Having some trouble at the 10+1's and looking for some help.

I'm having a lot of problems with the 10+1's. Most notably I have a hard time getting across the bubble, especially when all the stacks are similar sized. I was wondering if anyone would like to take a look at my HH. Should I post a complete HH here? Thanks for any help.

[KramerTM]

Post some questionable hands that occurred on the bubble and let the fun begin.

Note: Also prepare to get ripped apart simply on the basis of your number of posts. Think of it like middle school and chest hair, but online.

[lorinda]

If you are getting blinded out, push more often.

If you keep getting called and losing, push less often.

Lori

My guess is you are not being aggressive enough on the bubble, and could be playing too loose in the earlier rounds. These are the most common errors people make at the 11s and a lot of players who would otherwise win, lose because of this. By not playing too loose early, I mean not calling EP raises with AJo, kjo, qj, kt,at, and other hands which look nice, but are too easily dominated, and force you to fold to big bets later on. This should help you bring a few more chips to the bubble, which is when you have to switch it into high gear. If you are scared about busting out fourth you will, and even if you don't you will probably end up in third. At this point, if stack/BB is less than ten, any raise you plan to make should be a push, and you should be pushing with a much wider variety of hands than before. If you don't the blinds will simply eat you up. I hope I have been helpful.

here is one hand. SNGPT says it's +EV to push. While I can go through SNGPT after the game, I don't have enough time to run things through SNGPT during the game. I struggle to come up with rules that I can apply during the game so I can make good decisions.

Game No : 2684823149
***** Hand History for Game 2684823149 *****
NL Texas Hold'em $10 Buy-in + $1 Entry Fee Trny:15598684 Level:7 Blinds(150/300) - Friday, September 09, 23:02:42 EDT 2005
Table Table 12832 (Real Money)
Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 4
Seat 1: saggydan ( $2120 )
Seat 5: Plengcods ( $1535 )
Seat 6: goldyfishy ( $1860 )
Seat 10: mobius0ne ( $2485 )
Trny:15598684 Level:7
Blinds(150/300)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to goldyfishy [ 5c As ]
Plengcods: i was behind
Plengcods folds.
goldyfishy folds.
mobius0ne folds.
saggydan does not show cards.
saggydan wins 450 chips
Game #2684825702 starts.

[KramerTM]

[ QUOTE ]
here is one hand. SNGPT says it's +EV to push. While I can go through SNGPT after the game, I don't have enough time to run things through SNGPT during the game. I struggle to come up with rules that I can apply during the game so I can make good decisions.

Game No : 2684823149
***** Hand History for Game 2684823149 *****
NL Texas Hold'em $10 Buy-in + $1 Entry Fee Trny:15598684 Level:7 Blinds(150/300) - Friday, September 09, 23:02:42 EDT 2005
Table Table 12832 (Real Money)
Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 4
Seat 1: saggydan ( $2120 )
Seat 5: Plengcods ( $1535 )
Seat 6: goldyfishy ( $1860 )
Seat 10: mobius0ne ( $2485 )
Trny:15598684 Level:7
Blinds(150/300)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to goldyfishy [ 5c As ]
Plengcods: i was behind
Plengcods folds.
goldyfishy folds.
mobius0ne folds.
saggydan does not show cards.
saggydan wins 450 chips
Game #2684825702 starts.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, so we're 4-handed here. Any A is a pretty solid hand. Not to mention you're on the Button, so only 2 players to act behind you. But the things that make this an easy push for me are:

1. You only have 3xBB. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
2. The blinds are not either a) desperately short-stacked with they will call with anything or b) overlfowing in chips where they can afford a bad call.

PUSH!

[MegaBet]

Auto push from the button.

Thanks for the input. Here is Hand 2. I was in a speculative mood that night and called hoping for a good flop. Should I have folded or pushed preflop instead?

#Game No : 2695402803
***** Hand History for Game 2695402803 *****
NL Texas Hold'em $10 Buy-in + $1 Entry Fee Trny:15654252 Level:3 Blinds(25/50) - Sunday, September 11, 20:07:17 EDT 2005
Table Table 12111 (Real Money)
Seat 4 is the button
Total number of players : 7
Seat 1: jusntime2 ( $1845 )
Seat 2: weezydawg ( $1700 )
Seat 3: TMACASAURUS ( $475 )
Seat 4: goldyfishy ( $545 )
Seat 5: ihoof ( $495 )
Seat 6: johnysan ( $2260 )
Seat 9: Laqueta566 ( $680 )
Trny:15654252 Level:3
Blinds(25/50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to goldyfishy [ Kd Qc ]
Laqueta566 calls [50].
jusntime2 folds.
weezydawg folds.
TMACASAURUS folds.
goldyfishy calls [50].
ihoof calls [25].
johnysan checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ 3s, Ks, 8c ]
ihoof bets [50].
johnysan folds.
Laqueta566 calls [50].
>You have options at Table 12113 Table!.
goldyfishy is all-In [495]
ihoof is all-In [395]
Laqueta566 calls [445].
** Dealing Turn ** [ Tc ]
** Dealing River ** [ 9c ]
ihoof shows [ Js, 8s ] a pair of eights.
Laqueta566 shows [ 9h, Kh ] two pairs, kings and nines.
goldyfishy shows [ Kd, Qc ] a pair of kings.
Laqueta566 wins 100 chips from side pot #1 with two pairs, kings and nines.
Laqueta566 wins 1535 chips from the main pot with two pairs, kings and nines.
ihoof finished in seventh place.
goldyfishy finished in sixth place.
goldyfishy has left the table.
ihoof has left the table.
The Dealer and the Small Blind left the table. The dealer button moves back.
Game #2695407113 starts.

[lorinda]

Rule 1.

"Do I need this pot"

Looking ahead here, you can see that you're starting to run into trouble. After the blinds go through you twice more you're going to be down to your last 1000 and the blinds will probably be 200-400 which means it's going to get difficult to get people to fold middling hands like A9 or 55.

Right now however, you have enough folding equity to give it a go. It's not a wonderful hand, but it's a clear push because it is likely to be the most wonderful hand you see in the next few minutes.

Here are some things that you should factor in.

What would YOU call with here if you were in the blinds?

How are the stacks going to look if you get away with this push?

What hands have you drawing to less than three outs if they call?

Is this the best hand you're going to get before you lose folding equity?

If you were the 1500 stack here, how would you feel if the 1800 stack added 450 more chips?

What chance do you think you have of going out this hand if you push given that you've got to a) be called and b) actually lose the pot?

Is anyone particuarly likely to go out before you?

Lori

[MegaBet]

You played it right, just a bad beat. Happens all the time.