KJ vs good player

[dfscott]

I played in my first $2+0.20 Pacific NL Sit'n'Go (I had some extra money laying around in Pacific so I thought I'd burn it off or build it). As you would expect, the players were atrocious, but Villian in this hand seemed like he knew what he was doing (he was the only guy coming in for 3xBB pre-flop raises).

I really felt lost when we got to the final table. I'd been playing very tightly, so I had a pretty decent image at my first table, but we'd only played a single orbit at the new table. I was the 3rd biggest stack, but I had less than 10X the BB! I didn't know whether I should play tight (because I was so far ahead) or loose (because I had less than 10X the BB).

20 players starting, tourney pays to 5th (I only cared about placing third or better).

8 players left, Blinds are 150/300.

SB (t750)
BB (t1845)
UTG (t4135)
UTG+1 (t1440)
Hero (t2135)
MP2 (t1700)
CO (t1815)
Button (t2180)

Hero is MP1 with K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

UTG calls t300, 1 fold, Hero raises to t1000, 5 folds, UTG calls.

Uh-oh -- getting tied up with the big stack -- probably a mistake.

Flop (t2450) 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)

UTG checks, Hero checks.

Should I have taken a shot at this?

Turn (t2450) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)

UTG bets t300, Hero ???

[lastchance]

PF = All-in or fold. With only 7x BB, the only thing you can do is either try to double up/steal the blinds or get rid of your hand.

[ChrisV]

Hmmm... perhaps a haiku.

Wind stirs the blossoms
With eight or less blinds preflop
Move allin or fold.

[deacsoft]

I like the fold option here. K-J is commonly over rated and with so many other short stacks why not wait and see what they're doing (folding this can probably move you up a couple of finishing places).

[dfscott]

[ QUOTE ]
I like the fold option here. K-J is commonly over rated and with so many other short stacks why not wait and see what they're doing (folding this can probably move you up a couple of finishing places).

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree that KJo is a marginal holding. I guess my bigger (unstated) question is: should I still play this situation like I would any other < 10BB situation with few players? IOW, look for a spot and push (I'm not sure why I didn't push pre-flop). There was so much pre-flop limping that there weren't many blind steal opportunities -- stacks were just sliding back and forth across the table.

Or, is this a "tighten up and wait for to be forced in, hoping the other stacks bust first"? I felt like with so many other people still in, I couldn't just fold my way into the money and would have to make a move somewhere.

I guess what I'm asking is: Is looking for a spot to make a move good thinking (but with this hand), or is it too early to be making plays like this?

FWIW, I felt pot committed and pushed, trying to represent the 5. Unfortunately, I was called by QQ and took the long walk.

[Klak]

i play in a lot of these 2 + .20 pacific tournements. id say you are better off not trying to bluff to much until theres 5 players or less left. theres almost always an opportunity in these SNGs to get your money in with a signifigant advantage and still have someone pay you off. passing on KJ in early position with these big of blinds wont hurt you.

[etgryphon]

Totally agree, KJo is a deceptive hand because of its broadway appeal...

But, just think KTo or QJo is a terrible hand and it is only slightly weaker than KJo.

In these loose games get rid of it in early - mid position. Or if you want push with them (i don't recommend this, I lost 4 SNG with this same hand that way, I'm swearing off this hand)...

-Gryph

[deacsoft]

I recomend tightening up a little, but not so much that you can't make blind steals when the oppertunity is there. At this low of a buy-in these players a very likely to be making a slew of mistakes. You can take advantage of these mistakes when you see an opening and the rest of the time you can sit back and watch them knock each other out.