TT in 3rd hand of tourney

[tipperdog]

I played this hand fairly weak-tighly, but I didn't want to risk a big hit so early. What do you think?

Party $50NL Tourney. 3rd hand. Blinds 10/15. I'm in BB with TT. 2 limpers, SB completes. I check.

Flop comes 667 with two hearts. SB checks. I bet T45 and only the SB calls. Turn is 4o. I bet T150 (just under pot size)and SB calls. River is 3o. SB bets T250 and I fold my overpair.

I think the questionable plays here are pre-flop (checking TT in BB) and on the river (folding a ~T600 pot for a T250 bet). What would you have done?

[bruce]

I would probably call. Unless he has a 57, 45, or he is slowplaying a six you probably have the best hand. I would early in this event expect to see a lot of goofy plays by opponents.
I see nothing wrong with seeing the flop without raising early in the event. If you raise and are called in most spots you'll
see an overcard and you will be out of position.

Bruce

[RiverDood]

Just for diversity's sake, I'd argue it the other way.

A preflop pot raise (60) ought to knock out any limper with a weak Kx/Qx/Jx and a small blind with total trash. Then you're most likely playing against people with Ax, pocket pairs or two Broadway cards. That lets you bet the flop with more clarity -- treating an A with respect; maybe seeing if you can take it down against anything else. If someone plays back at you hard, you can get away from the hands without much damage.

You'll also have total running room if the flop comes three rags. If you don't knock out the small blind right away, you're at risk that any three rags might make his hand. Then it can become a very expensive pot as you play your overpair into trouble.

Which is pretty much what happened. The way the betting transpired, I think the odds of the SB having a 5 (or the third 6) turned out to be awfully good. So to me at least, your fold makes sense. Live another day.

The times I don't push out the other blind, I'm always sorry.

[nightlyraver]

Preflop: Check TT early in a tourney from the BB. Many players overplay pocket tens - it's just not that spectacular of a hand and has most of its value early in a tourney when played for set value. If it were late in a tourney, stacks are deep, and a couple of players limp in, I raise here provided that they tend to limp with marginal holding and are capable of folding.

Flop: Bet the pot here, you want to win it outright. If you get called, the caller either has trips or is real weak calling with a draw.

Turn: After you bet the flop the followup bet on the turn was correct and for the proper amount.

River: He called all the way and now fired a smallish bet on the end out of position. This stinks of a value bet to me. Only a real tricky player is capable of successfully bluffing like this on the end, so I'm only calling if I know the player. He easily could have been sandbagging trips or is simply holding a suited hand containing a 5.

[marrek]

I would raise pre-flop to 75 or 100 and be expecting not to see the flop.

If someone does call, its realively easy to play.
1. with an overpair - bet 2/3 the pot
2. vs 1 or 2 overcards on flop, not too connected - bet 1/2 to 2/3 the pot
3. an ace on the flop - bet 2/3 the pot
4. vs a very co-ordinated, high card flop, check and be prepared to fold

Only continue betting with the overpair if you get called.

That's pretty standard for me. I'm not going all in or bluffing the turn with this hand, and its pretty easy to fold if you get palyed with, but i definately make a play for the pot on the flop vs 1 or 2 callers.

I don't want to put alot of chips in play with TT, but i will put a few out there. I actually play most hands this way, including QQ, JJ, TT, 99, AK, AQ and maybe AJ and 88.


Marrek