New to SnGs, two 10+1 hands

[Dazarath]

I'm new to SnGs, so don't be too critical about my (most likely) terrible play. I'd like to hear the correct play.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

MP3 (t800)
Hero (t800)
Button (t800)
SB (t800)
BB (t800)
UTG (t800)
UTG+1 (t800)
UTG+2 (t800)
MP1 (t800)
MP2 (t800)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/club.gif.
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP1 calls t15, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t45</font>, Button calls t45, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP1 calls t30.

Flop: (t157.50) 8/images/graemlins/club.gif, T/images/graemlins/club.gif, 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
MP1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t150</font>, Button calls t150, MP1 calls t150.

Turn: (t607.50) 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
MP1 checks, Hero pushes..

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

MP3 (t590)
CO (t730)
Button (t745)
SB (t1100)
BB (t800)
UTG (t885)
Hero (t1350)
UTG+2 (t670)
MP1 (t775)
MP2 (t355)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with K/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG calls t15, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t45</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP2 calls t45, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises to t75</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB calls t65, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG folds, Hero calls t30, MP2 calls t30.

Flop: (t327.50) A/images/graemlins/club.gif, 8/images/graemlins/club.gif, 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t200</font>, MP2 folds, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises to t400</font>, SB folds, Hero calls t200.

Turn: (t1127.50) 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, CO goes all-in, Hero calls t255.

Comments/criticism on any street appreciated. I had to type in some of the action myself because the converter messed up.

[splashpot]

Raise more preflop on both hands. My default raise for level 1 is 75. The rest is fine.

[durron597]

[ QUOTE ]
Raise more preflop on both hands. My default raise for level 1 is 75. The rest is fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guarantee that this is the problem with both hands.

I agree with what the other's said, but caution you that raises pre-flop should not be one arbitrary amount. At the 10s, and to a lesser extent the 20s and 30s, limpers in the first two levels will call raises with sub-standard hands because some little evil poker monkey in their brain tells them they already put in a call, so spewing 60 more chips is fine. I usually vary my raises in the first two rounds based on the number of callers and relative strength of my hand.

[splashpot]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with what the other's said, but caution you that raises pre-flop should not be one arbitrary amount. At the 10s, and to a lesser extent the 20s and 30s, limpers in the first two levels will call raises with sub-standard hands because some little evil poker monkey in their brain tells them they already put in a call, so spewing 60 more chips is fine. I usually vary my raises in the first two rounds based on the number of callers and relative strength of my hand.

[/ QUOTE ]
I meant my open raise amount in level 1 is 75. If 5 people limp in before me, of course I'll raise more.

[Lady Dont Tekno]

What everyone else said about the more agressive preflop betting and on hand #2 after you get raised on the flop just push the rest of your chips in. It doesn't make much sense to leave yourself 255 chips, especially when the pot is 1100.

LDT

At the 10s and during the looser nights and weekends at the 20s, I put in an even bigger raise when there are only 2 or 3 limpers. Usually at least one limper will take a shot at the flop and the BB likes to come along, too. I hate playing a monster 4-handed.

Of course the best is getting JJ-AA in the SB or BB with six or seven limpers. I love pushing here and getting someone with AJo or middle pair to call down my "obvious steal."

[Dazarath]

Ok, thanks for the responses guys. So is 75 the standard open-raise for everyone on this forum?

Also, should my standard flop bet be the pot? I know different situations call for different sized bets, but I was just trying to get an idea of what the standard play is. Thanks.

[Wes ManTooth]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, thanks for the responses guys. So is 75 the standard open-raise for everyone on this forum?

Also, should my standard flop bet be the pot? I know different situations call for different sized bets, but I was just trying to get an idea of what the standard play is. Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

no, an open-raise amount can change depending on different factors such as position, number of limpers, etc.

there should be no standard flop bet, this could change depending on what hits on the flop and again what position you are in, as well as other factors

[illegit]

[ QUOTE ]
Raise more preflop on both hands. My default raise for level 1 is 75. The rest is fine.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yep.. basically.

Most 11-ers treat a raise to 45 in lvl 1 the same as a limp and you don't really want to play QQ against a bunch of players. But if you raise to 75 or so they start to only call with 'real' hands (like AT and KJ) and you're more likely to get heads-up and dominating.

Postflop looks good. In hand 2 like someone else said, just get it all-in on the flop.
[ QUOTE ]
Ok, thanks for the responses guys. So is 75 the standard open-raise for everyone on this forum?

Also, should my standard flop bet be the pot? I know different situations call for different sized bets, but I was just trying to get an idea of what the standard play is. Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]
Betting the pot consistently is a high cost play, but in a lot of situations it's the optimal betsize. Most of the time my bets range from 2/3-3/4 the size of the pot though, which is obviously highly circumstance-dependant.

I found a good thread a while back about raising with limpers in the pot, and it has worked well for me. Along with the typical opening raise of 3 to 5 times the big blind, you raise an additional amount for the number of limpers. This is the formula: (3 to 5)x(BB) + 2x(number of limpers)x(BB).

For example:

There are 3 limpers at level 1 with BB = 15
Your raise:
(3 to 5)x(BB) = 75
PLUS
2x(3 limpers)x(BB) = 2x3x15 = 90

Total raise = 165

Does anybody else use this formula and have a good sample size to comment? I sometimes win the blinds and limped chips, sometimes get a caller, rarely get more than one caller (Party 11s). Admittedly, I don't have a substantial sample size yet.

MisterW

[nyc999]

[ QUOTE ]
I found a good thread a while back about raising with limpers in the pot, and it has worked well for me. Along with the typical opening raise of 3 to 5 times the big blind, you raise an additional amount for the number of limpers. This is the formula: (3 to 5)x(BB) + 2x(number of limpers)x(BB).

For example:

There are 3 limpers at level 1 with BB = 15
Your raise:
(3 to 5)x(BB) = 75
PLUS
2x(3 limpers)x(BB) = 2x3x15 = 90

Total raise = 165

Does anybody else use this formula and have a good sample size to comment? I sometimes win the blinds and limped chips, sometimes get a caller, rarely get more than one caller (Party 11s). Admittedly, I don't have a substantial sample size yet.

MisterW

[/ QUOTE ]

I usually raise 1xBB per limper, not 2. My standard Lv1 raise is 60, so for three limpers I raise it to 105. This has worked fairly well for me -- I think your example of a raise to 165 will get you the pot uncontested a high percentage of the time, but you want a little bit of action if only raising with premium hands early.

[ QUOTE ]
I usually raise 1xBB per limper, not 2. My standard Lv1 raise is 60, so for three limpers I raise it to 105. This has worked fairly well for me -- I think your example of a raise to 165 will get you the pot uncontested a high percentage of the time, but you want a little bit of action if only raising with premium hands early.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is a good idea with premium hands like AA or KK, but with an unimproved AK or even QQ, might it be better to raise more to induce folding? On the other hand, if you get callers or re-raisers, I would rather have invested less, like your method.

How likely are you pick up the pot or get one caller with the raise to 105? A limper would have to put in another 90 to call a pot of 175 (BB + SB + 3 limpers + 105) giving slightly worse than 2:1 odds. If it is as effective as the raise to 165, I'm changing my formula.

MisterW