heads up, but the others I would only play as the aggressor.
"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way" Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs.........(Kipling)........you probably aren't in possession of all the facts....(Anonymous)
Calling an all-in is really a question of stack size, if a player is really short-stacked he may push in with almost anything before the blinds come round again, but if it's going to cost a significant chunk of your stack you only want to be calling with real premium hands.
QJ suited might "look" nice, but heads up it's pretty crap, it's effectively just queen high. It's losing to any pocket pair, any ace or any king, in fact most hands people will push all-in with. Even K2 offsuit is favourite against it and would you call with that??
Abercynon's Armpit - you are a fish who doesn't know it yet. Would love to play you at poker. Same for beamer. Look, if you are heads up, it aint no time to be mr tight. Without an all in or big raise you will be playing most hands - the pot odds dictate you have to call. You can't wait for premium hands you will just get pushed out of the game. With an all in i will call with 2 cards 9 and higher. Ace or King anything is premium for me. Queen 6 above i will call.
If you go all in every hand and someone plays an optimal game they will only be a 3-2 favourite. If i know you are only going to play premium i will bludgen you out of the game pure and simple. Heads up is about taking chances, not acting like a rock. Time to act like a rock is when it's a 10 man game in the early stages. You should loosen up as the game progresses, people drop out and blinds increase. If of course your stack in relation to the blinds is high then you can afford to play tighter, but i don't know many games that give you that luxury. Plus, if that the case, playing premium is not good enough. I will knock you off your weak hands and keep away from you when you raise since i know you have a strong hand.
