QJs 1st hand of the tournament

[Brian]

Stars 2 table tournament. Blinds are 10/20, and everyone has T1500. I pick up Q /images/graemlins/diamond.gif J /images/graemlins/diamond.gif in LP and limp after a limper. The CO makes a whopping raise to 40. BB, limper, and I call. 4 to the Flop, T170.

Flop: K /images/graemlins/spade.gif 9 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

Checked to me and I bet 200, seeing if the raiser has AQ or something random, or if he has a real hand. Raiser raises it to 400. BB and limper fold, I call. 2 to the Turn, T570.

Turn: T /images/graemlins/spade.gif

I check-raise all-in, he calls. Results later. I am mainly concerned about my Flop play here obviously, the rest is automatic.

-Brian

[Aceshigh7]

Your flop play looks good to me.

I'd like to see if anyone thinks differently.

[The Prince]

Brian,

This is the kind of hand I sometimes bet and sometimes check, depending on my opponents. Since it's the first hand on the tournament, I would probably check.

The reason I would check is that I would like to check-raise him most of the times adn because you are facing 3 opponents. If you bet, and BTW I would have bet less, like 125, with 160 in the pot, he could raise an amount that will pot commit him and he will have to call you. If he had been competent, he would have raised your flop bet to at least 500, meaning that should you reraise, unless he's on a pure bluff, he should call you most of the time. If you let him bet and then check-raise him 400 more, then he has to make a decision for all of his chips.

With 12 outs you will win about 45% against an AK. I don't mind playing this pot for all my chips at all, but I'd rather make sure I'm the one pushing my stack, not calling. The best scenario is if he bets, a player calls and then your check-raise and they both fold.

Nicolas Fradet (The Prince)

[bshanksj]

Hmmm i dont like it, id be trying to make this draw as cheaply as possible, and since u have the preflop raiser (albeit a very small raise - some bad players like to do this with big pairs) behind you I would definitely be inclined to check and then probably call, not raise. If id flopped an up and down str8 and flush draw, I would probably check raise, but I dont want to put my chips in on this draw so early on in the sng - there is still a long way to go, and u will more than likely get better spots than this, especially on stars where the structure is slightly longer. In sngs as in tournaments I feel draws are death, even draws as big as this.

I cant see him reraising with any hand ur favouite against either, so by raising and getting reraised here you are putting quite a lot of chips in when you are behind and if u miss on the turn u give yourself a very tough decision as to whether to pay for the river too, whereas if u check and call on the flop you are still likely to have implied odds for the call on the turn, barring an all in, which you dont mind because the hand hasnt cost you very much.

I also believe the size of your bet if you have to make one is too large, if he reraises (which he did) you are pretty committed to this draw, as an underdog - surely not where you wish to be - especially if he has trips /images/graemlins/frown.gif

These are just my thoughts, and how I would play the hand, I am perhaps very cynical of drawing hands though having busted out of too many tournaments for my liking on them in the past.

happy fishing

bshanksj /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Brian]

He calls the all-in with AK and is drawing dead. I double up the 1st hand of the tournament but still go on to finish on the bubble.

I am still not sure if checking and seeing how cheaply I can make my draw or betting out and trying to take down a reasonable sized pot is best.

-Brian

[Cornbread Maxwell]

Just check...

The amount in the pot is relatively minor given the blinds and your stack size. Plus, it's very likely that someone has a piece of this flop, given the number of limpers. Check for the free card and hope that you hit your flush or straight and win a big pot.

[tw texas]

hmm...I think any king will raise you on the flop in this situation, decreasing the pot odds for you

furthermore, if he has "AQ or something", he will undoubtedly fold, and having 12 outs, I would much rather let him bluff or catch a pair and pay me off than pick up the pot uncontested

I check-call the flop and go all-in if I hit one of my outs

[mrbaseball]

I think you played it fine. I like betting myself. Firing at this or any pot gives you an advantage I think. Even if all you had was missed garbage.

The AK played it bad. Real bad. Unless he put you on a set or AA (doubtful!) he has the nuts meaning you are behind or on a draw and he isn't making you pay enough for that draw. He needs to make you make a tough choice and he didn't.