A bad play?

[top6]

I was much berated after this hand during a $10 + 1 SNG on Party. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Seat 1: topsix [SB] (1065)
Seat 2: BB (275)
Seat 3: UTG (2370)
Seat 4: UTG + 1 (695)
Seat 5: UTG + 2 (1505)
Seat 6: Villain (615)
Seat 7: Bob (915)
Seat 9: Joe (560)

Dealt to topsix [ J /images/graemlins/heart.gif, A /images/graemlins/heart.gif ]
UTG folds.
UTG + 1 calls (30)
UTG + 2 folds.
Villain calls (30)
Bob folds.
Joe folds.
topsix raises (45) to 60
BB calls (30)
UTG + 1 calls (30)
Villain calls (30)
** Dealing Flop ** : [ 8 /images/graemlins/spade.gif, 9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif, 5 /images/graemlins/club.gif ]
topsix bets (150)
BB folds.
UTG + 1 folds.
Villain raises (555) to 555 (all-in)

Do you ever make this call? Tough to get a read here, but I had just taken down a few pots w/ aggressive betting; Villain seems like a solid player - it's likely he's put me on a bluff and is bluffing back. Plus I have the two overcards (and the backdoor flush draw). Plus there's a lot of chips in the pot. And even if I lose I still have some chips left - if I win, I'm in pretty good shape to make the $.

Also - raising to 60 was simply a mistake. Usually, I would raise to 90 or 120 here.

Results...

<font color="white">
topsix calls (405)
Villain has [Q /images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 9 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif]
** Dealing Turn ** : [ 4 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif ]
** Dealing River ** : [ A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif ]
Main Pot: 1350
topsix wins.

</font>

[Nick B.]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you ever make this call?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, and I wouldn't bet the flop into 3 opponents, one of which had to hit the flop.

[WC64]

In my opinion that is a bad play, but I also don't like the bet of 150 after the flop. You are betting more than 10% of your stack with nothing and will probably only get called if you are beat. It is to early in the tournament to play that aggressive. That is my opinion, which of course could be wrong lol.

[mscott2374]

Why do you want to raise from the small blind when you have such a weak hand. You will have the worst position for the rest of the hand. I would just call and play the hand from there. Am I being weak-tight?

I just don't like to commit too many chips early in the tourney

[stupidsucker]

Sorry bud, but this was poor poker from the get go all the way through.

Raising with AJs after a couple limpers is bad. Min raising is worse.

Betting this flop isnt terrible, but you missed it by a mile so you cant call any reraise. I wouldnt bet this flop either.

Calling the all in with simple overcards, no draw is a terrible move.

Your oponent was right to put you on a bluff.. but did you actualy think he would reraise back into you ALL IN with NOTHING? At best you have to figure you have 6 outs or a runner runner flush possible. This is bad and its a fold every time.

Let me tell you how I think it should be played to give you an idea.

AJs early is a trap hand. In the SB here, complete and hope for a good flop. You want to use the early rounds to build a tight image for the later rounds when stealing is important. I throw AJs away in most all positions on level 1-2.

You missed the flop, check and fold to any bet other then a min bet.

If it helps the guy that held Q9s played it bad too. Q9s is a terrible limp hand and when you minraised from the SB it should have put him on caution for the flop. He ignored all signs that his TPGK could be behind. However if you have been this aggressive a lot this early then he probably took you for a severe LAG, and he was right.

You dont want to gamble with these early hands, its great to get good cards and made hands, but forcing the issue only makes it harder to steal later, and you bust out early more often.

[top6]

[ QUOTE ]
its great to get good cards and made hands, but forcing the issue only makes it harder to steal later, and you bust out early more often.

[/ QUOTE ]

While I agree, in retrospect, with most of what you said, this really made me think. Good point. Most of the aggression should be saved for the end.

Thanks for the replies, all.

[DemonDeac Holding Rockets]

The villain should not have even been in the hand in the first place in such an early level 8 handed. Maybe this bad beat from your questionable call will teach him that hands like Q9 can only get you in trouble. I fold Q9 without blinking with alot of players still in.

[poboy]

You misplayed this from the time you were dealt the cards all the way to the end. Why would you raise PF with such a weak hand? I know it looks pretty ,but all you really have is a suited 2 gap. You wouldn't raise with K10,Q9,J8 or the likes so why do it just because one of your cards is an ace? I don't think taking a stab after the flop is completely wrong here ,but when he goes all-in a few alarms should be going off in your head. Ask yourself this ,if you hadn't sucked out on the river would you still be asking if this was a bad play? Probably not....