Comments please...JJ in BB

[tipperdog]

This isn't a terribly exicitng hand, but I'm curious how others would have played. Party $55 NL tourney, 1st level, maybe 10 hands into the event. Everyone has the T1,000 they started with (more or less). Blinds are 10/15. Play has been very loose/passive (multi-way unraised pots), which is typical with the blinds this low. I have no experience with the players in this hand.

In the BB, I get JJ. UTG+2 open-raises to T90. Two MP players cold call and I call also. Pre-flop, I'm thinking that I probably have the best hand. UTG's 6x/BB raise is too large for a premium pair and MPs' cold calls aren't indicative of a huge hand either. However, I'm not keen on busting out on a race so early, so I want to see a flop before getting too involved.

The flop comes 279 rainbow. I check, planning to check-raise all-in unless there's crazy action behind me. As expected, UTG+2 bets (300 into 380 pot). MP players fold, I CR all-in.

Results (in white):
<font color="white"> UTG+2 called with QQ, handing me my earliest exit every in a Party MTT</font>

[invisibleleadsoup]

to be honest i think you're probably just unlucky-i can't see any reason to fold an overpair at this stage of the tourney
i'd have played it the same way

[Lloyd]

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I'm not keen on busting out on a race so early

[/ QUOTE ]
Would it be better to be in a race and lose on the bubble? Early in a tourney is the perfect time to get into a race. If you win, you're in excellent position to run the table. If you lose, move on to something else. You're going to have to take some chances along the way and I'd prefer to do it early. If you're table is going to last awhile it also does well for your image.

In this case, I don't mind just calling with JJ pre-flop. You obviously have to be a bit concerned with 2 cold callers which increases the liklihood that you'll be up against a set. I also don't mind checking the flop to get some information. If there's a lot of action behind you, you can just fold probably behind. When the 2 MP players fold and you're heads up against UTG+2 you can decide what to do based on the range of hands you put him. Let's say AA-99, AK-AQ. An overbet is often overcards but some people are so scared to lose with AA that they overbet with that hand as well, so let's include that holding. Against that range of hands you're a slight favorite (55/45). So I'd take a chance and push although a good percentage of the time you'll lose. Over the long haul this would be a profitable decision for you.