$50, Big Sem-Bluff Early
 

Just got to the table, no reads.
I'm really pretty clueless to MTT's, so go after me if you don't mind.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (9 handed) converter

Hero (t1145)
MP2 (t935)
MP3 (t1070)
CO (t945)
Button (t90)
SB (t985)
BB (t805)
UTG (t3040)
UTG+1 (t955)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t70</font>, MP2 calls t70, <font color="#666666">5 folds</font>.

Flop: (t162.50) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Villian bets 125, Hero Pushes

Re: $50, Big Sem-Bluff Early
 

very aggressive, what else do u want to hear?

Re: $50, Big Sem-Bluff Early
 

[ QUOTE ]
very aggressive, what else do u want to hear?

[/ QUOTE ]

What's a different kind of line to take here? Is that line better?

Re: $50, Big Sem-Bluff Early
 

Preflop fold K-J, it's too weak to play in this relatively early position. Also just call if you are gonna play it for a variety of reasons. On the flop I don't see why not just do a standard continuation bet of ~100 trying to pick the pot up right there. If he calls reavaluate depending on the turn. The way you played it I would just fold after he puts in a solid bet. The checkraise all in isn't a disaster but it commits too many chips for my taste, however if you were feeling it at the time go with it.

Re: $50, Big Sem-Bluff Early
 

KJo is a pretty standard fold pf? Good to know. What about KJs or KQo? In that early/middle position what do you need to raise

On the flop, I'm going for the check/raise because i think he'll just be cont. betting a lot of the time. By that logic though, I think leading does the same thing, except i don't win his bet. Once he makes the bet, it's push or fold I think. I went with push, but I could see folding an option.

I'm not worried about conserving chips, I'm worried about taking my +EV spots. Not sure if this was one.

Re: $50, Big Sem-Bluff Early
 

I'd recommend looking at Championship No limit holdem for beginners by Cloutier and McEvoy, it has good advice on starting hand selection since you asked. I don't think his bet should be called a continuation bet since he didn't raise preflop, you did. The main reason I don't like a check raise here is that you're risking aout 800 to win about 300, I personally don't think you'll get him to fold often enough to make it work. Like I said, I persinally would just lead out the flop to avoid risking my whole stack, but if you want to play it a little riskier to have a chance at more chips, it's certainly not a terrible play.

Re: $50, Big Sem-Bluff Early
 

KJ is fine to play from this position if you know how to play dominated hands but at the blinds at 10/15 it's a meh. With higher blinds I like your play since you may get the blinds and if called, you still have a nice hand but that goes back to the beginning of my post, can you play dominated hands?

At this blind level I fold preflop, at higher blinds, it's a 100% raise. Oh yea, make a continuation bet on the flop.

Re: $50, Big Sem-Bluff Early
 

i agree with others that you should fold pre-flop, but open-raising is not terrible. i'd make it 50 or 60 though - 70 is kinda big.

on the flop, the c/r a-i runs into the problem that you're risking a lot to win a little. you're also going to be in a tough spot on the turn if it's checked through (even when an A/9 hits, you're going to have a hard time getting a lot of chips in).

i'd prefer a bet of 100 and a push if he raises better than a c/r a-i. if he has a hand that doesn't want to go to the felt then you're making him put more chips in. also a T will often flat call so you don't have to worry to much about getting it in vs trips. a smaller raise does make playing the flop a little easier, btw.