1st Vegas NL tournament

[MarlinHooker]

I've been playing small buy-in NL tournaments for about 11 months (36 total with 5 final tables). Last week I had my first opportunity to play in a $40, single add-on NL event in Vegas (at the Sahara) and I have several questions. Buy-in got you $1500 in chips with a $20 add-on any time during the first hour for $1500 more. Blinds started at 25/25 and rose every 20 mins. 132 players initally

1. During the 1st hour I had Q6s in the BB. An agressive (but solid) player limps in the middle as does the button, I check. The flop comes A,K of my suit plus 2 of spades. I check & the guy in the middle bets $1000 which represents 30% of my stack. I assume he was betting the Ace (or King) and didn't want anyone on a draw hanging around. What should I have done?

2. With 4 tables left, blinds at 1000/2000 & I'm on the buttom with 8000 holding A9 hearts. One guy in early position limps in and everyone folds to me. I move in over the top for 6000. The guys calls me leaving him about 4000 with what turns out to be QJos. Did he make a bad call?
3. This was my first rebuy event. Given that in addition to the one optional re-buy for everyone in the first hour and the fact that they let players buy back into the tournament if they went broke AFTER their rebuy, what should my playing style have been during the "add-on period"

I ended up finishing 32nd in the event. Everyone's comments would be welcome.


Ken

[jn110]

1. You didn't mention the blinds at this point, but I'm guessing the pot couldn't have been more than 400 or so, making his 1000 bet a huge overbet. I fold quickly in this spot, unless it's a multi-rebuy, in which case I push and pull out some rebuy money.

2. This is an interesting one. When I'm this short stacked late in a tourney, I want to move in when I have the best chance of winning the blinds uncontested (unless I have a monster). The early position limp from a 6X BB stack would concern me. There are virtually no hands I would limp with in his stack position (or yours), with the possible exception of AA or KK, and that would be very rare and based on table conditions.

So with no other information, my guess based on his limp (and the way the low-buyin No Limit tourneys I've played lately have been playing) would be that he's a fairly unsophisticated player with a mid-range hand (Ax, KQ, KJ, QJ, JT, 44-88).

Against most of these hands, you're either a small underdog or a small favorite. You only dominate A-little. The problem is that I think a limp-fold for 1/6 of a stack at this stage is unlikely, so you lose most chance of a steal with your all-in raise. Without the limper, I would raise all-in with A9 (suited or not) from the button every time in your chip position.

So yeah, I think he played the hand horribly, but I only would have moved-in in your spot if I had a read that he had a pretty good probability of folding after limping.

3. That's a different structure than the multi-rebuys I usually play. In general, when I'm in the portion of a rebuy event where I cannot be knocked out and the rebuy amounts are insignificant to my bankroll, I open my game up until I build a stack about 2X the maximum amount of chips I can buy.

[MarlinHooker]

jn110:
Thanks for your thoughts. So instead of the all-in reraise what would you have suggested given I had 6K left in front of me on the button with A9s? I also know what you mean about the Saraha event. I like to play freeze outs since it matchs my style of playing conservative early. I was comfortable trying this '1 add-on' event since I thought it would limit the wild play somewhat. When I discovered at the start that they would let people reenter the tournament within the first hour if they lost their 1st stake & add-on I was not very happy.

[salty]

Live tournaments are great arent they.

If you had not had a rebuy before the first hand you asked about I might go all in there although all you loose by folding is your BB,so its a coin flip really,personally I play much looser during the rebuy period and most times call these coin flips especially if my hand will make the nuts.

second question,for your sake i hope he made a bad call,but his thinking is probably that you have Ax not a premium hand,he will also feel he has more outs and 2 live cards,so really I dont think his call is way off but I hope he lost.I may have mis read this but did you just raise to 6000 rather than all in,because you are totally pot comitted so its all in pre flop dont keep some change.

again I am confused slightly about your question relating to the add on period,do you mean rebuy period,because you add on at the break and then the real tourney starts.

I say loose and aggressive during re buy and fluctuating Loose/tight but still aggressive after the add on.The most important thing in tourneys is how you change gears.

[salty]

Just read your second post,My theory on NL tournaments is that if you cant win a pot with the worst hand you cant win a tournament.Hope this makes sense.Im suggesting this because of your conservative style comment.