99 hand early on in tourney

[PokerGoblin]

$30 + 3 NLHE on party

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) converter

saw flop|<font color="#C00000">saw showdown</font>

MP1 (t190)
MP2 (t2640)
Hero (t1040)
CO (t2100)
Button (t2180)
SB (t1450)
BB (t1680)
UTG (t795)
UTG+1 (t1680)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls t50, MP1 calls t50, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t200</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, SB calls t175, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls t150, MP1 folds.

Flop: (t700) 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets t70</font>, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls t70.

Turn: (t840) K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets t175</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t1015

I know I effed this up royally, what range of hands do you put the SB on with this kind of flop. My read on him is that he is a decent player. I figure him for an overpair like jacks, or even maybe a set of 10's.

BTW my initial raise was to isolate MP1, who limped for 50 and left only 140 behind. Obviously that didn't work out.

PG

[danger_mouse]

You should be scared the player hit a set or was slow playing an overpair pre-flop. If either of these scenerios is true, why is he betting out on the flop (and so small)? Wouldn't it be smarter for him to checkraise? Sure maybe he's trying to lure you into a raise with what looks like a post oak bluff, but that would be a pretty strange play (though I've used it).

Chances are that you are ahead. If I had to guess, I'd say this player has 66,77, or 88 and missed his set.

If you are risk adverse, let it go. I'd probably bet out, but then again, I'm very willing to play short stack poker AND I play 20 +2 on Stars so the competition might be different. I'm sure more experienced posters might have a better opinion.

[Jax_Grinder]

I don't think you played it that bad and you got away when you really ought to have done so. A couple of thoughts:

1. If your intent was to isolate (and I am not sure 99 is a hand you want to do this with at this stage of the tourney), 200 is not enough with 2 limpers in and 4 larger stacks to act behind you. 300 might get it done, but 1/3 of your stack on 99? Not my play.

2. You have to RR the t70 on the flop if you want to win what is now a sizeable pot. AK/AQ and any two spades make this bet. Make him pay if he doesn't have it. If I am in the hand here, I RR to 250 or 300 and bail if he comes over the top.

[danger_mouse]

I concur with both of Jax's points.

[PokerGoblin]

I agree I should have repopped it on the flop. On the turn the way I got there I surely couldn't go any further than that.

I don't mind playing a short stack, God knows I've been doing a ton of it lately, but I do prefer to avoid when possible.

PG