UB supersat NL tourney - hand analysis please

[Cigwin]

This is a $100 supersat on UB. 139 players with the top 10 winning the 2,000 buy-in to the one million dollar tourney.

Very early in the tournament, blinds are still 5/10. SB has T970, BB has T960, I have T890, MP has T980.

UTG limps, I limp with K /images/graemlins/club.gif Q /images/graemlins/club.gif, MP calls, Blinds call.


Flop is: Q /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 7 /images/graemlins/spade.gif K /images/graemlins/heart.gif

SB bets 50. Folds to me, I call, MP calls.

Turn 3 /images/graemlins/spade.gif

SB bets 200, I raise to 400, MP calls, SB goes all-in for 910, I go all-in with my balance of 830, MP calls.

I have little NL experience so I would appreciate any analysis on how I played the hand.

[SoCalPat]

I don't normally slowplay 2 pair, so I would have raised the flop. The only hand I'm really afraid of here is 77. Anything else that beats you on the flop, I'd imagine would have been raised PF.

On the turn, he could be semibluffing his Kxs. Shoot, he might even have KQs. And since MP could be on a draw of his own (preferably holding Axs, plus I can't imagine he'd simply call a raise with a flopped set), they're drawing really thin to the flush. I call on the turn, and unless someone's holding KK, you still have a smidgen of hope against 77 (four outs) and QQ (two outs).

In addition to your PF limp (you have a great hand you'd love to see a flop with, but would likely have to dump if someone came over the the top of you if you raised), I think you played the hand fine.

[Cigwin]

Pat,

Thanks for the input. One thing I noticed at the table is that most hands were going unraised or for the minimum raise. It wasn't until much later in the tourney that I started seeing raises that were 3x to 4x the BB. It appears that most wanted to see the flop.

[SoCalPat]

[ QUOTE ]
One thing I noticed at the table is that most hands were going unraised or for the minimum raise. It wasn't until much later in the tourney that I started seeing raises that were 3x to 4x the BB.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just post the results already and put me out of my misery! I hope you were still at the table to see those 3-4X BB raises /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[CrisBrown]

Hi Cig,

I'd have moved in at the flop. As SoCal said, the only hand you have to fear is 77, because KK or QQ would have raised you pre-flop. If 77 is out there, well, you just have to pay him.

What you can't afford to do is let JT, AJ, or AT stay in this hand cheaply and chase the straight. Remember, no-limit Hold'Em rewards selective, disciplined ferocity. This was a time to be ferocious.

Hope this helps,

Cris

[nummerfire]

Did they really give away ten seats worth 2050 with only 13900 in buy-ins. I tend to think it was six seats and some cash prizes. If you are right i certainly have to begin playing those satellites.

I would have raised the pot on the flop. But I do not mind the slowplay.

I think MP has something like JT spades and SB has the same hand as you.

Kim

[Cigwin]

The river was the 9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. SB had TT and MP had K9 so I was good. Good start to the tourney.

[Cigwin]

It was actually 9 seats and some cash. There were re-buys and add-ons to bring the number higher.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Your pre-flop limp is OK, but I'd make it 200 to go on the flop.

As for calling the turn all-in bet, the range of hands he'd make that play with is probably big enough to make the call OK. The 3 sure didn't help him unless he stuck around with 33 on the flop (hence the importance of protecting tour hand with a pot-size raise on the flop).

[Cigwin]

Although this hand turned out well, I find myself consistently limping preflop, and raising the minimum on the flop. This slowplay sometimes maximizes my win (as in this hand), but it has disastrous effects other times because I let another player improve. I have an inherent fear of betting the pot on the flop and having someone come over the top and going all-in. An issue I don't have to deal with in limit. At this point in my beginning to play NL I can't differentiate between someone going all-in with a legitimate hand versus a bluff or semi-bluff.

[Copernicus]

Bet your hand and don't be overly concerned with being forced to fold by a bluff or semi-bluff early in a tournament. Those plays will be made far more often when there are stack differentials than they will early in a tournament with blinds relatively small and stacks pretty equal. A table with a lot of limpers is ideal early in a tournament because by betting your legitimate hands in position you are picking up far more than you would at a table playing "tournament tight". Letting those limpers see cards cheaply is a "mathematical disaster" to borrow a phrase.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I have an inherent fear of betting the pot on the flop and having someone come over the top and going all-in.

You need to either dispel this fear or not play NL. When you have a good, but vulnerable hand you absolutely must protect it.

At this point in my beginning to play NL I can't differentiate between someone going all-in with a legitimate hand versus a bluff or semi-bluff.

One way to approach this is to ask 'what is this bet asking me to do?' In this hand with no completed draws on the board, when your opponent reraises you all-in. Think about what hands he could have played like this, what your play might suggest, and ask yourself, 'is he asking me to call or fold?'