New to NL SnGs - a couple hands for review

RcrdBoy · #1 09-24-2004, 01:26 AM

I have just started playing NL SnGs (between 25 and 50)and need some help.

Just to give you a little background I have been playing poker seriously for about a year. I have been playing micro limit ring games and have moved from .50/1.00 to $1/$2 with over 15,000 hands at each level with win rates about 3BB per 100 hands. I have also played about 150 limit SnGs between 10 and 30 with a ROI of 35.6% and an ITM of 45.8%.

I've read TOP, HPFAP,SSH,TPFAP,Play Poker like the Pros, and Super System.

I'm far from a very good player, but I'm not a total beginner either.

So with that overblown intro in mind, I was hoping to get some feedback on a few hands to help me with my NL SnG play.

Hand #1
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (8 handed) converter

Button (t1825)
SB (t790)
Hero (t1135)
UTG (t670)
UTG+1 (t1065)
MP1 (t765)
MP2 (t1015)
CO (t735)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 raises to t60, CO calls t60, Button folds, SB calls t45, Hero calls t30.

Is this an auto fold PF? Getting 7 - 1 I figured it was an auto call and I could dump it on the flop if I don't flop 2 pair or better. Thoughts?

Hand #2

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (8 handed) converter

MP2 (t1980)
CO (t645)
Hero (t775)
SB (t785)
BB (t755)
UTG (t790)
UTG+1 (t1065)
MP1 (t1205)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 raises to t30, MP2 folds, CO calls t30, Hero calls t30, SB calls t20, BB folds.

With one min raise and a cold caller I figured that I could play it safe and see if I can flop TP with position. Bad idea? MP1 is loose and aggressive. He was massively overbetting pots and playing almost every hand. I was a little worried that if I raised to say 125 he'd reraise me to the point I would have to fold or go all in.

Flop: (t135) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, MP1 bets t30, CO calls t30, Hero raises to t125, SB folds, MP1 calls t95, CO folds.

With the FD out there I figured I'd make around a pot sized bet and be prepared to go all in if MP1 got aggressive. Should this bet have been bigger? Smaller? Maybe 1/2 the pot?

Turn: (t415) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
MP1 bets t100

Push?

All feedback appreciated.

ReDeYES88 · #2 09-24-2004, 08:53 AM

hand #1: dump it. what flop are you hoping to hit? 444?, 443? A25 rainbow? keep that T15 for another hand.

hand #2: AKo on the button w/a baby raise and a caller, raise it 3-4xBB or so and see where you're at. Strong hand with position, you should be driving the bus not riding in it. bet at least the pot after the flop, not sure the size of your bet would drive out any weak flush draws. A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] on the turn?, well now you have a bit of thinking to do, sticky situation you're in, but you did have two previous chances to end the hand before this situation came up. did your opponents lead at the three flush turn?

Solitare · #3 09-24-2004, 10:01 AM

On hand #1 there's nothing wrong with making a loose call every now and then in the early rounds hoping to flop a monster. (Actually it's probably very wrong, but who doesn't like to play the lottery every once in a while). However, I think there are a few reasons why this call is EXTRA loose:

- Calling a raise. Someone believes they have a quality hand out there, so you are an extra dog. I would make loose calls like these only against limpers (such as completing from the SB).
- Spending T30. I tend to limit my loose calls to the first round when I spend only T15. Or in the second round when I complete the SB for only T15. Or if I have a bigger stack. Keep these loose calls for around 1% of your stack, not 3%.
- You are probably missing outs with 43o. The betting indicates that 1 or two players are holding Aces. You are probably missing some of your straight cards. I would not make loose calls below 76 so you are likely to have all of your straight cards in play. Plus 43 will make more dominated straights. Hate to have the flop be 765 with someone holding 98.
- Soooted helps. I'd like to have that extra 2.5-3% equity for my loose call.
- Limit vs. NL. Drawing hands like this don't play as well in NL as limit. In limit you will get more flops that you like, such as A65 that will give you drawing odds. Since you can't afford draws most of the time in NL, your range of perfect flops for a hand like 43 is much less. This is an adjustment to make coming from limit.

A lot of this is nonsense. A loose call is a loose call. But if you are going to do it, I think the hand should be "less loose" than this.

RcrdBoy · #4 09-24-2004, 11:56 AM

Great reply. Thanks for the feedback.

RcrdBoy · #5 09-24-2004, 12:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
hand #1:hand #2: AKo on the button w/a baby raise and a caller, raise it 3-4xBB or so and see where you're at. Strong hand with position, you should be driving the bus not riding in it. bet at least the pot after the flop, not sure the size of your bet would drive out any weak flush draws. A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] on the turn?, well now you have a bit of thinking to do, sticky situation you're in, but you did have two previous chances to end the hand before this situation came up. did your opponents lead at the three flush turn?

[/ QUOTE ]

MP1 led the turn for $100 into a $400 pot and I pushed over the top and he folded. I figured it was unlikely he had the flush, but could have the draw so at that point I had to push.

Unarmed · #6 09-24-2004, 01:23 PM

Hand 1 - Fold. Consider your effective odds. GIven the PF raise I don't think you're seeing the turn for cheap even if the flop does bring you your straight draw. I don't mind playing SC or PP into a raise for <10% of my stack (closer to 5% with SC) but non-suited connectors have very little value IMO.

Hand 2 - I think you played it well. I'm not one bit worried he has the flush with the A and K already out there, but you have to make a decent sized bet as he could very well have a weak club. You're raising to at least 400 so yeah, stick it all in.

BigJohn043 · #7 09-24-2004, 01:52 PM

Hand #1 - easy fold

Hand #2:

You must raise this hand. Either you win it right there or you get more money into the pot with a hand that is almost certainly the best. If a lag pushes on you then call it. You will see AQ or AJ at least as often as a pocket pair. Not clear what the silly min raise means, but fearing AA or KK is way to weak tight. That being said, you called.

You flop TPTK into a flush draw board. MP1 leads out with a silly min bet and he gets a caller. They could either be on a flush draw or missed the board entirely. You must bet the pot to drive out draws. Instead, you underbet the pot and get a call from MP1 who is priced into drawing at the flush, particularly if he thinks that there will be a second caller. If anything you want to overbet the pot here not underbet.

When the third club falls on the turn you are in real trouble. The fact that it gives you two pair is irrelevent. However, with the A & K of clubs out there it isn't clear what a flush draw would look like with this board. QJs maybe?

I have no idea what to make of the 100 bet. I would have thought a made flush would check. Maybe the guy is playing A9 and he hit two pair. You have given yourself a tough a decision here by playing passively and not defining the hand. I don't think folding is an option. I probably call and see what happens on the river. Pushing is reasonable if you don't put him on a flush, but given how you played the hand I don't know how you would know.

Unarmed · #8 09-24-2004, 01:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I have no idea what to make of the 100 bet.

[/ QUOTE ]

I find I'm seeing this bet a lot from a flush draw trying to see the next card as cheap as possible.