help - I'm stuck

[Dominic]

okay, after nearly 1000 SNGs - mostly at the $50's with some $100s thrown in - I've got an ROI of 21% and an ITM of 41%. Not bad.

But I'm trying to fix what I think is a leak.

A common situation for me:

First few levels, not yet bubble time.

I get something like AK, KQs, and raise the size of the pot pre-flop. Get one caller. I miss the flop.

Now, if I'm first to act, I will lead out - usually by betting the size of the flop, representing strength.

If I'm last to act and it's checked to me, I will do the same.

Okay, nothing too screwy, right?

But here's what happens sometimes when I get a call:

I'll take a look at the board and try to figure out what he's calling with - if there's 2 to a flush out there - that's what I put him on. So if the turn doesn't make the flush, I'll lead out again or bet again if it's checked to me. Again, sometimes I'll bet the pot!! (Damn UB and their "bet the pot" button)

I do this a lot and sometimes find myself bluffing off a good portion of my stack.

Am I playing these missed flops all wrong?

Checking the flop after raising pre-flop just seems very weak-tight to me. But with the shallow stacks most SNGs employ, am I just wasting chips?

What's proper strategy in the early and mid-stages, against one opponent, when you've raised pre-flop and missed the flop??

Thanks!

[Big Limpin']

If you do a search you will find about 527 posts about playing AK. Good arguements can be made for playing as you have been, and also good arguements have been made for playing it slower.

If you feel you are making dubious decisions with it postflop, theres nothing wrong with the following approaches:

- Limp it, but be prepared to toss when you get too much postflop action (especially from blinds).

- Raise, but dont follow through when you airball.

Sure, you give up a little EV, but perhaps not, as the mistakes you make raiseing and following through can wipe out alot of EV if you are getting out of line.

Give it a shot for a few days, see how you feel.

[Paul2432]

I'll usually bet around 2/3 of the pot after I miss with AK. (I usually just round to a convenient number, say 100 if the pot is 170). Betting the full pot here just wastes chips, because most opponents will fold just as often for a 2/3 pot bet as a pot sized bet. Of course when you hold a big pair, you need to only bet 2/3 of the pot as well, or else you give your hand away.

After that I'll give up most of the time on the turn if I do not improve. If the turn checks through, I'll make a judgement call on the river. If its checked to me I'll usually check for a showdown (rarely will a better hand fold here). If I am first to act I'll either check-fold or check-call depending on how draw heavy the board is.

edit: occasionally check-raise the turn if you are first to act with a strong hand. Do this especially if you have raised preflop and then check-folded the turn a couple of times.

Paul

[TruFloridaGator]

Chip stack matters a ton. If its early & I've thrown say 120-200 preflop & I miss, I can get away from it easy. If I have a big stack then I can afford to 2/3 the pot on the fop & check/call from there if necessary. If I'm shortstacked then probably pushing...

[Blarg]

I can't help but feel you're playing those flops too often. Raising first in with KQs doesn't seem that strong to me. Maybe that's just because I play the 10's and 5's, though, where calling with any ace is extremely common. I figure you're usually beaten if you just have a king high, and if you get a caller, you're beaten for sure unless you see a draw on board - and often even then.

[mosdef]

without seeing any specific hands, i'd guess that your big problem is that you feel compelled to make a pot-size bet into a fairly large pot when you're first to act with these hands, even when you haven't caught a piece of the flop.

the issue is that this bet, essentially a bluff, is a big portion of your stack. have you thought about reducing your preflop raises when you don't have position? building a pot out of position, even with AK, can put you in some tough situations.

[Dominic]

[ QUOTE ]
without seeing any specific hands, i'd guess that your big problem is that you feel compelled to make a pot-size bet into a fairly large pot when you're first to act with these hands, even when you haven't caught a piece of the flop.

the issue is that this bet, essentially a bluff, is a big portion of your stack. have you thought about reducing your preflop raises when you don't have position? building a pot out of position, even with AK, can put you in some tough situations.

[/ QUOTE ]

the above analysis is pretty much on the money, to me - I feel like I'm giving way to much up to this kind of bluff.

...but does anyone else feel it's particularly weak-tight to be checking the flop HU when you miss the flop after raising preflop?? Or should this pretty much be standard play in SNGs?

[viennagreen]

"I get something like AK, KQs, and raise the size of the pot pre-flop."

I think that you are asking for post-flop advice, but you need to focus on some preflop stuff first.

raise the size of the pot? blinds 25/50, one limper, you have AKo, you raise 125? you should raise more. try 3xBB + a BB or two for each limper.

and KQs? not a strong hand.

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]

raise the size of the pot? blinds 25/50, one limper, you have AKo, you raise 125? you should raise more. try 3xBB + a BB or two for each limper.



[/ QUOTE ]

3.5BB + 1BB per limper is the size of the pot preflop.

[viennagreen]

what?

raising 3.5xBB+1BB per limper for 1 limper is 4.5 BB

if there is 1 limper and it's your turn to act, the pot preflop is 2.5BB

so--- i truly have no understanding of what "3.5BB + 1BB per limper is the size of the pot preflop" means.

the OP said he raises the size of the pot preflop. i'm saying he should be raising more than that.