Strategy question on getting deep

[bobbycharles]

The last three nights in a row, I've busted out of the Stars $3 and $5 rebuy guaranteed tourneys about mid-way through the third hour. The scenario was very similar in all situations.

For example tonight:
Avg stack 19,000. My stack 16,000. Read on me is TAG.
Villain (25,000)is LAGish, always putting in an open raise with any two. I'm BB with 99.
Action is fold to villain who puts in automatic 3x raise. Folds to me, I re-raise him all in. He calls and turns over a KJ off and rivers something like a str8 or whatever.

Now my purpose is not to moan about a lost race, but the question is, am I being too aggressive here? Should I wait for a better position and if so what is it? With an average stack size, is it best to just steal the blinds with the standard open raise from LP and then wait for a monster? I've been watching several of the "good" players make moves like my 99 all in, but it never seems to work out for me?

Any thoughts?

[AceofSpades]

your edge on small pairs is greater (against two overcards) if you see three cards and make him fold on a missed flop or call your bet with overs, than if you see all five cards. Which is why you'd want to be all-in preflop with a hand like AK against a small pair.

So in spots like that I'd like to call and then bet any flop. Or reraise (not all in) and then bet any flop.
Of course you are really dependent on a stack size (if you don't have enough play left with the blinds size) or if you think your opponent has something like A7 when you have TT, in a situation like that you want to be all in preflop.

So is it a bad play- No and you probably do need to win some coinflips in order to win a tournament. But there are other options that are better.


.joseph.

It's a fine play. Your 99 is almost certainly the best hand. Push your advantages.

Just reading your post.. did you have to push it in? What were the blinds. If you've got enough BB in front of you maybe you can call and see if you get a flop that looks good to you.. or maybe represent a strpnger hand by reraising the minimum. If the blinds are 500-1000 or higher there isn't much else you can do here but push it in or maybe if you were first to act on the flop try to stop and go.

[bobbycharles]

[ QUOTE ]
If the blinds are 500-1000 or higher there isn't much else you can do here but push it in or maybe if you were first to act on the flop try to stop and go.

[/ QUOTE ]

Blinds were 600/1200 and I did not consider a stop n go but probably should have.

The question however is not so much hand specific as to the level of aggression I tend to display. I'm typically TAGish and have been trying to change gears around this time of the tournament hoping to get a big stack. ie, steal a little more and push the edges, but it seems like I'm failing at every attempt. What is the best inflection point or does it just tend to happen based on the action at the table? I can continue my TAG stance and slide into the money with an average stack, but I'm wanting to go deep and pick up that elusive win.

There was another thread here about the desire to play OUTSTANDING poker as opposed to solid poker. I'm solid. Period. I look at the guys with 50 final tables in 6 mos and wonder, how the heck do they do it? I want to be OUTSTANDING. What am I missing here?

Yeah, I didn't mean push as in all in. I meant push in the generic sense of "I'm ahead, I am going to be aggressive" type sense.

[tshak]

[ QUOTE ]

There was another thread here about the desire to play OUTSTANDING poker as opposed to solid poker. I'm solid. Period. I look at the guys with 50 final tables in 6 mos and wonder, how the heck do they do it? I want to be OUTSTANDING. What am I missing here?

[/ QUOTE ]
Solid play works when you have a lot of chips and weak players. Beyond that it'll be guarunteed to get you to the bubble very often and not much more.

Given your stack size I probably push 99. I want to push KTo's, JTo, etc. out of the hand as the pot is a decent size to take down without racing. If Villian is calling off 2/3rds of his stack with KJo here you should be seeing a lot more flops or reraising him more often preflop. If he's picking up more than his fair share of pots, he's playing correctly.

[bobbycharles]

Thanks Joseph.
I like the other options, like reraising but not all in and then betting the flop. A weakness I have tho, is say the flop is Qxx - I bet, he calls. Turn is a T. What's my move? check/fold or fire again? With any two overs, he's got at least a pair or a str8 draw.

[woodguy]

You give stack sizes, but not blind sizes.

Very important info, or else I don't know how I would play the hand.

Regards,
Woodguy

[ononimo]

[ QUOTE ]
You give stack sizes, but not blind sizes.

Very important info, or else I don't know how I would play the hand.

Regards,
Woodguy

[/ QUOTE ]

big blind during 3rd hour:
1st 15 mins: 300/600/50
2nd: 400/800/50
3rd: 600/1200/75
4th: 800/1600/75