PDA

View Full Version : Limit Hold-em, on the Bubble


09-13-2001, 04:41 PM
I was recently playing in a limit holdem tourny at Commerce. There were about 35 people left, top 27 got paid. My goals for this tournament were to reach the final table, not just the money.


The tournament as a whole had started to tighten up as people were just waiting for the last 8 or so players to be eliminated. If I was just trying to coast into the money, I too would have tightened up.


The blinds had just moved up to 200-400. I had 1350 in chips. I may or may not have been able to just coast into the money, but I wanted to accumulate more chips so that I could have an impact later in the tourny...I just never saw any cards to do anything with. Seat 8 or seat 9 raised every single hand pre-flop. If seat 8 mucked, seat 9 would raise. I am on the button in seat 5.


Seat 8 (UTG) mucks, and seat 9 raises. I know that he is playing very aggressively, and he has been stealing the blinds very actively. But I also know that his raise means very little. For the last 10-or-so hands, he has raised every hand that seat 8 mucked (probably about 5 or 6). He has around 3000 in chips.


All muck to me on the button, I look down and see AQo. Perhaps I should have called, but I deemed this a raise-or-fold situation.


I 3-bet (750 left in chips). The small blind (very solid player, around 3,000 in chips as well), goes into "think" mode. I immediately figure that he has a medium-largish pocket pair (tens or jacks), or AK. He thought for a long time, and eventually called. Given that, I knew that i did not want to see an ace on the flop. BB mucks, UTG calls.


The flop comes Q - 6 - 3 rainbow. Checked to me, and I bet (550 left in chips). SB folds, and a K becomes exposed (I am very sure he had AK, he even said later that he did). UTG check raises me. Going on my feeling that he probably doesn't have that strong of a hand, I'm guessing he has something like KQ, QJ, QT, maybe something like pocket 8's and he's checkraising me so that i drop my presumed-AK.


I 3bet him (150 left in chips), and he puts me all in.


He turns over pocket 6s, and I lose. Buh Bye.


My question is did I play this right? Should I have mucked preflop, or just smooth called? Once he check-raises me, I don't think there is anyway I can release this hand, I'm way too committed, right?


Part of me feels good that I accurately put him on a fairly weak pre-flop hand, but he had me beat every step of the way. Should I have done anything different?


Once he checkraised me, I thought that there was the possibility that he had an overpair...but there was only


(1) AA

(3) KK

(1) QQ


and


(6) KQ

(8) QJ

(8) QT


Did I just get unlucky? Thanks for help.


Worm

09-13-2001, 09:07 PM
Haven't we seen this exact same post before? With the exact same mistake re the blinds?


Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

09-14-2001, 12:18 PM
Gummy,


While not as experienced as most, I'd say that you played this hand well, but not great. If you were playing against a good player, this would have been a great play. However, you're up against a semi-maniac and the problem is you have no clue as to what he has. And isn't it always the case that when you go all in the other guy always flops trips or a straight? Part of the problem I think is that you hadn't seen a good hand for a while and coupled with the fact that you were up against a player of questionable ability, you went all in. I have found that having chips for the final table is a necessity for finishing high in the money, but you have to get there first. Next time wait for the nut.


Good luck!

09-14-2001, 06:05 PM
I guess it depends on who "we" is. If I had, then I wouldn't have posted it. I am beginning to feel that maybe nobody has, or else somebody would have directed me to a previous thread. If you can help, that would be appreciated.


Worm