$200+$15 SNG - QQ first hand

[stripsqueez]

happened twice in the space of 3 of these yesterday and both were a bit exciting - keen for views

1) - i'm in the BB - 2 limpers and the cutoff raises to $30 - i call as do the 2 limpers - flop is J 8 4 rainbow - checked to the cutoff who bets $180 - i raise $300 or so - folded to the cutoff who pushes ?

2) - i'm 2 off the button - 3 limpers to me and i raise to $30 - cutoff calls, button and blinds fold and the limpers call - flop is 9 7 4 rainbow - checked to me and i bet $150 - cutoff pushes and its folded to me ?

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

[AtlBrvs4Life]

What are the blinds at? Maybe you should think about raising more than t30. The only hands you have to be worried about on these boards are sets. Maybe J8 on the first board. You'll just have to go with your read.

[stripsqueez]

[ QUOTE ]
What are the blinds at?

[/ QUOTE ]

both times it was the first hand of the tournament like i said - the blinds were 10/15 - i had no view about any of the players involved, although i did subsequently...

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

[AtlBrvs4Life]

Alright I wasn't sure if this was a tournament at Party or another site. I probably would have raised more with QQ preflop. I'm not a big fan of min raises. I usually go for 4x the BB at this point of a tournament.

[Girazze]

I'm thinking that the CO in both hands has medium pair because of the preflop minraise in example 1 and the call of the minraise in example 2. CO could have hit sets in both hands since the preflop play is pretty much what is recommended with medium pairs and limpers. Doubt the sets hit were 4s in either hand but I'd be willing to say CO had JJ or 88 in hand 1 and 99 or 77 in hand two. Hmmmm....he could have had the other two Qs in both hands too.....that would have been wild.

[mackthefork]

[ QUOTE ]
3 limpers to me and i raise to $30

[/ QUOTE ]

If I never see another min raise for the rest of my life it would be too soon, it's not big and it's not clever. I tend to agree with previous poster that you could be up against a set in both hands, but it's quite possible that it was AXs with these pathetic preflop raises.

Regards ML

[cero_z]

Hi stripsqueeze,
Happily call both times, and live with it if you're beat. You're about 80% likely to be good in case 1, and about 60% in case 2, in my experience (fairly extensive in these sng's). If you double up here, you don't need to play another hand until it's down to 4 or 5 of you, and if you get busted, you didn't waste any time.
Also, I like your pre-flop play in hand 2, as long as you were prepared to be done with it if you saw a flop you didn't like. In hand 1, I like to make a little re-raise (60-120 more), to make sure it's heads up, and to give the crazies a little rope, in case they want to push right there (which I'm glad to do, of course).

[mackthefork]

[ QUOTE ]
Happily call both times, and live with it if you're beat.

[/ QUOTE ]

I certainly agree that you should call, but I would say that if you are beat at least a small amount of the blame should go to you for playing so soft before the flop.

Regards ML

[Jonathan]

I'm a relatively new player, mostly 10 to 30 sit and go's and I often find posts like this one where a more experienced player at a higher stakes table plays in a way that I would not at all expect. Stripsqueez, could please explain what some of your thought processes were at the time you made your decisions? I think I'm thinking about this game all wrong. Thanks, Jonathan.

[ QUOTE ]
- i'm in the BB - 2 limpers and the cutoff raises to $30 - i call as do the 2 limpers -


[/ QUOTE ]
Why do you call?
I would think your hand is worth a reraise.
[ QUOTE ]


2) - i'm 2 off the button - 3 limpers to me and i raise to $30 -

[/ QUOTE ]
Why do you only raise the minimum bet? Isn't this dangerous?

[stripsqueez]

[ QUOTE ]
please explain what some of your thought processes were at the time you made your decisions?

[/ QUOTE ]

its the first hand so i'm feeling rock like and suddenly i'm plenty happy because i got something i can spew chips with - i remember all those turkeys who have donated chips to the lucky feck who got one of these early all the other tournaments i've played

i figure i'll shoot to make a truckload and go cheaply if overcards hit the flop because its no disaster if i blow $30 and inviting other guys to play crud increases the odds i will clean up big time - i dont fancy scooping some blinds or even getting heads up for a chunk and seeing an overcard hit

at least thats what i'm thinking...

i planned to get plenty aggro on the flop if no overcards hit

as i played it for flop action i accepted the flop action and called both times - 1st cutoff had AA and there were no surprises - 2nd cutoff had 97s and there were plenty of surprises - river was another 7 but the turn was a Q - i didnt waste his chips though...

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

[mackthefork]

See as I said min raises stink, it's always a monster, he min raised with AA, you min raise with QQ, yuck yuck yuck, they deserve to get beat. I didn't think anyone would min raise at 200+15 it just beggars belief.

Regards ML