Hand value & Chip commitment

[buzzy_spears]

Hey Poker Gurus!

If any hand sums up my dismal S&G (and NL) results, this one does.

I flop TPTK, heads-up. I make a 3/4 pot-sized bet. Villain calls and I put him on either a King/weak kicker or set and he's letting me do the betting.

Turn card pairs the board. I fire again thinking he will come back over me or give up. I use a 1/2 pot 'round' in case he's (unknowingly) drawing to two-pair. Miscalculated.

On the end, I don't see the miracle card and pull the trigger on the gun pointed at my head.

I think my big mistake was committing increasing amounts of my chips as the value of my top pair went down. It should've been the reverse. I think I should've made stronger bets earlier and checked the turn. If I get bluffed off my hand, at least I'm still alive.

Am I right about this?

--Buzz /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (8 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

BB (t1470)
UTG (t1195)
UTG+1 (t730)
MP1 (t990)
MP2 (t730)
CO (t570)
Button (t1530)
Hero (t785)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 calls t15, CO folds, Button folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t65</font>, BB folds, MP2 calls t50.

Flop: (t145) 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif, K/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets t95</font>, MP2 calls t95.

Turn: (t335) 7/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets t175</font>, MP2 calls t175.

River: (t685) 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets t450 (All-In)</font>, MP2 calls t395 (All-In).

Final Pot: t1530

Results in white below: <font color="white">
MP2 has 9s 8c (straight, nine high).
Hero has As Kd (two pair, kings and sevens).
Outcome: MP2 wins t1475. Hero wins t55. </font>



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Buzz's Lifetime Poker Resume:

10 10/1 S&amp;Gs: ROI = -45.45 ITM = 30.0%
1/2 113 hands; BB/100 = 11.84
NL $0.50 6max; 80 hands: BB/100 = -47.04
NL $0.50 full: 59 hands; BB/100 = -35.42
3/6 Limit Holdem at Foxwoods and Mirage

[EverettKings]

[ QUOTE ]

I think my big mistake was committing increasing amounts of my chips as the value of my top pair went down. It should've been the reverse. I think I should've made stronger bets earlier and checked the turn. If I get bluffed off my hand, at least I'm still alive.


[/ QUOTE ]

Depending on the level, I raise AKo a lot harder preflop. At the 20/30 SNGs I make often make it 100+ to go. Betting 3/4 of the pot or even the whole pot when it's small may not be enough: you don't want to give him even close to the implied odds to draw. Granted, that flop seemed pretty safe, but after raising to 100ish preflop and firing 200/250 at the flop, he's not going to have to pay a premium for a draw to a straight or 2 pair. You want to get as many chips in as possible while you know you're ahead.

And I probably check that river behind, more in fear of a slowplayed set than the straight.