Is my thinking right?

[jt1]

PP $33 buyin 550 people late at night NL tourney. Blinds are still 10/15

I am down to 600 chips early on and limp in EP with 3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3 /images/graemlins/club.gif

2 unknowns limpers behind and a semi LAG raises to 75. He made a similar raise earlier with QJs and beat my Kings which is why I was down early. More on that hand later, as I would like advice there too.

I call and the other limpers call

(240) 2 /images/graemlins/club.gif 5 /images/graemlins/club.gif 6 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I check. Limpers check. Aggressor bets 125. I go all in.

I checked to see if the other limpers had any of the flop. I went all-in because the pot was already big and I thought I had the best hand. Beside critiquing play, my question is should I have been more conservative and waited until I had a very nice hand before making any all-in moves.

Hand 2 The KK hand

Earlier in same tourney: Unknown bets 50 in MP. LP calls. Me in BB bets 150. They both call. FLop is AQJ rainbow. I bet 150.

Did I go wrong anywhere? Should I have bet more preflop?

[jt1]

in hand one, everyone had me covered and the villian had about 3000 chips.

in hand 2, everyone was about around 1000 chips

[lil_o]

I like the play on the first hand since it will get the aggressor to lay down overcards. I highly doubt the limpers would call unless they were slowplaying a monster facing 2-bets. Aggressor probably had paint or a weak ace.

On the KK hand, I would have reraised more since there was already one caller in front of you. KK is an easy hand to hand win a small pot or lose a big pot.

[adanthar]

I don't like either hand.

Hand 1: 33 is moderately OK to limp with there but I'm not coldcalling a decent sized raise with it first in. Put the two limpers ahead of me and it's fine, but I don't want to play it HU against a guy with two cards who won't fold them.

The flop is...eh, I guess you're stuck now, but he's calling practically anything that's ahead of you and some stuff that can outdraw you. Good luck, I guess.

Hand 2: I'd have made it 200 PF and check/folded the flop, but if you're not going to fold it bet more than 150. You're basically telling anyone who's any good at your table that you're weak; I strongly consider coming over you with TT, never mind what he had.

[jt1]

[ QUOTE ]
33 is moderately OK to limp with there but I'm not coldcalling a decent sized raise with it first in. Put the two limpers ahead of me and it's fine, but I don't want to play it HU against a guy with two cards who won't fold them.


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Thank you very much. That is the type of analysis that makes people better poker players.


[ QUOTE ]
I'd have made it 200 PF and check/folded the flop, but if you're not going to fold it bet more than 150. You're basically telling anyone who's any good at your table that you're weak; I strongly consider coming over you with TT, never mind what he had.

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That is only true if the good player thinks that I'm capable of folding. Many players will call down KK on this board, because they have a draw and they simply hate laying down KK. And unless he has a read on me from a previous game, he shouldn't yet know that I'm good enough to fold. However, the principle behind your statement is well taken. Deciding how to play your lead after missing the flop is difficult in no limit.

A follow up question: Should I have gone all-in preflop with them cowbows? I've heard it said many a time that you don't want to take risks early on in a tourney. It seems you are taking the least risk by going all-in since all but some pocket pairs and AK should fold.

[adanthar]

[ QUOTE ]
That is only true if the good player thinks that I'm capable of folding.

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You reraised PF, then bet 150 into a pot with 450 in it; you either have exactly AA/QQ-JJ and are milking it, or [KK] the flop absolutely missed you. This isn't rocket science; if I coldcall 22 in position, miss my set and the guy underbets the pot on a rag board I am very frequently coming over the top because the AK almost always folds. I don't even need to put you on an exact hand to know that with this bet size.

[ QUOTE ]
A follow up question: Should I have gone all-in preflop with them cowbows? I've heard it said many a time that you don't want to take risks early on in a tourney. It seems you are taking the least risk by going all-in since all but some pocket pairs and AK should fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

Possibly, but not for that reason (which is weak/tight and typical after a semi-bad beat post). Instead, you should do it because it makes your hand look like AK and lets 99 call.

[jt1]

[ QUOTE ]
This isn't rocket science

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I'm not sure if you got my point. I know that my bet indicates weakness, and any decent player knows it too. But am I good enough to fold KK? You must know that a significant # of players will not fold KK or TT here. And a very small percentage wont fold any pocket pair. On top of that, some players will bet exactly what I bet with a set. So by betting, at least, I give said good player a chance to fold. BTW, I'm not dismissing your check fold suggestion. I'm simply adding that bad players don't always fold weak hands, and a good player tempted to raise me with a worse hand doesn't know if I am bad player or not.

Your second comment is well taken.