How should I have played this?

[ARodOSU]

Played in a home game last night where about 3/4 of the players are weak players (loose-aggressive, tight-passive). Everyone starts with $10 and the blinds start at .25-.50. About an hour into the tournament I've only had one playable hand where I won with JJ and the other player folded to my bet on the turn. I'm sitting with a little less than the average stack (about $11). It's 7 handed and I'm dealt KQo in the BB. One MP player (loose-aggressive, has been bluffing a lot) calls and the SB (tight-aggressive, one of the best players at the game) calls as well. I decide (maybe my first mistake) to triple the blinds and they both call. The tight-aggressive player checks in the dark as the flop comes K52 rainbow. I decide to bet my top pair with 2/3 of the pot. MP calls and the tight-aggressive player quickly moves all-in. At this point the pot is about $20 and I have $6 left to call with. I have a tough time putting him on a top pair with higher kicker than me or two pair, but I know it's possible. After some deliberation I decide to call all-in with pot odds and thinking he may have put me on a bluff and might have K-10 or K-J. The MP also calls. I turn over my top pair, MP shows pocket 10's (?), and tight-aggressive player shows pocket 5's...a set. I felt it was just tough luck and another one of those kind of nights but is there anything I could've done differently here to change my fate?

[meep_42]

How many players left? How close to the money?
I'd have trouble putting my whole tournament up on top pair, decent kicker. You still had a time around the table or so after that to pick a hand to try to double up.

-d

[ARodOSU]

I had a very hard time putting my tournament up on top pair, decent kicker. However there were 7 players left at the table in a two table tourney (15 total players) and the payout structure is top heavy with the top 3 getting paid. If I were to fold it would have been tough to come back unless I doubled up and kept getting good cards after that. If I went all in and won, I would've been in good standing to contend...especially against the weak field of players. My real question is whether or not I played the hand correctly from the start.

[meep_42]

I'd have done exactly what you did up to calling the all-in... and I may have done that as well.

-d

[pokerclacker]

half way into a 2 table tourny and you've only played one hand!! you are way too tight. you should have at least used your tight table image to have stolen a few blinds or put a play on when high cards hit.

I would occasionaly raise with this hand from the blinds but typically I would just check. the reason is that you close the action without giving away any information on your hand. if rags flop you can check raise or bet out and steel the pot. If a king hits no one knows what you have, and so you can pick up a few more bets, by either betting out, or checking and letting a lag bet it for you, and guage your opposition before deciding your move. If you are set on raising this one, I would have bet a bit more PF to make a stand (maybe twice the pot) if you get called then I would often push on the flop as long as no ace hit, if you got raised barring tells i would throw it away.

your all in call is a tough decision and you had to go with your gut. better luck next time.

[ARodOSU]

I do not believe that I was playing too tight. In fact I forgot that I had played another hand when I had 88 and tripled preflop on the button, two callers. An ace came on the flop, everyone checked. On the turn one player checked then the loose-aggressive player bet and I put him on a bluff but was worried about the VERY tight and VERY passive player to act after me, so I folded and the player did indeed call. On the river the the first player checked again and the aggressor bet again only to get called, the tight-passive player showed QQ to take it down against a bluff. This is just an example of how players like that one were catching cards all night. At this particular game, it seems there's no point in mixing up one's game very much because you will get action no matter what. Thoughts?

[Cerril]

It's quite possible to go through an entire tournament without catching cards. It seems like the only way to do well there would be to stay out of the hand. With the sort you were playing against you'd have had callers against you no matter what you put out preflop, and postflop you couldn't have won. It may also be one of those things you couldn't get out of without a better read. I'd have considered myself 5 outs there and only if I was beaten, but if the all-in was tight enough it might have been one of those things where you could drop, knowing that your low chance to place in the tourney was better than winning that hand.