Big Semi-Bluff against the other chip leader

[kiffl]

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (6 handed) converter

UTG (t780)
MP (t480)
Hero (t1890)
Button (t1450)
SB (t1875)
BB (t1525)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t200</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB calls t175, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>.

Flop: (t450) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t400</font>, SB calls t400.

Turn: (t1250) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero raises all-in, SB folds.

Final Pot: t1250



What does everyone think of this play? I know playing draws in sngs is a bad idea, but I still think this is a very good move. It tells the other players not to mess with me and if I call and win I have an aggressive image.

[kiffl]

bump [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[luckyplayer]

I fold preflop. I personally don't like leaking chips for any reason. Any of those 3 could wake up with a hand, and there's no reason to loose more than 10% of your stack with that trash.

[jwsly1]

I am still fairly new to poker - so you can take my view any way you like (or not at all [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ). You are right you would have an aggressive image, but that is because you are being aggressive. It worked very well in this case, but I have found that if you use this strategy too often, it can come back and bite you hard.

Consider - you had a third of you stack at risk -- what if the SB called and you didn't get the spade or finish your straight -- would you have bet again after the river? or what if the SB re-raised would you have thrown away the hand, or risked even more on the draw? You can end up with some difficult decisions and hands that are hard to get away from.

I know I am probably a pretty conservative player, because I am still new. I do like to use aggressiveness as well, but very rarely. Unless you were sitting at a very conservative table - where there were few showdowns and a lot of the players who are folding to any pressure -- than I say go for it.

Good luck either way. Having the table thinking you are playing aggressively and than actually playing conservatively can be very beneficial - just watch for the traps.

[lastchance]

I don't like the raise preflop. I bet less on the flop with no draws, and I probably check for the free card on the turn.