$22 early hand

[SirKraggen]

I recently decided to give the $22's a try, after playing mostly at the $10 and at Party $15+1 and a few $25+2. I'm off to a good start in the first 120 tourneys with about 25% roi (Yes, I know it's a small sample size)

I think that sometimes I do have a habit of getting into trouble early, and this hand is an example. In retrospect, I think that I should either fold or raise preflop, and the raise on the turn should be bigger.

I have no particular reads on villan, but I would say that I have often called in similar situations against someone holding nothing.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converter

MP1 (t785)
Hero (t790)
MP3 (t760)
CO (t1425)
Button (t800)
SB (t525)
BB (t800)
UTG (t545)
UTG+1 (t770)
UTG+2 (t800)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG calls t15, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Hero calls t15, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Button calls t15, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t75) Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets t15</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t50</font>, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls t35.

Turn: (t175) K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t75</font>, UTG calls t75.

River: (t325) 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG bets t405 (All-In)</font>, Hero calls t405.

Final Pot: t1135

Results in white below: <font color="#FFFFFF">
UTG has 9h Qc (two pair, queens and nines).
Hero has As Jd (one pair, aces).
Outcome: UTG wins t1135. </font>

[johnnybeef]

this post perfectly demonstrates why aj is an unplayable hand in the early stages of a sng.

thank you sir,
johnny

[spentrent]

[ QUOTE ]
this post perfectly demonstrates why aj is an unplayable hand in the early stages of a sng.

thank you sir,
johnny

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't say that.

Bet the flop/turn harder IF you're gonna play AJ. You're lucky that no other weak hands called -- arguably correctly -- after that anemic flop raise.

[Chickweed]

I was thinking about AJ yesterday and what possible cards can come on the flop which I like. Short of two pair on a rainbow board, you are oftentimes going to be lost on the correct action postflop.

This was a good flop for you, yet you still cannot be certain of what to do. Perhaps if you raise preflop, it helps you define your course of action on the turn. However, even if you do raise preflop, you still must fear someone calling with AQ, or even Ax hands which now have you reverse dominated. There are better places to lose all your chips (if you must), so just fold and let the idiots playing Q9 UTG knock themselves out.

[Shillx]

You can't really afford to go broke in these pots since you will still have decent chips if you get away from the hand. IMO it is pretty lame to say something like "well that is why you don't play AJ". What if the board were AQ5(J)(9) and the hero held AK...similar comments certainly wouldn't apply, or at least I would hope not.

I personally don't like playing AJ in this spot since the chips that I stand to gain have less value then the chips that I might lose. If I am going to play the hand, I'm certainly not going to put my tourney at risk with just a pair of aces unless I'm pot stuck. Just hope that this guy keeps making these types of all-in bets since you will have a set ~75% of the time in these situations (or so I hope).

Brad