Tournament Instincts.

[winky51]

Took 7th in a live tournament of 130 today, thank you, thank you.

My instincts and tell reads were on the money everytime. Even got players to show their hands with a little ego stroking.

BUT I folded a couple hands where my instincts were dead on but it was such a hard call.

HAND: Player X is a LAG for the most part, raising UTG with A9o, K9, ATo and hands as such. He plays well actually but I could never nail him with a better hand. We tangled a couple times but small pots, I won one. Both times he limped in.

Player X limps in the CO 1st in. All fold to me in the BB with K8o

Flop Jc Ts 5c. I think a long while trying to assertain what the hell he limped with, I check. He checks.

Turn Jc Ts 5c 5h. I consider his hand and decide I will bet and suspect he has some middle connectors. I think he missed and I will take a shot at about 40% the pot bet. He raises double. I start thinking of all the hands he would limp and then not bet the flop. My image has been pretty tight and when I bet people fold. I finally start talking to him telling him what he doesnt have Ax, JJ, TT, KQ and I finally say "you got a draw dont you, 98, or maybe Q9". For the 1st time he talks to me EVER during the tournament shrugging and saying "maybe". Now my gut is really telling me he has a draw. Players are generally quiet when they have something good. But I fold because I'm a pussy and I could be right or maybe even dead wrong. He has at least 12 outs + a few scare cards. Im getting 5:1. He flashes Q9 the table awes at my hand reading ability. But how the hell can I make that call on just instincts and K high. If I call and he hits or he has a hand I will be in trouble because my stack would be <10 BB.

[AcesUp2121]

Could always reraise like you have a 5, as it's very unlikely he does. These moves often get me in trouble though.

[winky51]

Well thats the thing. He would have limped with A5o, JT, or had the draw. Those were the three hands I was thinking. But man my instincts were SCREAMING call. If I reraised all in he would call anyways because he had me covered.

Any 3xQ, 2xK, 3x9, 2x8, or remaing 5x club would have made me nervous. Thats too many cards to deal with. thats 15 cards I didnt want to see and he could still make a move.