Hand review - first Real Money SNG

[maryfield48]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (8 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Hero (t1155)
UTG (t1410)
UTG+1 (t1545)
MP1 (t2820)
MP2 (t1910)
CO (t13090)
Button (t3745)
SB (t1325)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG calls t100, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls t100, MP2 folds, CO folds, Button folds, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (t400) 7/images/graemlins/club.gif, 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets t200</font>, UTG folds, <font color="CC3333">MP1 raises to t400</font>, SB folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t1055</font>, MP1 calls t655.

Turn: (t2510) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>

River: (t2510) 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>

Final Pot: t2510

Of course I was only in the hand because I was BB. Then I got a great flop. Any criticism of how I played it?

[Reverend]

Presumably if it's your first it's a 5+.50. I don't play at Stars at all but giving your opponent credit for playing a fairly reasonable standard game as you didn't mention anything I think you played it fine.

You're short stacked so I don't think there's any question of not wanting to get all your money in on that flop with top two pair. You have to raise because there are flush and straight draws obvious, especially with no raise preflop. When you get reraised the small reraise forcing the other player out says that he's not drawing to the flush. I would have thought he had to have at least a pair. Given you posted I assume you lost so perhaps 78 or maybe pocket 8s. I cannot see how you can get out of this anyhow, or that you want to.

Personally if I'm him and have trips i'm pushing here to force the draws to get out or pay massively then and there having both of you easily covered. With a made hand I would probably flat call hoping the SB comes along or makes a move.

The only reason for a min reraise would be if he figured the SB was unlikely to call your raise and he wanted to get you (thinking you were) pot committed and not scare you straight off, at this level I think it's more likely he raising what he thought was the best hand (not enough though with the draws), but was actually worse than yours (until you were reduced to the board, of course!). I'd be happy with the way the chips went in on the flop if I was playing that hand, even if I had completely misread the situation I would almost certainly have a few outs if he has made the straight.

I think him having 77 is the worst scenario, you need the two remaining 5s to come runner runner to win or the board to do what it did to tie, but i've spent so long rambling i'm not even sure what the hand was anymore.

The Rev

[maryfield48]

He was on a flush draw, AQh I think. He busted me out.

But the thing that I thought about after was, would it be better to call the flop raise and then move in on the turn if it was not a heart. The odds he's getting to call with one card to come are way worse. So I'm wondering what's the best play in that situation.

[krille]

In an SnG you will push every time on that flop if given the oppurtunity... you played correctly and he lucked out.

[maryfield48]

[ QUOTE ]
In an SnG you will push every time on that flop if given the oppurtunity... you played correctly and he lucked out.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah. God knows it's not the worst beat or anything like that - I just had that question about waiting for the turn.

I had to laugh on my way out the door at the player not in the hand who said "nice play" to my opponent.

I'll get him next time.

[jedi]

[ QUOTE ]
He was on a flush draw, AQh I think. He busted me out.

But the thing that I thought about after was, would it be better to call the flop raise and then move in on the turn if it was not a heart. The odds he's getting to call with one card to come are way worse. So I'm wondering what's the best play in that situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're short stacked with the blinds increasing relatively soon. You've hit a very good flop and got the money in the middle when you had the best hand. Nothing you can do about it.

[BigJohn043]

Why bet only 200 on the flop? I would have either bet the pot or gone for a check/push. Given the flush draw I would probably just go ahead and bet the pot despite two players to act behind me.

By underbetting the pot, the raiser could be coming over the top of you because he smells weakness. My guess is that is what he did on a semi-bluff and he was then pot committed so he had to call the all-in.

If you bet 400 maybe he comes over the top and you end up all-in anyway. But a bet of 400 defines the hand much better.

I don't hate your push given the line you took, but I don't think you maximized your fold equity....

[ThaSaltCracka]

I agree, you should have bet the pot on the flop. At this point in the SnG, I rarely if ever bet anything less than the pot, otherwise you give anyone involved in the hand reasonable odds to call. But at this point, if you are gonna bet the pot, you might as well push, especially with your stack.

[Reverend]

I disagree, this is a small buy-in SnG, the culprit has him/her easily covered and is going to call with the flush draw anyway (someone who raises people out of the pot when they're on the nut flush draw is not exactly Sklansky when it comes to pot odds I suspect) if faced with the all-in with a reasonable sized pot already.

In theory you're right. Knowing they're drawing to the flush you should put them all in. In this case however you are quite happy to get that all-in called by the flush draw. You are short stacked and need to double up, getting that chance as a big favourite is great, maybe the move was a mistake IF you are putting them on a flush draw but the end result is exactly where you wanted to be. Well, not quite the end result.... /images/graemlins/wink.gif. I admit I'd probably push here but only if I gave the opponent credit for being able to lay down a big draw AND thought they could well have it, otherwise i'm trying to milk some cash out of it and get back into the tournament with a decent stack

The Rev

(Note that this contradicts my original post somewhat but I put the caveat in that that the opponent had some sense, clearly not the case)

[BigHobo]

[ QUOTE ]
But at this point, if you are gonna bet the pot, you might as well push, especially with your stack.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree. I would have pushed on the flop.

All of your chips are going in the pot no matter what, so with a flush draw on the board I would push and try to get a fold. You may get called, but you were going to end up all-in regardless.