A few hands from my wonderful day.

[Nottom]

Looking for reasons I'm such a donk.

Hand 1:
10/15 Blinds, 10 players, standard mix of stacks I have 925.

I have Ad Kd

3 folds, limp, fold, I make it 70, folded to SB who calls along with the limper.

Flop is 8d 2d 2c (Pot is 225)

SB bets out for 200, limper folds. Hero ...

Hand 2:
6 handed, 100/200 Blinds.

Hero has 540 and is UTG with K2o. Push/fold?

Hand 3:
Stacks: 5385, 2965, 920(me-SB), 730(BB)
Blinds 150/300
Big folds, Semi-agg Button pushes, I have AKs.

Hand 4:
8 handed, 25/50 Blinds I have around 900. Stacks behind me are all about the same or smaller.

Fold to me 2-off button with ATo. Action?

Hand 5:
Total number of players : 8
Seat 1: Hero (1095)
Seat 2: guy (1605)
Seat 3: SB (1120)
Seat 4: BB (810)
Seat 5: guy (2340)
Seat 6: villian1 (805)
Seat 7: guy (1305)
Seat 10: villian2 (920)

Blinds are 25/50.
Hero has Ad Qs

guy folds. V1 limps, guy folds, V2 limps

Hero ??


OK thats all for now. Was just looking at my HHs from last night and of the 1st 15 or so SNGs I looked at these were about the most interesting hands I could find (aside from 1 where I definately made a tilt-induced call of a fish, at which point I decided to quit for the night).

[jon462]

Maybe you'll get better responses, but Ill post my opinions
hand 1: I honestly dont think I could resist pushing this, simply because I cant see villain leading out weth 88 or A2 into PFR and EP limp\caller like this very often (more likely to check\raise or check\call with both), and those are the only 2 hands I could put him on that you are just utterly screwed with. seems more likely he has a small or medium pair, puts you on AK\KQ\AQ, and doesnt want to give up a free card - pushing might change his mind and in case you should have clean outs if he calls.
H2: I fold this. with 2.7 BBs you are most def getting called, and I think you are better off gambling in the blinds.
H3: I usually call here. SB might fold, and if he calls after you there are 2 of you to take him out and you likely have the best hand of the 3 anyway (if you fold and he folds its a disaster, if you fold he calls and doubles up its even worse)
H4: easy fold
H5: I probably limp behind, although raise to 150 isnt so bad if yer confident you can outplay the limper and are prepared to toss your hand if he comes over the top.

[LowDown22]

Here's what I would do (keep in mind I'm relatively new to NL tourneys, so let me know if I'm way off base)

Hand 1:
Tough decision, I'm either all-in or folding, but likely folding(maybe too weak-tight). I think he's probably got an 8 plus an overcard.

Hand 2:
Fold and wait a for a better situation. Too many yet to act for me to push.

Hand 3:
All-in

Hand 4:
I'd raise to 150 or 200.

Hand 5:
Raise, probably about 300.

[aaronk56]

1 Fold
2 Push
3 Call
4 fold
5 Raise 150

[The Don]

Hand 1: I'd move in... 2 overs and a flush draw for 15 outs and minimal FE to boot. I have villian on a random PP here... Anything from JJ-55 (excluding 88).

Hand 2: Horrible situation but I think you have to move in here. There are a fair amount of times where this gets folded to the BB and he is put in a terrible situation with 93o or something.

Hand 3: Call... Great chance you are a 3:1 favorite here. Other short stack is too similar in size to make this a fold.

Hand 4: I would probably fold A10o and raise with a hand like AJs from 2 off the button.

Hand 5: I raise to 200 in a hand where you are likely to have position on the flop. From the SB it would be trickier...

[durron597]

Hands 1-3: Push (in hand 3 you're pretty much doomed unless you get lucky).
Hand 4: Raise to 200, play poker on flop, fold to push from blinds, what to do w/limper push is read dependant.
Hand 5: Raise to 150, fold to push.

[11t]

Hand 1, hero pushes and tries to get low pp's to muck.

Hand 2, hero pushes since k2 is better than what you are going to get dealt in the bb. I'd probably open up a new tournament before I clicked "all-in" though.

Hand 3, I call here. I mean his range is going to be really wide, you have a ton of hands dominated, and you are at 3xbb. Yes AKs isn't the best hand and I'd rather have TT+ but you gotta do what you can with what you got.

Hand 4, I raise to 125 and see what happens. I'm pretty aggressive though.

Hand 5, I raise to 200 and see what happens.

[ilya]

1. Will players at the $50s bet out with top full or quads here? I can't imagine they'd do it often. Hard to put him on a single 2 after he calls your preflop raise. Dude's probably got a pair of some sort. Maybe he's willing to fold it, and you're about even money if he calls.

I would make it something like 550 and push turn if called, call push on flop.

I don't like moving in as much as that makes it easier for a hand like 66 to call you.

2. Kinda hard to answer without knowing something about the opponents, or at least about their stacks. I might push this if no one was desperate or huge.

3. I think you have to call, it's your last ticket out of a folding war for 3rd. Big bonus is that you have BB covered.

4. I fold, but I'm not sure that's good.

5. I think I'd limp, but if the big stack on the button seems to like raising limpers, I'd raise 150-200 to thwart him & buy the button & mebbe fold some people out.

[ilya]

[ QUOTE ]

Hand 4: Raise to 200, play poker on flop, fold to push from blinds, what to do w/limper push is read dependant.
Hand 5: Raise to 150, fold to push.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you have these backwards, dude.

[durron597]

[ QUOTE ]

I think you have these backwards, dude.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I do /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[schwza]

1: (AKs) i'd push. calling is ok too, but less good.

2: (k2) i'd push. BB will call with a wide range (it'd be nice to know his stack size), and you'll be ahead sometimes.

3: the bubble baffles me, but i can't see not calling here.

4: (AT) T130 and fold to raise.

5: (AQ) make it 200, call a push

[Meatmaw]

Regarding point 1, do those of you that push also do so without the flush draw?

[DyessMan89]

Hand 1: This isnt an easy hand here. This is pretty read dependent, and its hard to know what to do here without a read. However, without a read on the SB, Im fold ing this hand and hating it. You cant call here, so your only options are all-in or fold. If your going to risk your entire stack on Ace high and the nut flush draw, you better be damn sure on what your doing. (although you do have some fold equity) And since I have NO reads, Im not damn sure. I put SB on A /images/graemlins/club.gif 8 /images/graemlins/club.gif.

Hand 2: Fold . You have less than 3X the BB, with little fold equity, not to mention awful postion and a hand that can be easily dominated. Try to gamble and get lucky in the blinds. I wouldnt have letten myself get this low in this position.

Hand 3: I can understand folding here, since if you do the BB will have to post the SB next and youll have around a 350 chip lead on him on the bubble. However, I think I have the Button dominated here, and Im only in awful shape against 2 hands. (and he prolly wouldnt push those) Not to mention the increased chance of finishing 2nd or even 1st. I call , expect Button to flip over a hand like A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 5 /images/graemlins/club.gif, and take down the pot. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hand 4: Gap Concept and position warrants a raise to 150 here. I can also see folding being ok here, since its early on and you want to keep the pot small. However, I still think raising is the best option.

Hand 5: Im limping here. The call from Utg +1 and another limper indicates that I probobly dont have that much better of a hand then they do, and this also gives me a chance to keep the pot small early on, and not force myself to bet a flop and get commited.

[\Answer Sheet] /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[freemoney]

1- push
2- push/ it might be close
3- call
4- make it 150
5- make it 200

[The Venetian]

Hand 1 - Definite push. You're likely flipping coins if he calls and you have more fold equity than I think you're giving yourself credit for.

Hand 2 - Yuck. I don't think there's that much of a difference between a fold and push. I lean toward fold and pray for a better situation in the BB, but I wouldn't argue a push.

Hand 3 - Call. If I had 5-6 BB or a larger lead over the shorty, I'd consider a laydown to try and preserve third, but with just 3 BB yourself, I think it's go time. SNGPT could tell you for sure, but my instinct says call.

Hand 4 - Standard raise. Folding here is pretty weak, but I understand the logic. I still like the raise since I don't mind playing flops, though I'd definitely prefer not to see one here.

Hand 5 - If I raise, it goes to 250. I limp here, unless V1/V2 have shown a willingness to limp/fold preflop to a raise. Kind of a 'tweener because you aren't going to like it if you get a caller and miss the flop, but limping along just doesn't feel right either. I doubt either way is much wronger than the other.

[Nottom]

How much do people hate a push in hand 5?

[Jman28]

I'm gonna try and answer before reading any responses and before checking SNGPT.

1. Push. You're almost definitely a favorite, and the pot is big enough now.

2. Gross. I fold, but I'm not happy with my situation either way. I don't think a push is terrible either.

3. Tough laydown that I think you need to make. Fold. Doubling up doesn't give you a great shot at first, and you're in good position in that you can make sure the short stack never gets to keep his big blind. (EDIT: I changed my mind. I call)

4. Make it 150.

5. Make it 200.

Now I'm gonna read other responses and check out my leaks.

Good post, btw. These are important decisions.

[durron597]

[ QUOTE ]

3. Tough laydown that I think you need to make. Fold. Doubling up doesn't give you a great shot at first, and you're in good position in that you can make sure the short stack never gets to keep his big blind.


[/ QUOTE ]

I really hate folding in these kinds of situations. The shortstack only needs to win 1 showdown before you're the one on life support instead of him.

[Jman28]

[ QUOTE ]
How much do people hate a push in hand 5?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think it's a +EV play. I wouldn't do it though.

[Jman28]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

3. Tough laydown that I think you need to make. Fold. Doubling up doesn't give you a great shot at first, and you're in good position in that you can make sure the short stack never gets to keep his big blind.


[/ QUOTE ]

I really hate folding in these kinds of situations. The shortstack only needs to win 1 showdown before you're the one on life support instead of him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I don't even know anymore.

I'd like to revoke my suggestion and call.

[DyessMan89]

[ QUOTE ]
1. Push. You're almost definitely a favorite, and the pot is big enough now

[/ QUOTE ]

Almost definitley a favorite? With nothing but ace high and a flush draw? (and possible overs)

[Jman28]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1. Push. You're almost definitely a favorite, and the pot is big enough now

[/ QUOTE ]

Almost definitley a favorite? With nothing but ace high and a flush draw? (and possible overs)

[/ QUOTE ]

I should've said almost definitely ~50% to win, and will get him to fold a lot of hands.

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1. Push. You're almost definitely a favorite, and the pot is big enough now

[/ QUOTE ]

Almost definitley a favorite? With nothing but ace high and a flush draw? (and possible overs)

[/ QUOTE ]

Definately a favorite is prolly wrong, but usually no worse than a 11-10 dog is prolly pretty close.

[adanthar]

1)Sometimes, you have 12 outs. More often, you have 15 and are a favorite. Once in a while, 66 folds. You don't really have a choice. Folding ranges from mediocre to pretty bad. (Alternative: Call, then push/call any turn to represent aces.)

2)Shrug and push

3)Call, but it's close

4)I raise to 150 here, but don't mind folding

5)Either limping, raising or pushing are all good. I like to push here sometimes and get called by AJ but lately it's been 22 that calls so I'm reconsidering. We'll see.

[microbet]

I'm being lazy and just agree with future adanthar. That is, everything he said, and not pushing the last one.

[danger_mouse]

Hand 1: Push. Give your opponent (who could be bluff, or could have a small PP) a chance to fold. You don't always need the best current hand to play a flop strong.

Hand 2: Ugh. Less than 3bb, 6-handed AND UTG? I'm folding and praying for K3s in the BB. Same thing either way. You're getting called, unless the structure is such that everyone is short stacked. If I had 4BB or more, I'd push.

Hand 3: Gotta call.

Hand 4: Raise to 125-150 depending on the fold threshold of my opponents.

Hand 5: Raise to 200, unless its early in an MTT and I'm at a table of loose call stations. In this case I push.

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]

I like to push here sometimes and get called by AJ but lately it's been 22 that calls so I'm reconsidering. We'll see.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to have this habit as well and mid pairs always would call and since I never win coin flips, that sucks. On the other hand I now push stuff like 99 or TT here all the time because small pairs call and I get to smash them and laugh.

[pokerlaw]

Hand 1: I push

Hadn 2: i only push if you have folded a few hands in a row (a least an orbit - when and how did you get/play your short-stack) OR if the BB is quite tight. if not, i fold.

Hand 3: I call begrudgingly (sic) and hope to win as a 60ish% favorite. it's the way to try to get something other than 2nd.

Hand 4: no reads and I push that.

[DyessMan89]

(In hand 1) So you guys are content with gambling all your chips away early on when you will have (in most cases -- barring the all-inner isnt a complete donk) AT MOST 12-15 outs. Plus, when you do get called, it will be more often then not a hand like 8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 8 /images/graemlins/heart.gif or 8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif, in which youll have 0 outs.

I can understand making the push here if you have a read on the opponent to make this type of play with A /images/graemlins/club.gif Q /images/graemlins/spade.gif, but we were not given that info.

I might be overestimating the fold equity, though.

[cmstaab]

[ QUOTE ]
(In hand 1) So you guys are content with gambling all your chips away early on when you will have (in most cases -- barring the all-inner isnt a complete donk) AT MOST 12-15 outs. Plus, when you do get called, it will be more often then not a hand like 8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 8 /images/graemlins/heart.gif or 8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif, in which youll have 0 outs.

I can understand making the push here if you have a read on the opponent to make this type of play with A /images/graemlins/club.gif Q /images/graemlins/spade.gif, but we were not given that info.

I might be overestimating the fold equity, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Villians play up to this point certainly doesn't make me think 88 or 82...


I might just be a noob at SNG's, but I cannot see folding in hand 2 as a very attractive option at all... we are still 3 spots away from the cash and nearly cripple ourselves with a fold, and the BB could easily call with 98s or 10 7s where we have a great chance to double up.

[lastchance]

[ QUOTE ]
(In hand 1) So you guys are content with gambling all your chips away early on when you will have (in most cases -- barring the all-inner isnt a complete donk) AT MOST 12-15 outs. Plus, when you do get called, it will be more often then not a hand like 8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 8 /images/graemlins/heart.gif or 8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif, in which youll have 0 outs.

I can understand making the push here if you have a read on the opponent to make this type of play with A /images/graemlins/club.gif Q /images/graemlins/spade.gif, but we were not given that info.

I might be overestimating the fold equity, though.

[/ QUOTE ]
12-15 outs = 45% to 50%. That's huge when you've got extra FE. And if you can put Villain on 88 or 82, then all the goodness to you. Right now, you've likely got a ton of outs, and you should be using it to semi-bluff.

[Nottom]

Hand 1:
I pushed, he called with the second nuts. Turn was an A so if I decided to flatcall instead I still lose my stack.

Hand 2:
I usually push in spots like this if I have a hand that is in the top 25-35%. K2 isn't much, but its more than I'm likely going to have next hand when I'm going to be forced to call based on pot odds. I also have a tiny amount of FE at this point, I'm never really surprised to see this get folded around. Prolly at least 10-15% of the time which I think is pretty good in this spot. In this case the SB called with AK and no suckout for me.

Hand 3:
I really didn't think this was all that hard a call. It sucks to be in this spot, but folding just gets you in worse trouble and is just bad overall. SNGPT shows this as a clear call against any reasonable range from the button. He had TT I flopped an A, turned a K, and in what has become an all too common dagger in my heart he rivered his set.

Hand 4:
I folded. I have no clue why.
I thought it was odd that I did so when looking at some HHs and wondered if anyone else would fold this. Would have flopped an A and likely taken down a small pot against the SB's 88 if I got to see the flop.

Hand 5:
As some of you probably guessed from my responses earlier I pushed here. I'm sure its a moderately +EV move, but not as good as a simple raise or even a limp. This is definately something I start to do as a subtle form of tilt, I eliminate post flop play and just start pushing anytime its even slightly +EV.

Villian1 called with 99 and flopped a set to take most of my stack.

Anyway, thanks for everyone for their thoughts.

[freemoney]

the only hand i really dont like is 4 folding AT, other than that you played these hands fine.

[jon462]

[ QUOTE ]
the only hand i really dont like is 4 folding AT, other than that you played these hands fine.

[/ QUOTE ]
pushing AQo in EP with 21 BBs and UTG limper is fine? I dont understand that move at all. I dont think you are likely to get called by Aj or A10 often enough for this to be profitable..

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
the only hand i really dont like is 4 folding AT, other than that you played these hands fine.

[/ QUOTE ]
pushing AQo in EP with 21 BBs and UTG limper is fine? I dont understand that move at all. I dont think you are likely to get called by Aj or A10 often enough for this to be profitable..

[/ QUOTE ]

No but they fold often enough to make up for the times I lose coin flips and run into legit hands. I'm 99% sure its a +EV play, its just not the most +EV play.

[jon462]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
the only hand i really dont like is 4 folding AT, other than that you played these hands fine.

[/ QUOTE ]
pushing AQo in EP with 21 BBs and UTG limper is fine? I dont understand that move at all. I dont think you are likely to get called by Aj or A10 often enough for this to be profitable..

[/ QUOTE ]

No but they fold often enough to make up for the times I lose coin flips and run into legit hands. I'm 99% sure its a +EV play, its just not the most +EV play.

[/ QUOTE ]

so yer pushing 21 bbs to steal 2 1/2 bbs? and crapping on your FE when you need it 20-30 hands later.

and you STILL got called by 99. which is another problem with this push.

[45suited]

Nottom: I do not hate your AQo push. Obviously I'd like it alot more with AK. But I will also push with TT here. (I recently posted a hand where I pushed TT with 18 BBs after one limper.) You have significant FE by pushing and you avoid tricky and -EV post flop situations.

I don't see any way that pushing is -EV. But you're never going to convince anyone to the contrary if they already have their minds made up.

BTW, I much prefer pushing TT in your spot, since as I've been saying in my TT thread, lower PPs LOVE to call you here. I suppose that's an argument for you not to push, but I think it's still a +EV move.

[45suited]

[ QUOTE ]
On the other hand I now push stuff like 99 or TT here all the time because small pairs call and I get to smash them and laugh.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow! Someone agrees with me. I keep telling the low limit guys that this is a GREAT play. I double up so often pushing TT here it's insane. Lower PPs call all the time because it looks like such a steal to the donks.

But all I ever hear is "you're either dominated or a coinflip if called." So WRONG.

This play is especially good for the low level guys who generally suck post flop and whose opponents will call with low PPs all the time. Nice to see a good player is in my camp.

[freemoney]

yeah tom has it right, its not the most +EV, but i would be very very surprised if its -EV.

[curtains]

Hand 1 - allin

Hand 2 - allin

Hand 3 - allin

Hand 4 - Depends....sometimes fold, sometimes raise to 125-150.

Hand 5 - I think I'd flat call. With 800-875 chips Id move allin.