Playing a local no-limit hold em SNG................
 

The other night I was playing a 1-table SNG at a local casino in Florida. As usual, the table was full of donks (all-in frenzy and the whole nine).

Early in the game I had a comfortable chip lead from winning big pots against people who called me down with a top pair with a weak kicker.

At this point the table was 9-handed and I was in the small blind. Everyone folded and I looked down at my A-K offsuit. The big blind guy seemed like a rather tight player with a modest chip stack but not yet a short stack.

I raised him 3.5 times the big blind and he hesitated for a moment and called my raise. The flop came 4-5-A (no flush draw). With my top pair with top kicker, I bet about half the pot and he quickly raised twice my bet. I called. The turn was 6. I checked and he moved the rest of his chips in, which was about 1/3 of the pot size and 1/3 of my remaining chips.

I stopped and thought about it. I knew he didn't hit the straight. Considering the donkiness of the table I figured there was enough likelihood that this was a bad bluff attempt with A-x. So I reluctantly called.

It turned out that he had 4-4 to make the set of 4s. The river was an ace so he beat my tip Aces with a full house. And I no longer had my chip lead.

How else would you have played this hand? I am leaning toward thinking I should've put the donk all-in pre-flop so that he would've mucked his 4s. I would like your opinions on this situation.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

KashHunt.

Re: Playing a local no-limit hold em SNG................
 

It's a tough spot, but what range of hands would you put him on after raising your 1/2 pot flop bet another 2x? You are clearly representing strength and that doesn't seem to bother him (although a 2/3 bet or more might have really given you the best indication of his strength).

Also, if you truly had him pegged as a really tight player, he probably wouldn't be making that play without AK, 44, 55? Maybe this is way too tight, but early in the tournament I think you gotta let it go. Save your load for later.

Re: Playing a local no-limit hold em SNG................
 

Remember to differentiate between the player you're up against and the table as a whole. Was this player just one of the donks?

If so, I think you played it very well. You can't fold to his minraise on the turn with TPTK, and you can't fold on the river to that small of a bet. Sometimes, you end up second best. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Welcome to the forum. A bit of advice: for more objective responses, don't post the outcome of the hand.

Re: Playing a local no-limit hold em SNG................
 

I don't know, this sounds like just one of those things. Although, you can't let the donkiness of the entire table take you off your individual reads. You had him pegged as tight. He reluctantly called you preflop (small to medium pocket pairs, Ax, KQ or KJ, maybe suited connectors although unlikely).

You raised preflop and then raised on an ace board, you basically turned your cards up for him and he still reraised you. If there was a spot to let it go, this was it.

With all that hindsight in mind, I doubt I play it differently then you did in the heat of the moment.

Re: Playing a local no-limit hold em SNG................
 

oh i hear that argument 100%. i'm not saying i would've acted difference in the moment (i'm personally a terribly impulsive live game player), but this is all about reflection and whatnot.

good post.

Re: Playing a local no-limit hold em SNG................
 

[ QUOTE ]
The other night I was playing a 1-table SNG at a local casino in Florida.

[/ QUOTE ]
was this at the hard rock in hollywood by any chance?

Re: Playing a local no-limit hold em SNG................
 

After flopping a set it'd be hard to get this guy away from you, and the reluctance in calling could tip off his holding. I agree with the fact that betting the ace after a PF raise does lend him some info and he still came over the top of you. This is an argument for folding.

How big was your lead over the BB, and what were the blinds at? Just curious....

Dream scenario for the BB though, raised pot and hit a set.