NL tournament, how do you play these hands :\

[jaydoggie]

5th hand of the tournament.
it was on stars so we started with 1500 in chips.

BB i hold K6o.
4 of us see the flop with no raise.

K/forums/images/icons/club.gif 6/forums/images/icons/spade.gif 5/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif


now im first to act with top two pair. how do you play here? i bet 100, got raised to 300, i reraised to 600, and the other player moved all in. i called and lost, so i probably made a mistake. thanks

[cferejohn]

First of all, just because you lost a hand does not mean you made a mistake. You don't mention whether you got drawn out on (i.e. a better king that hit its kicker or 78) or if you were behind the whole time (i.e. 55 or 66).

In terms of the actual play, it depends on what you think of the opponent. Had you played with him before? Obviously with this being the 5th hand, you couldn't have much of a read in this game.

Assuming, for the time being, that he is reasonable (a big assumption, but one I usually make early in a tournament until an opponent proves otherwise), what might he have played this way? I think the all-in reraise probably means AK, 55, 66, or 56s. There are 8 ways to make AK (since you know where 2 of the kings are), 3 to make 55, 3 to make 66, and 2 to make 56s. So you are badly beating 10 "possible" hands and badly losing to 6.

However, 8 of the hands you are beating are AK, and most players will raise that pre-flop most of the time, especially early when a) there are likely to be a lot of callers and b) once there are a few callers, there is unlikely to be a raise. Many opponents would also fold 56s (especially in EP; you don't give the opponent's position).

Given that, there seems to me to be a very good chance you are up against a set. If you knew the opponent was a maniac, calling would be OK, but most times, this early in a tournament, I think you need to fold. Its not an easy fold to make though, and I certainly have been guilty of talking myself into worse calls than yours.

[DJA]

No more detail needed...

I would not lay this hand down in 1 of these tourneys. It doesn't really matter to me if you were behind or ahead on the flop, I would take my chances.

Just My Thoughts,

[jaydoggie]

ok i did leave out most detail cuz i was kinda steamed that i went out first in the tournament.

Preflop it was UTG , 1 MP , SB , BB.

In these tournaments Ive found there are alot of semimaniacs that will put you all in with a variety of hands (str8 draws, over cards, tptk, flush draws with a pair, so on so forth)

i saw the flop, SB checks I bet 100. (min bet 20)
UTG hesitated and called.
MP raised to 300.
SB folds.
I reraised to 600.
UTG simply calls.
MP all in.
I still thought I had the best hand at this point, i considered the possibilities of a set but I already had alot invested in the pot and ive seen alot of people go out early raising over the top all in with KQ top pair so I call. UTG calls.

does the UTG in there calling change the way i should have played this?

UTG = A/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif K/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif
MP = 55

.. i really wish he woulda raised the AK preflop so i coulda gotten the hell out