When, if ever do you play it?
I only ask because I got this twice in a confused $5 SnG earlier, but I was in early position both times with blinds at Level IV and later Level V (I think, may have still been at level IV the second time). Anyway, I folded on principle only to see the flop show two more aces both times.

Would you play it with middle sized stack in early position on the chance that you may hit, or fold on principle? (Still 7-8 players in the game and the big stacks are constant 2xBB-3xBB pre-flop raisers sitting behind you.)

Fold every time.

Originally Posted by Irexes

Fold every time.

Good advice, but it did have me thinking. Especially when I was tempted to at least call the BB the second time. *shrugs* Best stick to premiums in early position though I guess.

I won my MTT with A7o.

Ax hands including A7 have the problem of becoming dominated and trapping yourself in the hand. If you are good enough to be able to fold top pair when you know its no good, then they can become playable.

In tourneys and shorthanded they can be fairly good raising hands. I typically play limit cash games and will attack the blinds with Ax, if it was suited I will limp in early/mid if I know the table usually gets alot of people to the flop.

Originally Posted by Tristan

When, if ever do you play it?
Would you play it with middle sized stack in early position on the chance that you may hit, or fold on principle? (Still 7-8 players in the game and the big stacks are constant 2xBB-3xBB pre-flop raisers sitting behind you.)

By 'play it' do you mean limp in or come in with a raise? A-7o isn't exactly a raising hand especially from the early positions so I'll assume you're going to limp in.
So if you limp in and someone behind you raises in, what kind of hand do you put them on? Can you or will you call the raiser?
Now an ace hit the board on the flop and the blinds checked to you, do you bet out or check to the raiser? Either way if the raiser bets out or come over top of you, do you call or fold with this Top Pair Weak Kicker?
Playing A-7o from anywhere other than the button or blinds (and you still have to be leary in NL tourney that an early position big stack didn't limp in with A-A or A-K to disguise his hand) you put yourself under a lot of unnecessary pressure and risk a significant portion of your stack for a hand that may be best but is usually only 2nd. Save playing this hand for when short-handed - like no more than 4 opps - and where the decision isn't going to put undue pressure on yourself - like from a late position or the blinds.

BTW - I just got bounced from a tournament where I was in CO with 3 limpers ahead of me, I come in with QQ (all fold behind me). The board came up 6-6-3-J-7 and the UTG2 ck-calls me to the river where I am now pot committed, before he then ck-raised me all-in and turned over A-A. Good thing I was out of the tourney as I was just-a-steaming for half an hour after the burn! I have his name, now I just have to find out where he lives! (insert evil laugh!!)

Aces-o-8s

Basicly, even if you had limp those hans you would have win retatively small potss IMO with 2 A on the flop... if not you would have lost a lot to an oponent with a better Kicker...

Fold both times!!

KJ

Many folks consider A8 the "crossover ace" in that it dominates more hands (A7,A6,A5,A4,A3,A2) than it is dominated by (AK,AQ,AJ,AT,A9). A7 is dominated by more hands than it dominates.

In a tournament:

Early on, fold any offsuit A7 or smaller, in any position.

At a full table, middle/late part of a tournament:
I'd fold any offsuit A-x that was A6 or lower except on the button, where I'd raise with any ace to steal the blinds (once the blinds were worth stealing).

A7 offsuit I'd play from the CO or on the button in an unopened pot for a raise to steal the blinds (if they're worth stealing).

Short handed - 5 Handed, any ace is a raising hand in an unopened pot, but fold A7 or smaller to an opening raise against a tight or strong player.

4 Handed, same thing but start calling raises with A7 & A6

3 Handed & Less - Any ace is now a raising & calling hand. On occasion, I would reraise with any ace PF when I know I'm going to be out of position after the flop. I want to win the hand now (because there is probably a lot of $ in the pot already) when I have position and negate my opponent's positional advantage after the flop.

If the table is shorthanded, ill play it (3-4 people). If im shortstacked 0-3M ill push with it in an unraised pot. Also on a tight table its not bad to try and steal the blinds with but you can really do that with any hand, just helps to have a liuttle insurance if you get called. Also if the table is super loose with alot of limp-callers. You know the low limit SnGs where you get at least 4-5 to the flop no matter what you raise. Then its not a bad hand to see the flop cheaply when its suited. ALL depends on the table im at and the chips I have.