Stars 200 tournament, final table hand

Analyst · #1 03-02-2005, 02:23 PM

I apologize for posting a tournament hand here, but limit hands generally get no responses on the MTT board.

This is the sixth hand at the final table. The table looks to be quite tough, with several 100-200 players and a recent TLB weekly points winner in the group. I'm in fourth chip position, with 26.5k just slightly below the average stack of 28.3k.

PokerStars Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind t2000 (9 handed) converter

UTG (t21122)
UTG+1 (t49379)
MP1 (t34495)
MP2 (t17080)
MP3 (t23734)
CO (t13198)
Button (t51488)
SB (t17975)
Hero (t26529)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
1 fold, UTG+1 raises, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, 4 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB, t17000) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets, MP2 raises, Hero calls, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls.

Turn: (7.25 BB, t29000) 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks, MP2 bets, Hero calls, MP1 calls.

River: (10.25 BB, t41000) J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero bets, MP1 folds, MP2 calls.

Final Pot: 12.25 BB (t49000)

A couple of potential questionable points here. After the hand, I got berated, presumably for the preflop call. My rational was that I was closing the action, it should be easy to get away from if I missed the flop, and 2k wasn't a huge portion of my stack.

The flop was just about ideal, and I considered betting out but didn't want UTG+1 raising and getting it HU.

Lastly, I though about going for the check-raise on the river but didn't want to risk getting it checked around.

Thoughts?

adanthar · #2 03-02-2005, 02:31 PM

Speaking as a tournament player who dabbles in limit:

The PF call sucks. I'd much rather make it with 54s than K4s in a tournament situation but I'd probably fold both. Calls like these, especially in limit, are a good way to bleed away your stack. If the flop is Kxx rainbow you at least have to call down a UTG+1 bet for a couple of streets if you're folded to - that's a third of your stack.

Once you hit your perfect flop, you have two choices: lead out or CR. I want to lead out and get UTG+1 to thin the field because this is now a pot that you *must* win (you're in for at least 10K and probably more.) Since you checked, you have got to at least get MP1 out of the hand and check-3 bet, lead the turn, do what you have to do.

So basically, I hate every street except the river.

TStoneMBD · #3 03-02-2005, 03:08 PM

im not experienced with limit tournaments, but here are my observations as a limit cash game player:

you pf call is in fact bad. in a limit cash game it is reasonable, but in a tournament setting you dont want to go broke on a pair of kings no kicker. theres no reason to get involved with a marginal hand that is potentially putting your entire stack at risk, out of position, when it is a marginal call in terms of EV to begin with.

however, i like the passive lines that you took on all streets postflop. you have virtually no chance to take this pot down, and you are likely behind of a bigger king. playing your hand harder will only drive out the opponents you want staying in, and if you miss your draw, you have committed so many of your chips that its going to be difficult to come back.