MeanGreenTT
02-21-2005, 07:42 PM
This is a local Horse Track Card Room with some pretty solid players. $45 buy-in for 1000 chips, 20 minute rounds starting at 10/15 with 100 people, top 9 are paid.
We've been at the final table for maybe 15 minutes and I'm now sitting with about 20k in chips, easily tied for 2nd. One player at 9k and two short stacks, 6 players total. Blinds are still at 1000/2000 but about to go up. The past several hands have happened pretty quickly and I've taken more than my share of them to vault from semi-short stack when the Final Table started to 2nd in chips now, I'm talking maybe like a span of 10 minutes or so. Pushed in the right spots, busted out a player and came over the top of another. I'm on a rush of cards and play!
I'm on the Button. The SB is the Chip Leader and I know from previous experience that he'll aggressively play a monster but drop anything less, even when folded to him. The BB is Steve and we're about tied for chips. I have his game down too but he knows mine as well. UTG is 4th in the chips with around 9k and he mini-raises to 4k. Another curious bet since that's just under 1/2 his stack. Both short stacks fold and it's to me.
I look down to find TT and 6-handed, fireworks on going off inside, especially considering my recent run. I don't mind a coin-flip heads up against the UTG raiser. It'd cost me 1/2 my stack to race with him. For whatever reason, his play doesn't feel like a big pocket pair...more like 2 over cards, at least I hope. 6-handed with 1 player acting strong in front and I have a hand, I just have to figure the Blinds as not having cards. If I can get heads up and win, I have a really great shot at 1st. And if I lose, I still have over 10k in chips and know I can outplay to at least 4th again.
What would you do? What's the best play here, thanks!
1. You can fold. This is weak in my opinion, ESPECIALLY 6 handed but I should give merrit to the UTG mini-raise. This usually screams that a player wants action. Couple that with the fact he only has 6k in chips after making the bet, blinds are on him next hand and he'll be crippled and that should send off alarm bells. So this is an option, an extremely safe one that risks no chips but damn it's tough to toss this nice of a pocket pair this short tabled.
2. You can flat call the 4k raise, hope it's enough for the Blinds to fold, but I doubt it. If either one of them have any kind of hand they'll come over the top quickly. Then we hope the Flop doesn't contain paint but if it does, with 4 players, you can easily get rid of your hand, knowing you're most likely dominated and you got out for cheap with most of your stack in tact. If either blind does show strength and comes over the top, you can throw your hand away easily. This option is conservative, especially 6 handed, in my opinion but it has it benefits.
3. You can re-raise to put the UTG player all-in. Make him play this hand for all his chips. It'll cost you 1/2 your stack but if it holds up, you'll have the 2nd chip position all to yourself and be in prime position to battle deep. If you lose, you still have over 10k in chips and can outplay the short stacks to at least 4th if not better. This does risk more chips here because if the SB or BB have a hand, which I still have to think is doubtful for 6 handed, then you'll have to seriously considering throwing away your hand. Now you wouldn't be heads up, it's between 3 players and your odds go down but their outs may cancel out each other if they're both on over cards. This option has a high risk at 1/2 your stack but high reward as well with the potential of trippling up...and we are playing for 1st right?
4. You can push. Put it all at risk, hope the Blinds don't have a hand and get heads up against the original raiser. If either Blind does have a hand, they'll call and you're either TOTALLY dominated as they wouldn't call a raise then a re-raise without a real monster. You're either a decent percentage to win if they both have 2 over cards and you're a real dog if one shows JJ-AA, you're crushed! You'll bust out in 6th spot, raking $170 for your efforts. 5th pays $190, 4th $280...1st is $950 or thereabouts.
But it's not about the money right, it's about making 1st place, it's about the win....but it's also about playing smart.
What's your play?....I know I took my fair share of time to think about it. Hopefully this makes for some good discussion. I know I've already learned from it /images/graemlins/smile.gif
We've been at the final table for maybe 15 minutes and I'm now sitting with about 20k in chips, easily tied for 2nd. One player at 9k and two short stacks, 6 players total. Blinds are still at 1000/2000 but about to go up. The past several hands have happened pretty quickly and I've taken more than my share of them to vault from semi-short stack when the Final Table started to 2nd in chips now, I'm talking maybe like a span of 10 minutes or so. Pushed in the right spots, busted out a player and came over the top of another. I'm on a rush of cards and play!
I'm on the Button. The SB is the Chip Leader and I know from previous experience that he'll aggressively play a monster but drop anything less, even when folded to him. The BB is Steve and we're about tied for chips. I have his game down too but he knows mine as well. UTG is 4th in the chips with around 9k and he mini-raises to 4k. Another curious bet since that's just under 1/2 his stack. Both short stacks fold and it's to me.
I look down to find TT and 6-handed, fireworks on going off inside, especially considering my recent run. I don't mind a coin-flip heads up against the UTG raiser. It'd cost me 1/2 my stack to race with him. For whatever reason, his play doesn't feel like a big pocket pair...more like 2 over cards, at least I hope. 6-handed with 1 player acting strong in front and I have a hand, I just have to figure the Blinds as not having cards. If I can get heads up and win, I have a really great shot at 1st. And if I lose, I still have over 10k in chips and know I can outplay to at least 4th again.
What would you do? What's the best play here, thanks!
1. You can fold. This is weak in my opinion, ESPECIALLY 6 handed but I should give merrit to the UTG mini-raise. This usually screams that a player wants action. Couple that with the fact he only has 6k in chips after making the bet, blinds are on him next hand and he'll be crippled and that should send off alarm bells. So this is an option, an extremely safe one that risks no chips but damn it's tough to toss this nice of a pocket pair this short tabled.
2. You can flat call the 4k raise, hope it's enough for the Blinds to fold, but I doubt it. If either one of them have any kind of hand they'll come over the top quickly. Then we hope the Flop doesn't contain paint but if it does, with 4 players, you can easily get rid of your hand, knowing you're most likely dominated and you got out for cheap with most of your stack in tact. If either blind does show strength and comes over the top, you can throw your hand away easily. This option is conservative, especially 6 handed, in my opinion but it has it benefits.
3. You can re-raise to put the UTG player all-in. Make him play this hand for all his chips. It'll cost you 1/2 your stack but if it holds up, you'll have the 2nd chip position all to yourself and be in prime position to battle deep. If you lose, you still have over 10k in chips and can outplay the short stacks to at least 4th if not better. This does risk more chips here because if the SB or BB have a hand, which I still have to think is doubtful for 6 handed, then you'll have to seriously considering throwing away your hand. Now you wouldn't be heads up, it's between 3 players and your odds go down but their outs may cancel out each other if they're both on over cards. This option has a high risk at 1/2 your stack but high reward as well with the potential of trippling up...and we are playing for 1st right?
4. You can push. Put it all at risk, hope the Blinds don't have a hand and get heads up against the original raiser. If either Blind does have a hand, they'll call and you're either TOTALLY dominated as they wouldn't call a raise then a re-raise without a real monster. You're either a decent percentage to win if they both have 2 over cards and you're a real dog if one shows JJ-AA, you're crushed! You'll bust out in 6th spot, raking $170 for your efforts. 5th pays $190, 4th $280...1st is $950 or thereabouts.
But it's not about the money right, it's about making 1st place, it's about the win....but it's also about playing smart.
What's your play?....I know I took my fair share of time to think about it. Hopefully this makes for some good discussion. I know I've already learned from it /images/graemlins/smile.gif