Playing JJ early.

[Grisgra]

Was this stupid? Reraising all-in pf seemed iffy to me. Betting more on the flop would have made me pot-committed. I ended up finishing in the money (3rd), admittedly after a lucky beat, so I'm not complaining, but I wonder how I should have actually played this.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

MP1 (t1545)
Hero (t585)
MP3 (t680)
CO (t1160)
Button (t1470)
SB (t355)
BB (t595)
UTG (t700)
UTG+1 (t910)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to t150</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls t150, <font color="#666666">5 folds</font>.

Flop: (t375) 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t125</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to t250</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t750

[Mr_J]

He probally has a decent starting hand with the ealry position. PF raise. AA-QQ, AK seem the hands but AQ/J, KQ and 99+ are possible. The min-raise looks like it wants action (if he hasn't got anything or didn't hit, why a min-raise?), so you're probally behind. Then again I'm 10/12 OTM so I could be way off.

[Kaufmania]

JJ is a tricky hand because it looks a lot better than it really is. I think, and I could be wrong, that about 40% of the time you will see 1 overcard to your jack. I probably would have done the same thing, nothing much more you can do.

[DangerGoodson]

to me this is borderline since you put in 275 already, about half your stack. Fold is ok, I prolly would have pushed all in, especially against a player that makes loose raises, because a 100 chip raise into this pot looks pretty weak. Ultimately 50/50, so I would try to take into consideration your player read.

[ChrisV]

Raise allin preflop. When this short stacked I don't think you can worry about being dominated. I would have to have a pretty solid read on UTG to want to fold here. I wouldn't call under any circumstances.

On the flop, you've lucked out in that UTG has apparently flopped some monstrous hand and doesn't want to bet it, thus enabling you to escape for no loss. Why else would he check a harmless flop like Kxx? If you had, say, AQ, would you check here with 450 in the pot and your opponent having 435 chips? Check behind when he checks. The worst that you're allowing is a free draw at 6 (and more usually 2 or 3) outs.

[Myst]

Easy push preflop.

[Grisgra]

It's probably the better half of a coin flip -- is that worthwhile when I think I'm one of the better players at the table?

I ended up doubling up that game when the SB open-limped, I raised all-in with 99, and he called with A6o /images/graemlins/smile.gif.

[Mr_J]

I didn't even look at stack size. A push preflop looks like the move. You could easily be up against a better PP.

You do have 580 or so chips left, maybe letting this hand go and steal in position is a better move?

Dangergoodson-
"especially against a player that makes loose raises, because a 100 chip raise into this pot looks pretty weak"

I assume you mean the min-raise postflop? Could easily be a trap.

[david050173]

[ QUOTE ]
It's probably the better half of a coin flip -- is that worthwhile when I think I'm one of the better players at the table?

I ended up doubling up that game when the SB open-limped, I raised all-in with 99, and he called with A6o /images/graemlins/smile.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is worth it because you don't have a lot of time before the blinds decimate your folding equity. Your odds can also be better than 50/50(ie he calls with Ax) enough to compensate when you are dominated .

[bluesbassman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It's probably the better half of a coin flip -- is that worthwhile when I think I'm one of the better players at the table?

I ended up doubling up that game when the SB open-limped, I raised all-in with 99, and he called with A6o /images/graemlins/smile.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is worth it because you don't have a lot of time before the blinds decimate your folding equity. Your odds can also be better than 50/50(ie he calls with Ax) enough to compensate when you are dominated .

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. With your stack size and at that point in the tourney, the (advantageous side) of a coin flip is exactly the situation I'd realisticially be looking for to double up and get back into money contention.

[schwza]

you really think villain is raising AT utg?

[mcreech65]

With a raise UTG, he is most likely playing hands like AA-QQ, AK (which all have you beat). He might be playing AQ, AJ, A10, KQ, KJ, TT-99. (Against, some of these hands you are ahead).

On the flop you made a very weak bet $125 into a $375 pot. This was inviting AQ, TT-99 to come over the top of you.

A bigger bet on the flop would likely not have been re-raised, unless you were beat. With the weak bet you are not sure, but still have to give him credit for a good hand. Fold.

[BigDave]

I would have reraised all in preflop. Picking up a 225 pot would have looked good on your stack if he folds, and if he calls I think you have a good shot of doubling up.

[wuwei]

[ QUOTE ]
It's probably the better half of a coin flip -- is that worthwhile when I think I'm one of the better players at the table?

[/ QUOTE ]

Some % of the time it's the better half of a coin flip. Some % of the time you have their pair dominated. Some % of the time you have them drawing to 3 outs. Some % of the time they have you dominated with a bigger pair. On top of all that, you have some amount of folding equity when you push. I think if you add all that up, it's a pretty good push preflop against most opponents. Obviously, these numbers will vary based on the opponent.

[ QUOTE ]
I ended up doubling up that game when the SB open-limped, I raised all-in with 99, and he called with A6o /images/graemlins/smile.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what I'm talking about /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Grisgra]

What sized flop bet do you think I should have made, if any? If I bet 200 and he raises, can I get away from it now that I'm getting around 3:1 odds with my remaining 400 chips?

[gazarsgo]

An alternative:

The villain minraised because he smelled weakness on the part of the hero with the terrible bet on the flop. It's equally likely that he has a good ace that missed the flop here as he does an underpair.

The reason why a minraise is so attractive here is that it screams monster (or at least "I have a good hand and want action") without committing a lot of chips. If the hero had bet more reasonably on the flop (or not at all!) a minraise becomes much less attractive and a steal either have to put the hero allin or becomes impossible; telegraphing you are pot comitted to the hand is pretty strong here IMO.

[TheDrone]

Therefore, you should definitely push preflop in lower buy-in games having no specific read on the opponent. Of course this is due to the wider range of hands that typical lower buy-in players will raise--with little regard to position.

I haven't seen the buy-in posted for this hand, but a preflop push is an easy decision for me in the $10-$30 range that I have played. I can only speculate on higher buy-ins, therefore I won't comment on them.

[david050173]

[ QUOTE ]
Therefore, you should definitely push preflop in lower buy-in games having no specific read on the opponent. Of course this is due to the wider range of hands that typical lower buy-in players will raise--with little regard to position.

I haven't seen the buy-in posted for this hand, but a preflop push is an easy decision for me in the $10-$30 range that I have played. I can only speculate on higher buy-ins, therefore I won't comment on them.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the 10-33 you will see the mini raise (even UTG) with any small pair, ax suited, and some worse hands.

[mcreech65]

[ QUOTE ]
What sized flop bet do you think I should have made, if any? If I bet 200 and he raises, can I get away from it now that I'm getting around 3:1 odds with my remaining 400 chips?

[/ QUOTE ]

With your short stack you can not afford to risk too many more chips in situations where you do not have an advantage. I would favor a check in this situation and see if the turn brings you a jack, an advantage, and puts you in situation where now you want to be called.
Check the flop, if no help comes fold. You still have $400 plus chips, which is plenty when you are 9 handed and the blinds are 25-50.
If you feel you must bet, I'd favor a $200-275 bet, this might prevent AQ, AJ, TT, 99 from coming over the top.