Tourney question (pokerstars)

Hi all,


Posted this on RGP also, but I thought I'd ask here also!


Finished Xth in the PokerStars tourney today. A lot of tough players! I have a question about a play of a hand. I was next to UTG, blinds X/Y, Z ante, short stacked (2nd or 3rd shortest), player to my left raises to 2X, I have about 10X or so (1X more than he did). Up to now, everyone's been respecting my raises, so I re-raise allin with KTo to get it heads up, as I suspect he

had a "desperation" hand also. I needed to double up if I want to win this thing. He had a small but decent pocket pair, flop didn't give me any help, so I was out. Everyone else at the table had like 30-60X or so...


Normally I wait till I can open raise, otherwise I fold (even decent hands I was planning on raising) if there's a limper or a raiser in front, as at that point in the tourney I want to get the blind stealing equity.


How did I play this? I don't play tournies much, much less no limit hold'em. Thanks!


- Tony

Tony,


Well, first understand that it would be a lot better and easier to give you advice with numbers instead of XYZ. If you don't remember the stacks and blinds very well, make some up that you feel are close enough. Also, we would need other numbers such as the number of entries, the number of players at the table, the payout if you are close to the money.


Now you say a guy on your left raises it. Does that mean you limped with KTo? If that is the case then this was a bad play, IMO.


I suspect you meant the guy on your right raised and it was up to you. Then calling with your KTo was bad also. Sure he could be desperate but KTo is still a very shacky hand to say the least. You are a dog to any pair, to any ace and to any reasonnable king he might be playing here. You are only a very small favorite against hands such as QJ. Remember the whole table has to act after you do and you certainly don't want anyone to call since if there is a call, you are certainly beat. 10X the BB is still not that short stacked. It's still not panic time. The fact that other players have 30-60X the BB is irrelevent. The point is that you still have enough chips to put pressure on the blinds. You even have enough chips to make a good size preflop raise followed by a good size bet on the flop.


I would have waited for a better opportunity. Either first in, in a later position, or a call with a much, much better hand. You are better off raising all-in on the cut-off, in 3 rounds from now with 6-7X the BB with 55, A4o or K8o than calling here. Chances are you will get a better hand in the next 2-3 rounds.


Keep posting here (and keep working on that software of yours, I need the Omaha version :-)),


Nicolas Fradet (ThePrince)

My understanding from reading this post on RGP is that UTG did a limit raise to 2xBB. Tony was UTG+1 with KTo and raised all-in.


I think it is best to pass on this hand. I think the best case scenario is that he has an underpair. There are too many scenarios where you will be dominated or facing some type of big ace.


Ken Poklitar

Thanks for the advice, yes it appears folding was the best play!