88 early

[tiltaholic]

Hi
I'm a relative newb to sngs...how would you play this hand? Everyone so far has been playing far too many hands, as usual, but I have no real reads yet. This is the first playable hand I've gotten so far...

Party 20+2, level 2 (15/30), 8 players remaining

me (730)
MP (710)
button (705)
SB (460)
BB (665)

I'm UTG with 8 /images/graemlins/spade.gif8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
I limp (?), folded to MP who limps, folded to button who raises to 100, SB calls, BB folds...I call(?)

FLOP (3 players) 2 /images/graemlins/heart.gif2 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif4 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

SB checks, I check(?), Button raises all- in (605), SB calls, I fold.

I think the fold on the flop is correct given how I played until then, but I think all 3 of my prior decisions may be wrong.

Thanks in advance
-t

[PhiGamTN]

now some may call me weak tight but i have a nice roi on 5+.50 sng's on pacific. Before the blinds hit 25-50 (and sometimes well into this level) i basically only raise AA-QQ AKo AKs i will limp with AQ-AJ suited or offsuit in lp (maybe mp depends on reads) and i limp with any pp 22--jj which i play for set value (of course only if it's a somewhat passive table other wise i tighten up to 7's or better) i will also call a mini raise with pocket pairs because sets are so powerful.

Given this I would play the hadn exactly as you did. There is some consideration because you only have 5 players left but still i don't want to be playing a big pot out of position with 88 when the blinds are miniscule compared to my stack.

Better players can go ahead and rip into my weak tight self


EDIT: ok i'm dumb you only posted stacks of those who mattered. considering there's 8 players left i play the hand exactly as you do again although i'm a little more inclined to fold to the raise with mp still to act behind me.

[El Maximo]

I always limp with any pair in early rounds. Especially at the lower buy-ins. You will usually get paid well for hitting a set. I fold to this preflop raise. Maybe this is too weak tight.

[MikeyEdge]

I think you played it ok, I probably would have played it a little differently.

I would have rather raised it $100 before the flop. Maybe not everyime, but it depends how your table is running. If everyone is limping, I would rather mini-raise from early position to thin the field with this hand.

If you limp and two others limp, then the button raises $100. You and the limpers are going to call. If you make it $100 to go you can eliminate those limpers.

Onto the flop. Even if you limped then called the raise, I still bet out probably a half-pot sized bet.

However in your case when the button moves all-in and the SB calls, I fold it too. If the SB doesn't call, I would probably call given this flop.

[Unarmed]

I think you played it perfectly.
A couple comments on other replies.

Folding to the PF raise is a touch weak. There's 290 in the pot at that point and its 70 more for Hero to call. Based solely on his stack size he probably doesn't have odds to call at just 10-1, but you have to consider the dead money already in the pot.

Min-raising 88 UTG is some interesting advice... First off, min raising isn't going to effectively thin the field at any low buyin event. Secondly, if it did have that effect, why would you want to do so? With 88 UTG you want to play it for set value and the more limpers the merrier. Give it to me on the button or CO and fine, I'll take the lead, but in this situation I'm limping every time.

[Marcotte]

I somewhat suprised noone has recommended leading out on the flop. The button could easily make this play with AK/Q. I suppose the stacks are a little shallow for much post flop play. Does betting 200 into the 360 pot commit you? Or does it scream weakness? Will it get called/raised by a non-pair? I'm not sure the answers to these questions, but I think leading out has enough merit to at least discuss.

[PhiGamTN]

I would say that leading is 100% read dependant. Are any of these players fishy enough to have called your raise with a 2 if so check fold and wait for a better spot to get your money in. Say for example that my opponent flipped up his AK here on the flop and said no matter what all the chips are going in on the flop I still might fold this. I think anyone who is posting here and studying here is a good enough player to find a spot that gives them better EV to put all their money in with.

Now i am assuming here that someone behidn you is going to call or push. This leaves you in an awful predicament. So again my assesment boils down to this: if you think you can outplay the rest of the field check fold... otherwise take the gamble (i'm really thinking this is a gamble without reads) and try to double up so you stand a better chance.

Comments?

[tiltaholic]

Hi all,
Thanks for the comments - I think SB scared me off the hand, since he could have had anything including a 2 and I felt it was too early to play this hand very aggressively.

It turns out that button had 77 and SB had 99