3 way pot with Shorty allin & a sidepot, TPGK

[durron597]

Only hand I remember from this Villian was that he limp-called an allin from the SB with J/images/graemlins/spade.gif 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif.

I am certain I played this hand much too passively, though I planned to call any river bet from him. Stars $15+$1 Turbo.

Preflop: I'm not sure why I didn't open push. With 300 less chips I do. Maybe because the table knew that I would have to showdown my hand vs. the shorty, so they knew I was strongish?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (6 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

SB (t2870)
BB (t403)
Hero (t1945)
MP (t1822)
CO (t4120)
Button (t2340)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t600</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Button calls t600, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls t178 (All-In).

Flop: (t1503) A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>
Hero checks, Button checks.

Turn: (t1503) 6/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t200</font>, Button calls t200.

River: (t1903) 2/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players, 1 all-in)</font>
Hero checks, Button checks.

Final Pot: t1903

[lastchance]

Preflop: Well, not an easy spot, especially with little FE, but meh..

Flop: Ok, so you don't want him to drop his second best hand, I think this is ok.

Turn: Value-bet push. There's already t1400 in the pot, you want second best hands to come along for the ride, and you also diamonds to fold.

[durron597]

[ QUOTE ]

Turn: Value-bet push. There's already t1400 in the pot, you want second best hands to come along for the ride, and you also diamonds to fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not a bad idea. My biggest concern was that he was playing passively because of the shorty allin.

Realize that the sidepot was only 400 chips or so on the flop, that's where my t200 bet came from - half pot value bet.

I'm not really sure how to play sidepots because they don't come up that often; dry sidepots are easy. Anyone have general tips on playing sidepots? Just play for the pot as you would if it was a normal hand?

[octaveshift]

[ QUOTE ]

Flop: Ok, so you don't want him to drop his second best hand, I think this is ok.

Turn: Value-bet push. There's already t1400 in the pot, you want second best hands to come along for the ride, and you also diamonds to fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

My thoughts, for what they are worth. (I reserve the right to modify them based on subsequent posts telling me how stupid I am.) /images/graemlins/wink.gif

1. I push PF.

2. I bet the flop 100% of the time here. If this was a ring game, I might check it like you did, but in a tourney I have a real aversion to giving free cards. I am sure as I get better I will become more comfortable with plays like this, but I am real fan of Dan Harrington's mantra: K.I.S.S.

3.I think the turn is an easy push.

[durron597]

I think what I'm looking for here is more general tips on how to play sidepots. When you make a pot sized bet, do you do it relative to the size of the sidepot or the whole pot? When the sidepot is small compared to the main pot, don't bluff? When you have a hand like TPGK, do you bet over a small sidepot for value?

The sidepot is 1/3 the size of the main pot. I played it so passively because of the whole philosophy of "don't bet dry sidepots without the nuts" and while I don't have the nuts I have a good hand. So I sort of outthought myself and played it like a donk.

If the sidepot is dry do you guys still advocate pushing the turn? Relative to the sidepot my push is a massive overbet.

[Isura]

In this situation, I think winning the pot (the main pot) is more important than knocking out the short stack, and you should bet your hand strong on the flop/turn. With top pair, you stand a much better chance of winning this pot against 1 player, and I don't really mind if button folds the 2nd best hand (especially if he has 3+ outs). So, I would bet in relation to the main pot, and try to get button to fold soon.