[Rizen]

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Hand 1: Its the first hand of tournament and I'm dealt 8 4s on the button. One guy in middle position limped in and I just call. The sb folds and the bb checks. Flop comes
Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] BB checks, MP pushes 700. What do I do? And please say something other than play 8 4s.

Hand 2: After a good start, I have had some bad beats and nothing to play and am quickly falling in chips. I have about 5k in chips but average is 9k. Not to mention the guy next to me is playing like an EXTREME manic only folds when some one pushes all-in. I'm dealt J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 10 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] in MP and call. MP+1 calls and BB checks. Flop comes:
J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] BB bets 500. I???

Hand 3: 8 players left in a sit n go and I'm middle in chips and dealt Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] in the BB. Blinds are 15 and 30.
3 limpers join in the pot and I check. Flop comes 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 10 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and I check, first limper who is chip leader bets 75, one limper calls and the other folds and I call. Next card is 4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] and I bet 200, and chip leader moves all-in. Other limper folds. I???

Any and all help is appreciated...thx.

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Hand 1: Fold pre-flop. I don't mean to be condescending, but I'm not sure why people play baby suited cards that aren't either connected or one-gappers even cheaply from late position. I know you specifically asked not to get that advice, but it's probably a huge leak. That being said, since you did play it (and end up in similar position sometimes when a steal bet is made and you get called) we need more information. What are the blinds? What are the stack sizes? Any reads? Do you have him covered? A lot of factors go into this. If the blinds where 100/200 and he was pushing his last 700 chips, this is an easy call. If they're 10/20 and he just significantly overbet the pot with a stack that has you covered, it's a different story. So the answer to this (and unfortunately many poker questions) is an 'it depends'

Hand 2: Again, there are a lot of important factors here. The biggest thing you say in your post that worries me is you're concerned with your chip count in relation to all the other players in the tournament. While this is important, I personally don't concern myself with having an average stack size. I'm more concerned with my stack size as it relates to the big blind and as it relates to the other players at my table, as that should be what drives your decisions most of the time. It's difficult to make a recommendation without knowing what the stack sizes are, as well as any reads you might have on the BB.

Hand 3: Easy push/call. You hit the best card you could, if he has Kxh or Axh then so be it.

Sorry I wasn't more helpful on hands 1 and 2, but more information is really needed before a good recommendation can be made.

-Rizen