So my mid-end game sucks - Page 2

EverettKings · #1 05-24-2005, 01:41 AM

Well, I don't seem to have any problem accumulating chips in the early stages of my STTs, yet I have been busting an uncanny chunk of the time in the pre-bubble time, i.e. 5 handed with 50/100 or 100/200 ish blinds.

My problem is dealing with a semi-short stack and marginal hands. Anyway, been having trouble with spots like these:

$33s on Party

Group A:
Blinds juuuust the wrong size....

1)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (6 handed) converter

Button (t1165)
SB (t1770)
BB (t1030)
UTG (t1185)
Hero (t1195)
CO (t1655)

Preflop: Hero is MP with K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
1 fold.
I raised to t275 and all folded. BB (literally) hadn't played a hand yet, or I probably would have mucked this.

2)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (6 handed) converter

BB (t1615)
UTG (t1470)
MP (t1205)
CO (t1010)
Hero (t1145)
SB (t1555)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
3 folds I fold.
This kind of spot really bugs me, a hand like this in LP with 12ish BBs. I used to make it t275 or t300 here, but it's overwhelmingly likely that someone will only push over the top or fold (i.e. not just call). If they push I probably have to fold, in which case my cards don't matter (might as well be 27o). So do I fold, push, limp, or raise/call with a weird stack and marginal hand like this?

3)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (5 handed) converter

UTG (t1305)
Hero (t2960)
Button (t1080)
SB (t1460)
BB (t1195)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
1 fold, Hero raises to t275, Button raises to t800
I fold. Looking for comments on first action mostly.

4)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (5 handed) converter

MP (t1105)
Hero (t2960)
SB (t1180)
BB (t1560)
UTG (t1195)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
2 folds. I folded.
Similar to the A9o/KTo spots.

Group B
Am I too short?

5)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (6 handed) converter

CO (t1765)
Button (t1320)
SB (t1105)
BB (t1010)
Hero (t1295)
MP (t1505)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
I fold. Blinds a'comin, good amount of FE. Do I go now?

6)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (6 handed) converter

Button (t1465)
SB (t1420)
BB (t1905)
UTG (t710)
Hero (t995)
CO (t1505)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
1 fold
How about now? I folded.

7)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (6 handed) converter

CO (t1465)
Button (t1320)
SB (t2005)
BB (t710)
Hero (t995)
MP (t1505)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
Or now? I folded.

8)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t300 (5 handed) converter

UTG (t1640)
Hero (t1525)
Button (t2210)
SB (t1635)
BB (t990)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
1 fold
Can I go yet? I folded.

9)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (5 handed) converter

BB (t1640)
Hero (t1525)
MP (t2210)
Button (t2235)
SB (t390)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
Hero raises to t1525 (All-In)
Finally, go time. SB puts in his last 190 and BB calls with A8o, and that was that. It just seems that if I push these marginal hands, I get looked up by hands like this too often. I also am not very good at sucking out.

Miscellaneous

10)
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (6 handed) converter

UTG (t1465)
MP (t1620)
CO (t1905)
Button (t410)
Hero (t795)
BB (t1805)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
3 folds, Button raises to t410 (All-In). I push. Pretty good pot odds, figured I was vs a hand like Ace-medium, and I was running out of fold equity fast. Or did I have enough to pass here?

So what it comes down to...

Is that these are often the best spots that I'm presented with at this point. Most of these situations I'm just one of many semi-short stacks but I can't just pray for a nice hand to come along. I feel like I'm running out of time but I can't find a good spot. Maybe I'm not patient enough. Maybe I don't pick the right spots.

The other situation is where I have 10-15 BBs and an all in with a marginal hand is such an overbet that it's only going to bite me in the ass. But I could use some blinds and I haven't seen any legit hands... grrrr

This has really been frustrating me. I've got too much data for this to not be a leak in my game. I really hope someone out there can look and say "aha! You suck for reasons X, Y, and Z." At least then I can make some progress.

Thanks to any still reading, I would love your input.

-Kings