Is ace queen offsuit a good hand?

Open it from anywhere and re-raise it against opponents who play loose. It makes top pair with a strong kicker and is ahead of most of the field. The trouble spot is deep action from tight players, where ace queen offsuit is dominated by ace king and flipping at best against the big pairs, so it is often a fold to a four-bet rather than a stack-off.

This hand opens for a raise from every position, including under the gun.

Common mistake: Getting all the money in preflop against a tight range. Ace queen offsuit is the classic hand that looks huge and is actually crushed by exactly what calls.

Quick tip: Strong as an open, fragile against a four-bet. Domination is the whole story.