Why I always bust out 4th in the 20+2

[NNH]

I'm mostly a $10+1 level player, but have tried to move up to 20s a few times, only to get slapped back down to the $10s. I've played only about 20 of these and after checking PokerTracker, I seem to bust out in 4th 35% of the time (not enough 1sts though). Here's my latest addition...

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (4 handed)

Button (t1640)
SB (t1650)
Hero (t985)
UTG (t3725)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG calls t200, Button folds, SB folds, Hero checks.

Flop: (t500) J/images/graemlins/club.gif, 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">UTG bets t300</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t785 (All-In)</font>, UTG calls t485.

Turn: (t2070) T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

River: (t2070) 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t2070



A just have a few questions. Should I have raised PF? I've played pretty tight the whole game. Raised a few pots PF and snapped off flop bets w/ raises. No one has seen any of my hands. I pretty much maintained about 1K chips since level 1. UTG has been all over the place. Bluffing at the pot through all streets, calling all ins w/ TP weak kickers, or any part of flop sometimes.

His PF limp is a little strange, he would usually raise. That's why I checked. Should I have pushed?

His bet on the flop is standard. I thought he might have a mid pocket pair, and I was pretty sure he was going to call my all in. Was this a good line of play on my part?

Thanks.

[willperkins]

I would have played it the same as you. I would not want to go all in with J8s unless I was the first one in the pot.

Your all in call after the flop was good. With top pair, flush draw and back door str8 draw, you have lots of outs if you need them. Especially, since you said UTG could limp with almost any thing.

[LinusKS]

I think you played perfectly. You hit the flop just about as hard as you could hope for, and given your hand and stack size, you just can't afford to fold here.

I wouldn't have raised with J8s preflop either.

It's just not good enough, and you still had time to pick a better spot had you missed the flop.

[Granite]

I just moved up to the 20's. I have notice a bit of a difference, slightly better players, but not much.

20 isn't much of a sample size, and I'm asuming you have played alot of 10's and got a good feel for your roi? I made sure i had a decent bankroll from the 10's before I made the move, so if I did just have a normal downswing it wouldn't affect me much.

So I would probably put your problems down to a normal downswing (assuming you have a good roi on the 10's). Another thing to think about is the psych of moving up lvl's. You may play a bit weaker initially, it is hard to avoid (less aggresion on the bubble could have something to do with your 4th's, but then again, I think your play in the hand shown is fine). You just need to focus, forget about the cash, and play your A game.

All the best, but not against me :P
Granite

[patrick dicaprio]

you are a 6-4 dog to players who will call any pair any ace all in, plus you have good folding equity. i would push here preflop and hope to get lucky. but you are still likely to finish fourth.

Pat

[poboy]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you played perfectly. You hit the flop just about as hard as you could hope for, and given your hand and stack size, you just can't afford to fold here.


[/ QUOTE ]

What are you talking about? Hit the flop as hard as he could hope for, are you serious? He has top pair no kicker and draws which may or may not be live. This is not a hand I'm willing to go out with. Fold and wait for something decent and push preflop. If you thought this was your spot you should have pushed pf, that way you give yourself that little added chance of him throwing it away.