[foobar]

Hey There....

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Hand 1:

4 handed $30 at Paradise. I am in the BB in second chip position with 2000 chips. UTG has 5600, UTG+1 has 1100 and SB has 1300. Blinds are 50-100. Big stack is very very aggressive and open raises to 300. Folded to you holding KK, your move?


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I think the first important thing to realize on this hand is that even though you're one the bubble and have second stack, your separation from short stacks isn't that great, so it's important to get maximum value for your kings here. For that reason I don't push preflop. So call or bet? For me it depends on my table image, and how the big stack plays when he's in a hand w/ somebody. Regardless though, I probably just call his bet preflop. On a non-threatening flop, I've got a lot of options. I'd check into him if he's likely to take another stab at a steal. Otherwise I'd probably either lead out for a pot sized bet or, or minbet looking for him to come over the top. The upshot of all these strategies is that I'm trying to get all my chips in the pot on any non-Ace board.

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Five handed at Party $30. You are the short stack with 550 chips before posting the BB of 100. Folded to the SB (you have no read) who pushes all in. You hold Jc 9c. Your move?


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What's SB's stack look like? If he has you considerable covered then I figure there's a decent chance he's on a steal and call. Otherwise, I'd think a bit, and probably still call. Likely you're coming in behind, but if you lay down you're down to T450 in the SB. Assuming you don't get a hand there, you've got 3 more hands to push your chips in before blinds get back and finish eating you. The more I thik about this one though, the more I think it depends on the stack sizes at the table, and wether top 4 or top 3 are getting paid. If there's a couple other short stacks left, then it gets easier for me to lay this one down.

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Hand 3

7 handed at Paradise $30. Blinds are 15-30. You have about 950 chips and hold red queens. You open raise to 90 and the button (who has you covered) flat calls. Flop comes Ts 2s 6h. You bet the pot (195) and are called. Turn is 4h. Your play and why?


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I probably pot it again. Hard to put button on a hand preflop as it's early and he could be calling your 3XBB bet of 90 w/ a wide variety of hands. After he calls your pot bet on the flop, I'm figuring him for the nut flush draw or AT. If he's on AT, you want money in the pot for value...if he's on the draw, you want to charge him to see it. Now what if he comes back over the top when you pot bet the turn? At that point I get a little nervous about 66 or TT for his flopped set, but I probably call anyhow unless I've got a pretty strong read on the guy.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Cheers