flopping top pair/weak kicker from the blinds

[Che]

Reading the whiskeytown thread about the Stars 500+30 that stretched the buyin limits of both whiskey and nottom reminded me that I also stretched my limits earlier this month and dropped $640 for the Party million but never posted any of my blunders. So here goes…

Hand 1: 42 minutes in. I’ve lost a small pot, won a small pot, and won a medium pot (flopped Q-high flush on a BB free ride). So I’m up to 1080 from 1000 chips in 42 minutes. Joy.

Blinds 15/30. 10-handed. MP (890) limps. Button (250) limps. I complete with J /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 9 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif.

BB (2320) raises to 70. What??? Not sure what that means (BB was recently moved to table), but the other two call so there’s 240 in the pot and it’s 40 for me to see the flop. I call.

Flop: 4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif 9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I consider betting 240 or so since I have top pair, but I’ll have to fold to raise (bad kicker) so I check since I have 3 opponents and the BB’s preflop raise looks suspiciously like an overpair.

BB minbets (30). MP folds. Button pushes in his remaining 180. I’m still wondering what the BB is doing, but I think the button has sensed weakness and is trying to semi-bluff overcards so I call. BB calls.

Turn: Q /images/graemlins/club.gif Check, check.
River: 8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif Check, check.

I think I made enough mistakes in this one hand for an entire tournament, but I’m curious what others think.

Results: BB had KJo, but button had A9o and outkicked me.
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Hand 2: 15 minutes later. Blinds still 15/30. 10-handed. Two minutes before the first break.

Lost half my stack one hand but doubled the very next hand so I’m basically still where I was 15 minutes ago.

MP1 and MP2 limp (2870 and 2920, respectively). SB (up to 805 mostly due to the A9o v. J9 hand earlier) completes. I check (Q /images/graemlins/spade.gif 5 /images/graemlins/spade.gif, 795).

Flop: 2 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif. SB checks.

Great. I’ve got top pair, weak kicker again and three opponents. I decide to bet out this time and bet 100 into 120 pot. Loose-passive MP1 calls. Other two fold.

Turn: 4 /images/graemlins/club.gif. I bet 150 (weak?) into pot of 320 to make sure he doesn’t get a free look at a flush. He calls.

River: 6 /images/graemlins/spade.gif. I bet 100 into pot of 620, leaving me with 415. He calls and shows 88.

Again, probably lots of mistakes, but I’m interested in how others would have played (or folded) it.

Plus, any general guidelines for playing top pair, weak kicker on the flop with hands you wouldn’t have played if you weren’t in the SB or BB are certainly welcome.

Thanks,
Che

[DougBrennan]

Hi Che,

Recently I've been tossing the kinds of hands you describe, for the most part. I think I'm just tired of going bust with hands I wouldn't have chosen to play if not in the Blind. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

It's hard at first but easier as you go.

My guess is that top-flight post-flop players can handle this situation: top-pair lousy-kicker out-of-position, but I don't seem to be there yet. Anyway, I look at it as a win a little pot or lose a big one situation, and mostly pass.

Doug

[Peter H]

in 4way pots if i flop a top pair like 5s... im always wary of an overpair. i prefer to ck these hands out of position and see what develops. i fold to a bet and a call. if the button is aggr ill ckrs him if he bets. i am much more passive like this with a medium stack where i can wait on better situations. however with a big or a small stack im much more likely to make a move at the pot w/ top pair.

peter