Playing TPTK early

revots33 · #1 01-26-2005, 11:28 AM

In early rounds of a $11 SNG (25-50 blinds), 3 limpers to me on button with A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. I raise to 150, 2 players call. Flop comes Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]10 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. 2 players check to me.

Right now I'm almost positive I've got best hand, but I'm guessing someone is on a flush draw. Is pushing a terrible play here? Even if the flush draw calls he's almost 2-1 dog to make his flush, so it's a bad play for him. But I don't know if it's a dumb idea to risk my entire stack this early on just a pair. And of course, if someone was slowplaying a set I'm probably toast.

If pushing is a bad play, what would be a good raise in this situation, assuming all players have about 1700 chips and there's 500 in the pot?

therock · #2 01-26-2005, 11:59 AM

You raised pre-flop and hit your flop. Ignore sets, so the only hand that has you beat right now is Q-10, which seems unlikely. Since the board is a bit scary with two clubs and two paint, I would play it fast. I'd bet $400 which would give a player on a draw terrible odds to call assuming you won't give him implied odds. If the turn card is not scary, then push at that point.

I don't think pushing does you any good after the flop. If someone is on a draw, you really want him to throw money away by calling $400 with terrible odds.

microbet · #3 01-26-2005, 12:33 PM

I think betting pot on the flop is good.

Very tough to play this hand if they don't fold since there are a lot of very good draws (AcJc, KcJc, KcTc, AcTc, KcQx, Kc9c, Jc9c) and there are some not unlikely hands that are ahead of you (QTs, TT, 33 - QQ,KK,AA not impossible either).

Hawkeye27 · #4 01-26-2005, 01:01 PM

Since the blinds are 25/50, theres a good chance he started the hand with around T700. A T400 bet would leave him with T150. I understand the T400 bet if it leaves you a chance to fold, but if you have >400 chips left I'm thinking a push would be better. Is my thinking on base here?

revots33 · #5 01-26-2005, 01:14 PM

It's on Stars so everyone started with 1500. I think I had 1700, other 2 players had like 1620 and 1680.

Anyway, I pushed and everyone folded. My thoughts are that I probably should've bet less to extract more money, but I was worried about the flush/straight draws and figured if I could win 500 right there I'd take it. In hindsight I don't know if it was the correct play though.

spentrent · #6 01-26-2005, 01:27 PM

Trial and error, mostly error, has taught me that you will only get called by the nuts if you push on the flop. Betting 1/2 to the whole pot, while opening yourself up to reraise, seems the more prudent option.

However, you could make a case for pushing if you feel like there are some typical $10+1 monkeys in the hand who would be happy to call with Qx. But you'll probably have better ways to knock out these monkeys later, right?