Would you have played this any different?

mart_ph · #1 11-27-2004, 08:41 AM

No decent reads on my opponents as yet. I don't normally play KQo this early in the game, but I had one of those feelings that says 'go ahead and limp and see what happens'.

Paradise Poker $5 No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t10 (10 handed) converter

saw flop|saw showdown

Button (t985.00)
SB (t990.00)
BB (t1425.00)
UTG (t925.00)
UTG+1 (t540.00)
Hero (t990.00)
MP1 (t1110.00)
MP2 (t935.00)
MP3 (t1115.00)
CO (t985.00)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of t5.
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to t20, Hero calls t20, 1 fold, MP2 calls t20, MP3 calls t20, CO calls t20, 2 folds, BB calls t10.

Flop: (t125) 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (6 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets t10, Hero raises to t120, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, BB folds, UTG+1 calls t110.

Turn: (t365) 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets t220, UTG+1 calls t220.

River: (t805) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: t805
Main Pot: t805 (t805), between UTG+1 and Hero. > Pot won by UTG+1 (t805).

Results in white below: 
UTG+1 has Ah 3h (two pair, aces and threes).
Hero has Kd Qh (one pair, queens).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins t805.

hyde · #2 11-27-2004, 10:21 AM

Identify "feeling" that induced playing KQo this early.
Next time "feeling" shows it's ugly head, respond by folding.

For what it is worth, UTG1 has bigger "feeling" problems than yours.

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
hyde

mart_ph · #3 11-27-2004, 11:36 AM

I can't quantify what 'feeling' actually means. Just one of those things. 99.99999% of time I would fold this, but seeing as it was played I think it's still possible to analyse the play after that point.

You're right though - I don't think anything would have got rid of the other guy's feeling!

tiger7210 · #4 11-27-2004, 12:26 PM

I think you played this fine. You just got chased down by a fish. The check on the end was good with the scare card and it had to be difficult putting him on any kind of hand that he would be smooth calling you with.

Drunken Monkey · #5 11-27-2004, 12:46 PM

Just to set me straight, what is smooth calling. Is then when you call a raise and close the action?

Biff M. · #6 11-27-2004, 12:49 PM

I believe it is calling the blind and a raise in the same action, also known as cold-calling. Correct me if I'm wrong [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Or maybe not, judging by the sentence it was used in. Maybe it's calling on both streets then, without showing any strength with raising.

poboy · #7 11-27-2004, 03:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I believe it is calling the blind and a raise in the same action, also known as cold-calling. Correct me if I'm wrong [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Or maybe not, judging by the sentence it was used in. Maybe it's calling on both streets then, without showing any strength with raising.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cold calling and smooth calling are two different terms. Cold calling is calling a bet or raise when you haven't put any money in the pot yet. Smooth calling is calling a bet or raise when you have a made hand instead of raising, also known as letting your opponent bet your hand for you.

As for the hand in question, I think you played it fine. I'm kinda curious as to why you wouldn't normally play this?
If I can get in cheap I always play KQ, it's certainly not a monster hand but it is at the upper end of good hands.

Voltron87 · #8 11-27-2004, 03:39 PM

At this point in the tournament I would make a tight fold. Even if you're not dominated and no one has an ace, you're out of position and you could be playing against 4 or more hands. Even if a K or Q comes you have to defend a hand which might be in serious trouble from out of position against a lot of drawing hands. It's not that you're behind in the hand, it is just not a profitable situation early in the SNG.

Virox · #9 11-27-2004, 03:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm kinda curious as to why you wouldn't normally play this? If I can get in cheap I always play KQ, it's certainly not a monster hand but it is at the upper end of good hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

Even if it's one of the better hands it's not good enough to play in early postition at a full table, too many things can go wrong.

If you asked around you could probably find winning players on this forum who is folding AQo in this position (but I am not one of them [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img])

Voltron87 · #10 11-27-2004, 03:55 PM

I'm not a fold AQ early guy either, but too many things go wrong with KQ early against multiple players. You will lose a sizeable amount of chips more often than you will win some.

As for AQ I do not fold it, but raising big with AK or AQ(100-150) has fallen out of favor in my mind, esp in early position.