55 hand - playing my opponent

[Byrn]

This is the very first hand of a 15+1 sit and go. I usually play rather tight and conservative, and do well in these. I have been trying to add some "plays" to improve my NL game - playing my opponents cards instead of mine. In this case I put the raiser on AK or AQ from the beginning. I felt as long as he didn't have an overpair I could take the pot on the turn with some pressure. Perhaps I should have folded on the flop with two players still to act - that could have been a big mistake.

His turn bet really made me think, but I still agreed with my read and it worked out. I guess overall this isn't really making a play, as I very likely had the best hand here. Its just very different strategy for me, as I am usually "set or fold" here. I'm not even trying to defend the line I took - I can't say I love the play, just trying to add some elements to my game.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Button (t1500)
SB (t1500)
BB (t1500)
Hero (t1500)
UTG+1 (t1500)
MP1 (t1500)
MP2 (t1500)
MP3 (t1500)
CO (t1500)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
Hero calls t20, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls t20, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls t20, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises to t60</font>, BB folds, Hero calls t40, MP1 calls t40, Button calls t40.

Flop: (t260) T/images/graemlins/club.gif, 4/images/graemlins/club.gif, 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets t120</font>, Hero calls t120, MP1 folds, Button folds.

Turn: (t500) 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets t400</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t1320</font>, SB folds.

Final Pot: t2220

[Big Limpin']

You won the hand i take it? Well, good on you, evidently your read was correct, and you won a hand you wouldnt have otherwise.

But: could you please explain HOW you made this read, and why you were so sure of it?

As i see it...this is the info you have: SB raised it to 3BB

Thats NOT enough info to put him on a specific hand. Period. AND, if im going to put him on some kind of hand based solely on this raise from the blind....i put him on PP. Why did you chose AK?

Edit:
you lose to: 33,44,66,77,88,99,TT,JJ,QQ,KK,AA,AT,KT,QT,JT
You beat: AK,AQ,AJ,KQ,KJ,QJ.
And you can pretty much knock the lower broadway off that list of hand you beat, cause he did it from very EP.

[wbrumfiel]

yeah, for some reason I see him having 99 or something like that here. He made a good size stab at the pot on the turn and was re-raise so he is thinking you have the 10.

[Bigdaddydvo]

Definitely a tricky move. He appears confident in his hand w/the pot sized bet on the turn...most typical players will fire one barrel when they miss on the flop and check the turn. It's possible that you pushed him off of a big pair by representing a set. Not sure it was the "correct" move, but I commend the aggression.

[RobGW]

I don't know of anyone who could put someone on AK or AQ on the very 1st hand just because they made a raise out of the SB. Sounds more like a pure guess to me. Anyways, didn't you think about the two people behind you? They could have a T, a flush draw, overcards, str8 draws, sets, 2 pair, etc... Even if SB is bluffing, they could have you beat, or they can just call and catch a card on the turn to beat you. 55 is a very vulnerable hand. Even if you knew your 55 were good, I think a raise on the flop would be the correct play. Practically every turn card is potential danger for you.

[Irieguy]

People ask me why I fold small pocket pairs in the early levels of a SNG. While I think you played the hand well for a ring game, you illustrate my reasoning well:

"I have a pocket pair, I'll limp for set value"

SB raises.

"Hmm. I still have pretty good implied odds, I'll still call for set value. Come on 5, come on 5, come on 5."

No set on flop. SB bets.

"Damn. Wait a second, though. He probably has AK or AQ. There are probably 19 other hands he could have, and most of them beat me... but I just think he has AK. I'll call. Come on 5, come on 5, come on 5!"

Turn blanks. SB bets pot.

"Looks like I'm screwed unless I just push and hope I'm right about the AK thing. Yeah, I'll push."

SB folds.

"I am a super genius. My skills dwarf all other SNG players."

Well, the bottom line is that you put all your chips at risk in level 1 of a SNG with only 3rd pair and a flush draw on board. You get called here most of the time... most of the time you are beat, and some of the time when you aren't beat you lose on the river.

My opinion is that you understand poker pretty well, so you are not likely to call off your whole stack in level 1 without a hand. Therefore, this type of play is about the worst mistake you can possibly make.

Irieguy

[Byrn]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, the bottom line is that you put all your chips at risk in level 1 of a SNG with only 3rd pair and a flush draw on board. You get called here most of the time... most of the time you are beat, and some of the time when you aren't beat you lose on the river.

My opinion is that you understand poker pretty well, so you are not likely to call off your whole stack in level 1 without a hand. Therefore, this type of play is about the worst mistake you can possibly make.


[/ QUOTE ]

Funny thing is... I agree with you. I hated my play at every stage here (except the pf limp). I usually fold to the raise pf though. Every thing I did after the pf limp I did feeling very uncomfortable. So I'm trying to figure out how to stretch myself best in order to improve.

I did read him for just overcards here though - after playing so many 15+1's and seeing the play, I was fairly sure he had overcards. So that part was easy enough.

I am trying to force myself to play more aggressive. "Out of my own box" if you will. I'm not sure this was the best way to bring that to do it - I just think the thing I need to do to improve my play is be more aggressive. I'm just trying to think of where to implement this.

[Irieguy]

[ QUOTE ]
I just think the thing I need to do to improve my play is be more aggressive. I'm just trying to think of where to implement this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Later in the SNG.

Irieguy

[syka16]

lol

[climber]

Dude--Irieguy--are you inside my head or what.

That was incredible--I swear you have my whole thought process word for word right there!

Thats hilarious.