Satellite decisions, decisions, decisions

[GrinningBuddha]

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Some key hands from a WSOP supersatellite, 29 starters, top 3 get seats into main qualifying tournament.

1) Blinds 50/100. CO open limps w/ ~T1000. Blinds have ~T800-1000 each. I raise all-in with KJo (T790). CO was not an overly loose player, and the blinds weren't loose either. I estimated my chances of taking down the T250 at 60-70%.

2) Blinds 50/100. CO+1 open limps. Folded to me in the BB w/ T8o. He has ~T2000, me with T1040 before posting.

Flop 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. I check to Mr. I'll Bet Any Flop, who bets 100. I think of the ideal amount to push in with on the turn, if it's not too scary. I check-raise to 300, he calls

Turn is A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Could be worse. I push in for 640 (pot is 800). Opponent calls and his A5o doesn't catch on the river. Double up to T2130. This was an important hand, I think.

3) Very next hand in SB, I'm dealt A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. CO+1 and button limp in. I raise to 400. Folded to button who goes all-in for 750. I call. Any problems here?

4) Very next hand on the button, I get QQ (T2230). UTG limps, CO+1 calls, I raise it to 500. CO+1 is the only caller.

Flop comes T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. CO+1 checks, I close my eyes and bet 600 (1/2 pot), hoping to make it look like I want a call. Opponent folds. Should I be betting all-in here (T1700 into a 1250 pot?) I wanted to be able to get away from it if he limped with an ace, which is not out of character for him.

5) 5 handed now, 75/150 blinds. I raise to T450 UTG (T3200). My raises had been getting respect, and I figured I had a good chance of taking down the blinds. SB and BB call (oops).

Flop comes a pleasing 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. SB bets out 300, BB folds. I figure him for an Ace of some sort, possibly a J. I figure I'm either ahead, or slightly behind with a great chance of winning, so I push in for T2745 (pot 1650). SB thinks and folds. He claims to have had KK. Is there any move other than a push in here?

The rest of the tourney consisted of steal raises, a well timed AA to knock out two players, and encountering "the bully". You'll remember him from hand #2. Played 80% of his hands for a limp, and bet the flop with position 100% of the time. He ran his stack up from around T4000 to T10000 in the matter of one orbit. Now, with this being a satellite, I didn't really care since I was in second place. However, if this were a cash tourney, how do you play someome like this? If you let him go, he will amass a huge chip lead (and did so with a couple key winning hands). If you mix it up with him, you endanger your tournament life at a key time.

I decided that if I got a good situation, I'd put him to the test. As luck would have it, he proceeded to knock out #6, #5, #4 and #3 while I watched. Groovy.

Any thoughts on the hands presented above? I'm open to thoughts on ways to improve them.

[LetsRock]

Not to be picky, but isn't CO+1 = button? I think you mean CO-1.....


1. This may be a flaw in my tournament play (someone please tell me if it is) but I don't think I would put my tourney on the line for a KJo with a bet that doesn't completely dominate the others stacks. Even though your read is that they'll likely fold, you just don't know if SB or BB might have caught a monster.

2. I like it. I probably would have shoved in on the flop, hoping to scare a flush draw away. (This may be another flaw in my tourney skills?)

3.I'd make the call. You have a strong hand and you can cover the bet without being crippled.

4. Interesting hand....I think I'd either check through or bet at least the pot. He did call your 500 pfr with something and that A would be a little unnerving. Hard to imagine what he would have called with and then fold (he did fold right?) to your half pot bet. Looking foward to hear other comments on this one.

5. You don't tell us your cards, so ??? Looks like it worked out well for you....

Bullys are a problem for me (especially big stack bullys) and I'm usually content to lift up my skirt and let him take out the rest of the table for me unless I really get something grand. Marginal hands just seem to get me in trouble against these guys most of the time, but I did manage to survive through one in my WSOP Sat. tourney a coule of days ago and actually took him out to finish 2nd for 1 of 2 Final Sat. spots! (yay me!) This guy was so far ahead he probably could have just folded the rest of the way and finished in 1 or 2, but he just couldn't stay out of the action. I just don't get it sometimes.....

[GrinningBuddha]

Crap. In hand 5, I have A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].

I didn't bet the pot in hand 4 as that would have been over half my stack. My only choices were check, 1/2 pot, or all-in, as I saw it.

Hand 1 I'm questioning as well, that's why I posted it. Thanks for the response!

[CrisBrown]

Hiya G.B.,

Hand #1: I don't like to steal-raise vs. a limper and the blinds with KJo, but if you're going to do it, all-in is the only way to do it. Anything less commits too much of your stack on a hand where you really don't know what board you want, leaving you too vulnerable to being outplayed. But I would have waited for a better hand or a better spot.

Hand #2: I like your play on this hand, from start to finish.

Hand #3: I like this call vs. a very short stack, as you had here. You could absorb this loss and still be ahead for the past two hands, and if you hit, your stack looks very good.

Hand #4: Did you pay extra vig to get these hands back-to-back? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] Given the A-high flop, I think your half-pot bet is fine. If he raises, you can lay the hand down and still have T1100.

Hand #5: It would be easier to assess your actions here if you'd said what cards you have. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] But with A4-clubs, you had top pair plus the nut flush draw. I think moving in was fine, although a lesser bet might have gotten you a bit bigger pot.

Cris