Crippled

[Roy Hobbs]

I don't play many multi-table tournaments, but last night I was home from work early and decided to give a party $33 limit hold'em tournament a try. There were 900 or so entries, and this hand occurred well into the money, with approximately 25 people left.

I had a slighly above average stack with $55k, and was in the $6k big blind. I was dealt Q /images/graemlins/spade.gifT /images/graemlins/spade.gif. The table chip leader raised from middle position. He had approx. $100k in chips and was moving them around a lot.

Question 1: I felt that my hand was too strong to let go for one more small bet against his random holding. Mistake?

I call, and the flop comes K /images/graemlins/diamond.gifT /images/graemlins/diamond.gif4 /images/graemlins/club.gif. I check raise his bet, and he calls.

The turn is the 9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. I bet, he raises and I fold.

Please comment on my play. I was crippled after this hand and feel like I should have waited for a better spot.

Thanks,

RH

[GoSox]

I think you'll get varying opinions on this one. Personally, with the size stack you have I'd avoid just about anything against the chip leader. If he's pushing around/stealing from the bigger stacks, he must be also doing it to the smaller and it will hurt them more.

As to question one, that one small bet concept is usually what gets people in trouble when they catch part of a flop. Once that overcard comes and two of another suit which you don't have I'd lay it down. You stuck with it and that one bet ended up costing four. Different scenario if you were shorter stacked.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

I don't think I could get away from this hand, at least not online. If my opinion of his play was such that I would call the raise preflop, check-raise the flop, and then still bet the turn, I would have to call the raise and check-call all-in on the river as well. It is a rare player who can have a random hand preflop, and yet against whom you are correct to lay down second pair on the turn here.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)