$55: JJ, Level 1

[Roland]

Is this a good way to play JJ at the 55s?
Sorry if this is basic, but I’m new to SNGs and still experimenting.
Thanks.



Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

BB (t1000)
UTG (t985)
Hero (t975)
MP1 (t865)
MP2 (t2080)
MP3 (t930)
CO (t1150)
Button (t970)
SB (t1045)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with J/images/graemlins/club.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t60</font>, MP1 calls t60, MP2 calls t60, MP3 calls t60, CO calls t60, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>.

Flop: (t325) 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t300</font>, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 raises to t870 (All-In)</font>, CO folds, Hero calls t570.

Turn: (t2065) 2/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

River: (t2065) 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t2065

I think you played this fine. The only holding I worry about here is 99. TT is the best hand you could hope for in this range. I would think that QQ-AA would have reraised PF in his position to narrow the field. The only other holding I can imagine is an Ax-spades semibluff in which case you made the right move and ran into a river suckout.

A more aggressive way to play this (and a line I like a lot) is check-raising the flop. First to act with 5 raise-callers PF is an excellent spot for this. And it wouldn't look like a typical CB.

[mosdef]

no strong disagreements, but

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The only other holding I can imagine is an Ax-spades semibluff in which case you made the right move and ran into a river suckout.

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AKs and AQs (and KQs) actually are ahead of hero.

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A more aggressive way to play this (and a line I like a lot) is check-raising the flop. First to act with 5 raise-callers PF is an excellent spot for this. And it wouldn't look like a typical CB.

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if you have an pocket overpair, a lead bet that looks like a continuation bet isn't such a bad thing, since it can induce someone to come over the top with a worse hand.

[Elektrik]

I play it the same

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AKs and AQs (and KQs) actually are ahead of hero.

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You're right, didn't think about that. Still have to call, it's virtually a coinflip and the dead money in the pot give you good odds.

[mosdef]

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I play it the same

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even the pot bet on the flop? seems a little extreme, especially if you would only bet 1/2 to 2/3 pot on a "standard" continuation bet.

this seems like a somewhat tricky hand to extract value with on the flop. you need to bet this to protect, imo, but if your opponents are paying much attention they've got to suspect that you're not making a c-bet with whiffed AK into 4 opponents. I would be inclined to lead with half to 2/3 pot, with the intent of calling a push, and pushing all turns that blank.

[Oluwafemi]

so is reraising all-in with:
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AKs and AQs (and KQs) actually are ahead of hero.

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at the $55s a good move on the flop?

[mosdef]

i think pushing any flush draw if you suspect the opponent of making a c-bet is okay. but like i said in one of my other posts, if i'm an opponent here i find it hard to believe that hero is c-betting into 4 people with air. but with AK, AQ, KQ you're in good shape to push against anything the hero has, except maybe a set.

[Roland]

Thanks for the replies.

I guess the best was to play the flop depends on my opponents – I got lucky and picked the right one: Villain turns over 77 and MHIG. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[schwza]

i'd limp. i'd bet a little less on the flop and nervously call the push.

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i'd limp. i'd bet a little less on the flop and nervously call the push.

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Why in the world would you limp here? Unless you somehow knew that you were going to get 4 or 5 callers after a 4xBB bet.

[schwza]

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i'd limp. i'd bet a little less on the flop and nervously call the push.

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Why in the world would you limp here? Unless you somehow knew that you were going to get 4 or 5 callers after a 4xBB bet.

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until recently i wouldn't have, but limping here seems to be the 2+2 standard. you keep the pot smaller and you leave yourself in fewer ugly situations where you have JJ on a Kxx board and two callers. here you play those kinds of flops very cheaply.

if i were one or two seats further left or had QQ i'd raise.

[bigt439]

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but limping here seems to be the 2+2 standard.

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Whoah, when did that happen? No one sent me the memo. /images/graemlins/grin.gif But seriously, I think a generalization like that is dangerous advice, and I really question whether this forum limps here more than they raise.