kurto
11-10-2004, 07:09 PM
Let me start by saying (without knowing my results), I feel good about my tournament play considering I haven't studied any books on tourny play vs ring games. Since coming here, I've seen that there's a lot I don't know about... like calling all-in bets with 7-10 based on stack sizes,... that kind of thing.
That being said, here's a hand that I recall losing, and at the time I thought I lost to an idiot. Now I wonder if he knows something about tourny strategy as the big stack that I don't.
Here's what I recall.
Pokerstars - $5.50 NL sng.
The villain is by far the big stack - close to $4K. I believe there were still 6-7 players left. I don't recall the blinds, but they weren't that high.. let's say for the sake of argument, $30-60. I have around $1800.
In Early position, I find myself with K-K. I open 4xBB. 3 callers including the villain. (I don't recall suits but I know there were no scary flush draws)
The flop comes K-8-3. rainbow
Jackpot. With my raise PF, a bet is expected, but I want to milk it a little so I oblige with a small bet. I bet $100. 2 callers, one of which is the Villain who thought for a moment then called. Great. I'm going to milk this.
Turn: (K-8-3) 7
This time I bet $400. One fold and then the villain-- He thinks.... and calls. Based on that board, I can't imagine, except for a PP, what he would be playing. (it may have still been mixed suits, I don't recall) There's nothing on the board that can beat me. Now this guy has played well, only shown down good hands... and earned the chip lead. The only things he could have, far as I figure, is a lower set or he's got Aces or 2 pair.
River- (K-8-3-7) 6
So, I go all in, he immediately calls... and turns over 4-5s. And I'm thinking, I lost to an idiot.
But now I'm wondering... as big stack, is there some principle that says you would call will longshots cause you have the money to lose? I know I underbet for my set on the flop, but still... is there any reason for him to call that makes sense?
6 months ago, I would have said there's never any reason to call ANY raise with a 5-10 offsuit, but I understand that is not necessarily the case in a certain tourny situations. Is there something that I haven't learned that explains his play?
Or do I write it off as losing to a lucky crazy guy? (Again, I don't want to write him off as an idiot only because he got to the big stack by playing good hands well. I understand one strategy as big stack is too loosen up, playing more hands cheaply so that you can bust other players. But I would guess this goes beyond that?)
I apologize for the badbeat story, and I know I think he's wrong... but there's a lot of poker theory I don't know, so there could be some explanation out there...
That being said, here's a hand that I recall losing, and at the time I thought I lost to an idiot. Now I wonder if he knows something about tourny strategy as the big stack that I don't.
Here's what I recall.
Pokerstars - $5.50 NL sng.
The villain is by far the big stack - close to $4K. I believe there were still 6-7 players left. I don't recall the blinds, but they weren't that high.. let's say for the sake of argument, $30-60. I have around $1800.
In Early position, I find myself with K-K. I open 4xBB. 3 callers including the villain. (I don't recall suits but I know there were no scary flush draws)
The flop comes K-8-3. rainbow
Jackpot. With my raise PF, a bet is expected, but I want to milk it a little so I oblige with a small bet. I bet $100. 2 callers, one of which is the Villain who thought for a moment then called. Great. I'm going to milk this.
Turn: (K-8-3) 7
This time I bet $400. One fold and then the villain-- He thinks.... and calls. Based on that board, I can't imagine, except for a PP, what he would be playing. (it may have still been mixed suits, I don't recall) There's nothing on the board that can beat me. Now this guy has played well, only shown down good hands... and earned the chip lead. The only things he could have, far as I figure, is a lower set or he's got Aces or 2 pair.
River- (K-8-3-7) 6
So, I go all in, he immediately calls... and turns over 4-5s. And I'm thinking, I lost to an idiot.
But now I'm wondering... as big stack, is there some principle that says you would call will longshots cause you have the money to lose? I know I underbet for my set on the flop, but still... is there any reason for him to call that makes sense?
6 months ago, I would have said there's never any reason to call ANY raise with a 5-10 offsuit, but I understand that is not necessarily the case in a certain tourny situations. Is there something that I haven't learned that explains his play?
Or do I write it off as losing to a lucky crazy guy? (Again, I don't want to write him off as an idiot only because he got to the big stack by playing good hands well. I understand one strategy as big stack is too loosen up, playing more hands cheaply so that you can bust other players. But I would guess this goes beyond that?)
I apologize for the badbeat story, and I know I think he's wrong... but there's a lot of poker theory I don't know, so there could be some explanation out there...