How should this be played?

[ARodOSU]

Played in a home game last night where about 3/4 of the players are weak players (loose-aggressive, tight-passive). Everyone starts with $10 and the blinds start at .25-.50. About an hour into the tournament I've only had one playable hand where I won with JJ and the other player folded to my bet on the turn. I'm sitting with a little less than the average stack (about $11). It's 7 handed and I'm dealt KQo in the BB. One MP player (loose-aggressive, has been bluffing a lot) calls and the SB (tight-aggressive, one of the best players at the game) calls as well. I decide (maybe my first mistake) to triple the blinds and they both call. The tight-aggressive player checks in the dark as the flop comes K52 rainbow. I decide to bet my top pair with 2/3 of the pot. MP calls and the tight-aggressive player quickly moves all-in. At this point the pot is about $20 and I have $6 left to call with. I have a tough time putting him on a top pair with higher kicker than me or two pair, but I know it's possible. After some deliberation I decide to call all-in with pot odds and thinking he may have put me on a bluff and might have K-10 or K-J. The MP also calls. I turn over my top pair, MP shows pocket 10's (?), and tight-aggressive player shows pocket 5's...a set. I felt it was just tough luck and another one of those kind of nights but is there anything I could've done differently here to change my fate?

[samjjones]

Trust your read on the TA player. When he called your 3X bet preflop, you have to put him on a premium hand (AK or pocket pair). When the K high flop shows, he HAS to check to you, because he is pretty certain you will bet. As soon as he pushes in on top of you, I think you have to have a pretty good idea that you are looking at TPTK or a set. You gotta let them go in that spot.

[Kaz The Original]

Dont make bets that pot commit you. Not that it would have changed anything, but if you're gonna get pot committed, just go all in.

[random]

Another suggestion - start with more chips or lower the blinds. .25/.50 blinds are huge with only a 10 stack to begin.

[bsiu5]

i play live games on a regular basis about 3 times a week. 2 nights i play no-limit same blind structure. 1st ?, you say your playing in a tournament. is that correct or are you just playing a regular game where you lose you can just buy back?

My reasoning is based on your shortstack of $11. I'm assuming people call flop bets of $2.

if it's a tournament you have 2 options and 2 only due to your stack, all-in or fold. It sounds to me you don't play alot of hands so you have a tight image. if you go all-in you make the other 6 players make a decision. generally i play the same way the other 2 callers play, if i have pockets i'll limp and call a reasonable size bet hoping to catch my set as cheaply as possible. by only raising 3xBB it's easy for them to call your preflop bet. now raising all-in, since you have a tight image, they put you on a premium hand. I can see the 10's PP calling, maybe but not the 55's. with KQo you don't want to see callers because of your shortstack. you want to double up. By them calling you know they have something. it seems aggressive but your in a tournament. Folding because your hand isn't really that strong and you need those chips to make your bets signifcant for furture hands.

now if it's just a rebuy game it's a different play maybe. I wouldn't go allin because people call all-in bets with 10's, AJo, and all that crap. i would have limped as well. granted there's 7 players in the hand but your not risking as much on a marginal hand. now when the flop comes, you figure you have the best hand right now. you can go for a checkraise and if someone raises over then fold. if you bet 2/3 pot and someone move all-in you can fold or call the all-in bet. this way you still have a chance to get out and have money to play with.

my general rule of thumb playing .50 BB home games. i need chips in the beginning so i can play my KQo. $10 ain't gonna cut it, you need some chips so you can lay down top pair. so usually if it's limped around to me, if i have 2 overcards or a pocket, i'll go all-in. usually i'll take the blinds which adds up to around $2 or i'll get 1 caller. now, most of the time you got a 50/50 chance in winning. reason is usually, in a home game, everybody raises with premium hands AK,AA,KK,QQ,JJ, if it's limped to you, you figure you can take the blinds or double up, if you lose just rebuy. if you double up, then now you can play your KQo in the BB the way you played it and lay down when he goes all-in with his set.