Please rate my tourney play- $300+20 Limit Holdem.......

[folded_a_monster]

My problem in tourneys is that I generally make the money but get eliminated shortly thereafter. Here are a few of my plays in a $300+20 limit holdem which are all around the bubble. Please tell me if you would've played the same or different, and how I can improve my results.


Hand #1- about 30 players left, top 18 pay *********** # 92 **************
PokerStars Game #106482575: Tournament #280623, Hold'em Limit - Level VI
(200/400) - 2003/08/30 - 01:54:57 (EST)
Table '280623 5' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: detach (4435 in chips)
Seat 2: Iflopaset (4890 in chips)
Seat 3: Mightymouse (270 in chips)
Seat 4: whatsmynames (1350 in chips)
Seat 5: CDs Nuts (1680 in chips)
Seat 6: benducey (2005 in chips)
Seat 7: The Dream (5448 in chips)
Seat 8: route66 (1830 in chips)
Seat 9: 55lucky55 (6582 in chips)
The Dream: posts small blind 100
route66: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CDs Nuts [9c Tc]
55lucky55: folds
detach: calls 200
Iflopaset: folds
Mightymouse: folds
whatsmynames: folds
CDs Nuts: calls 200
benducey: folds
The Dream: folds
route66: checks
*** FLOP *** [4h 8h Jd]
route66: checks
detach: checks
CDs Nuts: bets 200
route66: folds
detach: folds
CDs Nuts collected 700 from pot
CDs Nuts: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 700 | Rake 0
Board [4h 8h Jd]
Seat 1: detach folded on the Flop
Seat 2: Iflopaset folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Mightymouse folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: whatsmynames folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: CDs Nuts collected (700)
Seat 6: benducey (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: The Dream (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: route66 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 9: 55lucky55 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Hand #2- about 30 players left, The Dream has fairly loose calling standards:
*********** # 99 **************
PokerStars Game #106486121: Tournament #280623, Hold'em Limit - Level VI
(200/400) - 2003/08/30 - 02:00:01 (EST)
Table '280623 5' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: detach (3935 in chips)
Seat 2: Iflopaset (4890 in chips)
Seat 3: Mightymouse (810 in chips)
Seat 4: Chola (1720 in chips)
Seat 5: CDs Nuts (1380 in chips)
Seat 6: benducey (1805 in chips)
Seat 7: The Dream (5728 in chips)
Seat 8: route66 (1860 in chips)
Seat 9: 55lucky55 (6282 in chips)
benducey: posts small blind 100
The Dream: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CDs Nuts [7d Ad]
route66: folds
55lucky55: folds
detach: folds
Iflopaset: folds
Mightymouse: folds
Chola: folds
CDs Nuts: raises 200 to 400
benducey: folds
The Dream: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [Tc 9h 6h]
The Dream: bets 200
CDs Nuts: calls 200
*** TURN *** [Tc 9h 6h] [7c]
The Dream: bets 400
CDs Nuts: calls 400
*** RIVER *** [Tc 9h 6h 7c] [9d]
The Dream: bets 400
CDs Nuts: calls 380 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
The Dream: shows [Ac 4s] (a pair of Nines)
CDs Nuts: shows [7d Ad] (two pair, Nines and Sevens)
CDs Nuts collected 2860 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2860 | Rake 0
Board [Tc 9h 6h 7c 9d]
Seat 1: detach folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Iflopaset folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Mightymouse folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Chola folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: CDs Nuts (button) showed [7d Ad] and won (2860) with two pair, Nines and
Sevens
Seat 6: benducey (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: The Dream (big blind) showed [Ac 4s] and lost with a pair of Nines
Seat 8: route66 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: 55lucky55 folded before Flop (didn't bet)


Hand #3- 25 players left, clearly I played this wrong. Should I not have raised preflop? SHould I have folded on flop?
*********** # 121 **************
PokerStars Game #106496304: Tournament #280623, Hold'em Limit - Level VII
(300/600) - 2003/08/30 - 02:15:25 (EST)
Table '280623 5' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: detach (4712 in chips)
Seat 2: Iflopaset (6690 in chips)
Seat 3: Bubmack (7760 in chips)
Seat 4: Chola (8660 in chips)
Seat 5: CDs Nuts (5620 in chips)
Seat 6: sphynx (4755 in chips)
Seat 7: The Dream (7113 in chips)
Seat 8: route66 (1970 in chips)
sphynx: posts small blind 150
The Dream: posts big blind 300
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CDs Nuts [Kc Jc]
route66: folds
detach: folds
Iflopaset: folds
Bubmack: folds
Chola: folds
CDs Nuts: raises 300 to 600
sphynx: raises 300 to 900
The Dream: folds
CDs Nuts: calls 300
*** FLOP *** [As Qs 9d]
sphynx: bets 300
CDs Nuts: calls 300
*** TURN *** [As Qs 9d] [4c]
sphynx: bets 600
CDs Nuts: folds
sphynx collected 2700 from pot
sphynx: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2700 | Rake 0
Board [As Qs 9d 4c]
Seat 1: detach folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Iflopaset folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Bubmack folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Chola folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: CDs Nuts (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 6: sphynx (small blind) collected (2700)
Seat 7: The Dream (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: route66 folded before Flop (didn't bet)


Hand #4- 22 players left- Good Big Blind defense? Should I have 3 bet preflop? Good checkraise on flop?
*********** # 135 **************
PokerStars Game #106500340: Tournament #280623, Hold'em Limit - Level VIII
(400/800) - 2003/08/30 - 02:21:37 (EST)
Table '280623 5' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: detach (3684 in chips)
Seat 2: Iflopaset (6190 in chips)
Seat 3: Bubmack (7310 in chips)
Seat 4: Chola (7810 in chips)
Seat 5: CDs Nuts (4870 in chips)
Seat 6: sphynx (5955 in chips)
Seat 7: The Dream (7971 in chips)
Seat 8: route66 (3490 in chips)
Chola: posts small blind 200
CDs Nuts: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CDs Nuts [Ts As]
sphynx: folds
The Dream: folds
route66: folds
detach: folds
Iflopaset: folds
Bubmack: raises 400 to 800
Chola: folds
CDs Nuts: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [6d 2h 6s]
CDs Nuts: checks
Bubmack: bets 400
CDs Nuts: raises 400 to 800
Bubmack: folds
CDs Nuts collected 2600 from pot
CDs Nuts: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2600 | Rake 0
Board [6d 2h 6s]
Seat 1: detach folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Iflopaset folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Bubmack (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: Chola (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: CDs Nuts (big blind) collected (2600)
Seat 6: sphynx folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: The Dream folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: route66 folded before Flop (didn't bet)


Hand #5- Very tough laydown, Chola is very tight. Good move? Too tight? Good all in hand?
*********** # 137 **************
PokerStars Game #106501051: Tournament #280623, Hold'em Limit - Level VIII
(400/800) - 2003/08/30 - 02:22:45 (EST)
Table '280623 5' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: detach (3684 in chips)
Seat 2: Iflopaset (6190 in chips)
Seat 3: Bubmack (6110 in chips)
Seat 4: Chola (7610 in chips)
Seat 5: CDs Nuts (6070 in chips)
Seat 6: sphynx (9755 in chips)
Seat 7: The Dream (4371 in chips)
Seat 9: hardhitter (1960 in chips)
sphynx: posts small blind 200
The Dream: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CDs Nuts [Ks Ad]
hardhitter: folds
detach: folds
Iflopaset: raises 400 to 800
Bubmack: folds
Chola: raises 400 to 1200
CDs Nuts: folds
sphynx: folds
The Dream: folds
Iflopaset: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [6h 9c Kc]
Iflopaset: checks
Chola: bets 400
Iflopaset: folds
Chola collected 3000 from pot
Chola: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3000 | Rake 0
Board [6h 9c Kc]
Seat 1: detach folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Iflopaset folded on the Flop
Seat 3: Bubmack folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Chola collected (3000)
Seat 5: CDs Nuts (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: sphynx (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: The Dream (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: hardhitter folded before Flop (didn't bet)


Well, those are 5 bubble hands, a few of which I suspect I played poorly. Please tell me how I can better position myself to finish in the top 5, rather than settling for barely making the money.

[sam h]

Hand #1

I don't want to call for an eighth of my stack with this type of hand and only one other player in. A lot of hands in these tournaments get conceded on the flop, so if you want to play I would raise to get it heads up and then try to push him out. Otherwise, I like folding better than calling.

Hand #2

This one's all player dependent. The thing is, this flop looks really good for a BB with loose calling standards. You might have a gutshot, but this is a pretty crappy flop for your hand. I would probably have folded on the flop against most opponents. Once you pair up on the turn, I think you might have to grit your teeth and call it down.

Hand #3

The preflop action is a no brainer. On the flop, you're getting 8:1 immediate odds and much better implied odds. Seeing the turn is probably a good idea, especially since its also an image play in that you're not giving up immediately after someobody plays back at you.

Hand #4

Nice flop checkraise. Whether to threebet preflop is close, IMO. You will have the best hand here the great majority of the time but you don't have too many bullets in your stack and position really matters in these cases. I think I like your play best.

Hand #5

I don't really like this laydown, although I don't know Chola like you seem to. Many players could threebet here with AQ or with medium pairs that you want to play against with position - ie pairs with enough overcards to them that you can make them fold even if you don't hit the flop but other high cards hit.

My plan would probably be to coldcall the threebets. While its, 20% of your stack, winning this hand could launch you up into big stack territory. And by giving the first player an option to cap, you gain some info about whether you might be in real trouble or not.

[folded_a_monster]

You're definitely right about hand #1, I just have a soft spot in my heart for high suited connectors. Now that I look at hand #4, I think I played it the best possible way and I am very proud of myself. I'm going to treat myself to a delicious beer to celebrate. As for hand #5, There are only a few situations I would lay AK down, and on the bubble against a rock who just made it 3 bets is one of them. Chola had raised maybe thrice in the 50 or so hands I was at this table, and I don't think he 3 bets with anything less than TT, and not with AQ, but I could be wrong. Since I don't think I would buy anybody off a hand here regardless of what flops, I feel I would need a an A or K to win this hand, and there's still a decent chance I would lose. I may be one of the loosest players on 2+2 (with the exception of my limit holdem tourney play), but I think this is a situation where being cautious is the best play. Then again, maybe that's why I always barely make the bubble and not finish in the good money. Thanks for all your input sam H.