Big Pot Hands, Small Pot Hands

[CrisBrown]

Hi Pete,

I agree, and in fact originally I'd said this in my reply to jedi, but then deleted it because I don't play at Party so I really don't know. But yeah, if you're in for half of your stack with the pre-flop raise and flop bet, it would probably be a mistake to fold to an all-in raise. At that point, you're getting 3:1 on your call, so even if you're behind with TPTK, you're probably getting correct odds to call it down.

Cris

[jedi]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi jedi,

This is close to an auto-read. Yes, TPTK is a very good hand, and it's worth betting the pot with. But when you've raised preflop and been called, then you bet the pot at the flop and get reraised all-in, you can almost guarantee that TPTK is not good.

Cris

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Okay, I have another somewhat related question here. Using the same scenario, I raise with AK and hit TPTK on the flop. This is a Poker Stars tournament where the stacks are a little deeper than the Party tournaments. I bet out the pot and just get called. The turn brings a card that doesn't complete any straight or flush draws. I bet out pot again. Now I get re-raised, either a large amount or all-in. I'm thinking "Damn, it's happened again." Can I lay down this hand when I've invested 2 pot sized bets? Or should I not be betting as much on the turn? If I don't bet as much on the turn, it almost screams that I don't have a good enough hand to get re-raised. If someone traps me here with a set, then I'm really screwed because instead of re-raising me on the flop where I could get away from the hand cheaper, they've trapped me on the turn with a small hand in a big pot.

Does this line of logic change if the turn completed the flush or straight draw? I think I might need to fold more often early in the tournament when I have a chance to regain the chips. Later in the tournament, when the blinds are higher, I might just have to push and pray.

[CrisBrown]

Hi jedi,

This is a reading problem. If your opponent seems loose, I'd go ahead and call his all-in bet at the turn. In fact, on an innocent draw, I might just push in at the turn and let him worry about what I have rather than vice-versa.

Many of the players you'll see in SNGs will try to push you off a pot once they have a lot invested in it, especially if you show weakness. You've been the aggressor so far, so you want to continue to be the aggressor. With the pre-flop raise, and the pot-sized flop bet and call in the pot already, you'd be happy to just take what's there with TPTK. So why give him the opportunity to put the pressure on you? Put him to a decision for all of his chips.

Cris

[Prickly Pete]

[ QUOTE ]
This is a reading problem. If your opponent seems loose, I'd go ahead and call his all-in bet at the turn. In fact, on an innocent draw, I might just push in at the turn and let him worry about what I have rather than vice-versa.

Many of the players you'll see in SNGs will try to push you off a pot once they have a lot invested in it, especially if you show weakness. You've been the aggressor so far, so you want to continue to be the aggressor. With the pre-flop raise, and the pot-sized flop bet and call in the pot already, you'd be happy to just take what's there with TPTK. So why give him the opportunity to put the pressure on you? Put him to a decision for all of his chips.


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This situation is always difficult and I'm not saying I have the perfect answer here. If the board is coordinated (say 2 to a flush on the flop, but not a 3rd on the turn), then I agree. But, if the board is more like K824 rainbow, then maybe checking (hoping to induce the bet) is the answer. Going allin may scare off KQ, but it's only going to make 88 smile before he takes your whole stack. Just a thought.