I hate my play here: Advice anyone?

[Jan]

Hand Number: 139,928,697
Table Number: 1,544,471
Event Name: Sit & Go (25 Minimum Chip)
Average Stack: 3,333.33 (2,000 starting chips)
Remaining Players: 6 (10 started)
Seat 1 : Lil Bob starts with 500
Seat 2 : freckles101 starts with 2,675
Seat 3 : titosfc starts with 6,525
Seat 5 : IndySteve69 starts with 4,200
Seat 6 : janbiv2 starts with 1,775
Seat 10 : MacTekNY starts with 4,325
Seat 5 : IndySteve69 has the dealer button
>>>DEALING HOLE CARDS<<<
janbiv2 dealt down J /images/graemlins/diamond.gif J /images/graemlins/spade.gif
janbiv2 posts the small blind 50
MacTekNY posts the big blind 100
Lil Bob folds
freckles101 folds
titosfc folds
IndySteve69 raises 250 to 350
janbiv2 raises 800 to 1,150
MacTekNY folds
IndySteve69 raises 800 to 1,950
janbiv2 calls 625 and is all-in
IndySteve69 takes back 175
IndySteve69 cards were A /images/graemlins/club.gif K /images/graemlins/club.gif
janbiv2 cards were J /images/graemlins/diamond.gif J /images/graemlins/spade.gif
>>>DEALING FLOP<<< [ 9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif Q /images/graemlins/heart.gif 6 /images/graemlins/spade.gif ]
>>>DEALING TURN<<< [ 3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif ]
IndySteve69: nh
>>>DEALING RIVER<<< [ A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif ]
IndySteve69 wins 3,650 with a pair of aces
janbiv2 has left the table
janbiv2 finishes in 6th place

Since IndySteve made a smallish bet here, my plan was to raise enough to knock out the BB, get it heads-up and see a flop. Then, if no overcards flopped, move in on him.

I think I made a horrible play in raising so much preflop...I essentially committed myself to the pot, and may as well have moved all in. However, still 6-handed, that was NOT a move I wanted to make preflop.

Though in this case we probably would have ended up all-in on the flop and the end result would have been the same, I still hate my preflop raise.

Considering the BB was a fairly reasonable player (i.e., would fold to a reasonable raise), and I don't believe IndySteve's bet was enough to knock out the BB, what do you think would have been a reasonable raise on my part to accomplish getting heads-up but not being pot committed.

Or, do you see an entirely different way to play this hand?

Thanks

Janis

[tigerite]

Yes. This is perfect for a stop & go in my opinion. If the situation was reversed and you had the AK, then I would probably push all in, but as long as you push any flop then you're no worse off than if you had done so preflop (as you did) and most likely will get hands like AK to fold.

However with QQ and above this is a definite re-raise.

[tigerite]

But if you were worried about the BB perhaps a min re-raise would have been better. The problem with that is, it re-opens the betting. Don't forget you will be able to act first on the flop, though, even if the BB does call. This is quite an advantage if you are going to do the stop-and-go.

[bucci]

3 alternatives in my preference... each gives you a better chance to make the money...

1) just fold the SB & wait for a chance to steal later (you have a small stack you can pick on..) you could make a case for just folding QQ and AK here also.

2) call the raise and play the flop

3) reraise allin preflop (instead of the smaller raise)

[tigerite]

Admittedly you are 17x the BB here, but I think folding JJ, QQ and AK is a bit too weak-tight. You need to make some chips with these kind of hands, even if you still have time to spare. Chasing small pots is what gets you a bigger stack in the long run.

[stillnotking]

I think this is a definite push preflop. IndySteve is a big stack and in steal position -- what kind of hand would he need to raise here? I'd put him on a lot less than AKs most likely. Play back and hope to get called.

Alternatively, if you give him more credit than I do, you could call, and then either bet out big or check-raise the flop if it looks safe.

[bucci]

Agree. it just depends on your read of the situation. a push isn't bad. it would give you a 50-50 if he calls, and he'll probably fold at least 1/4 of the time, so you're probably a 60-70% chance of picking up a nice pot with the push.


a checkraise on the flop will force him to call. you've gotta get your money in first if you see the flop.