KQ, Good or Bad hand ???

[jpean]

Hi all,

I would like to ask you how you are playing KQ, suited or not, in position or not, because, it's a strange hand, like AJ, which seems to be strong, but I'n now not so sure it really is...
(in fact, I recently loose a lot of important pot with that hand...)

[kinboshi]

It depends really.

Cash games or tournaments?  Full table or 6-max? 

[jpean]

I play in tournements (1 table or multi - to 10k players)

full tables (9 or 10 players) but in a 1 table sit & go, you quiqkly have less than 6 players, so if I can know in the 2 cases...

[boldie]

Full Ring it is not a bad idea to fold KQ every time (unless you are very shortstacked or you are BB and shortstack moves in for only a tiny bit more).

Even 6 handed it's a dangerous, and often over rated, hand

[Longy]

Its a raising hand not a calling hand imo. As calling with it leads to postflop problems as it is so often dominated by aa,kk,qq,ak,aq and therefore you are often still behind if you hit one of your cards.

I would raise it from late position in most cash games/tournament from the hijack (2 off the button) and closer to the button. Also its not a bad hand to be shoving your stack when you have less than 10bb's in tournament play.

As with everything in poker it depends and against some players its a complete rag hand and other its ahead of their range.

[jpean]

So, it can be said that KQ is as strong as suited connectors in the way it's a hand that need really good flop to be strong...

So a hand that can be played with a lot of limpers for example...

[boldie]

So, it can be said that KQ is as strong as suited connectors in the way it's a hand that need really good flop to be strong...

So a hand that can be played with a lot of limpers for example...

 Suited connectors are much more likely to be live cards than KQ. Suited connectors are also much more likely to get paid off by other hands.
Decisions with suited connectors are also easier made.

Following example;

5 limpers in a pot..everyone has plenty of chips.

Flop comes 6 7 Q. You and your KQ will pay the guy holding 6,7 off, right?

Flop comes 6, 7, 2. The guy holding pocket 9's, tens or Jacks with still pay the guy with 67 off here.If the flop comes 6 9 K..you will most likely not get paid a decent amount by people holding a 9,10 or Jack.

Admittedly I have had the guy with 67 hit two pair here but let's see what happens if you hit two pair.

flop come 6, K, Q. You won't get paid by 67 guy, right? He knows he is likely to be behind and can throw his cards away.

Now say there has been a 3x BB raise from a rock UTG +1. 3 people call his bet including you with KQ and the guy playing his 67 suited connectors.

Flop comes 6,10,K. Are you beating UTG +1 Rock? Does he have AK here? It going to cost you to find out. 6,7 guy knows where he stands..wayyyyy behind.
Flop comes 6,7,K and you still have the same problem..suited connector man knows he's likely to get paid.

Now say you hit 2 pair against UTG +1 Rock. flop comes 6, Q,K. What hands that you are beating pay you off here? I would dare say it's only AK and AA. There is no way AQ would stick all his chips in here and the chances of UTG +1 rock having K6 are 0%. So in that situation you don't only need the perfect flop..BUT you also need to have UTG+1 rock to have one of your outs (if he has AK your King essentially no longer plays)

Suited connectors are therefore more powerful..and easier to play.

I hope my post makes sense..I have a tendency to waffle.

[jpean]

yes boldie, your post make a lot of sense...

Thank you...

I like blonde (otherwise I won't stay on it) but I think that there is not enough guys like you who answers with so clea exexplanation with exemples... It's answers like that I'm waiting for

thank you

[TightEnd]

a man here in England, a poker commentator, says

"KQ rules in the land of the unraised pot"

by which he meams unraised..less likely to see AA/KK/AK/AQ to dominate you

more likely that flop of K xx or Q xx means you are winning than a raised pot where KQ is a marginal hand

I prefer to raise with KQ in position than call raises with it, especially out of position

[johnbhoy76]

I think the problem with KQ is that it is very often dominated by other big hands.

Most books on texas Holdem have a guide to Starting hands in which KQ is normally in the 2nd tier of hands. AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK is usually group one

KQ is normally in group 2. So this would indicate it is a good hand to be playing

However If the pot is raised pre-flop then there is a big danger that you are up against hands like AK, AQ, KK, QQ (this is obviously dependent on the opposition, chips stacks, blinds etc.. but in general this is true). that have you crippled and when the flop comes down Q high you could easily go broke.

Poker is about making correct decisions so if you avoid giving yourself hard decisions in the first place then you are more likely to make the correct decision. For example you call a raise with KQ. flop comes down Q 8 5  you'd like to think you are in front but in the back of your mind is "Does he have AQ?"

I pesonally prefer to play KQ in position in a small unraised pot that way if you hit top pair you can be more certain that you are in the lead.

As mentioned James Brownings "KQ rules in the land of the unraised pot" is a good saying. It's not 100% true but no poker strategy is but it's a good guide I think

[TheChipPrince]

Entirely situational, no definative answer...