Stars $3 re-buy satellite to $650 WSOP Qualifier

JoshNjuice · #1 06-25-2005, 02:14 AM

Hello everybody. I think this is my first post, but I've been lurking for something like 18 months now. Time to switch from passive learning to active learning!

My read on the original raiser was that min-raise meant min-hand. He could be bought. My read on the Villain was that he was weak-tight and that his call meant he had a medium hand as well and he was hoping to see a flop. I figured I have about 12k left and there's 8K in the pot. I also figure niether player has a big pair or strong Ace or I would've seen more action. That makes me about 2:1 at worst in my mind and I could be a favorite against many of these players' raising/calling hands here (KQ, KJs-JTs).Seems like a good time to make a move.

I'm hoping y'all can tell me if this is the right play or if I should've waited for a better spot. Next level was in 12 minutes or so.

Thanks in advance!

This hand came up with 22 (of 214) left. The top 4 are "in the money" with 4th getting $150 cash and 1st-3rd getting the $650 seats. I am shortstacked and have been for a while. I usually am.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t2000 (8 handed) converter

UTG (t34880)
UTG+1 (t37146)
MP1 (t19241)
MP2 (t84033)
CO (Villain) (t34433)
Button (t41910)
SB (t71750)
Hero (t14730)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to t4000, 2 folds, CO :#A500AF(Villain)/ calls t4000, 2 folds, Hero raises to t14630, UTG+1 folds, CO (Villain) calls t10630.

Flop: (t33860) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)

Turn: (t33860) 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)

River: (t33860) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)

Final Pot: t33860

Villain had 99 and I busted out 22nd.

I've run the numbers and they seem to tell me this was the right play and a good spot to almost triple up heading into the final two tables.

Thoughts?

Bigdaddydvo · #2 06-25-2005, 02:19 AM

Meh. The problem with A-2 is it is ahead of King high, period. Though you said you didn't think a big ace was out there, an ace medium could certainly be. And being dominated is no fun. Switch it around and have 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and I like it.

JoshNjuice · #3 06-25-2005, 12:50 PM

Thanks for your feedback, Bigdaddydvo. I agree: I would've liked having some medium suited connectors here. I felt like my suited Ace was good enough to make this move, but maybe I should've waited a little longer for a better spot.

JoshNjuice

durron597 · #4 06-25-2005, 03:27 PM

A2 sucks against two opponents. Plus the CO is getting like 2:1 on your call.

You don't have enough FE here to make this correct.

Jdanz · #5 06-25-2005, 04:27 PM

yeah this play sucks because you don't have enough chips to get anyone to fold, and you're not ahead of any hand that either player could feasibly have

MicroBob · #6 06-25-2005, 05:24 PM

I caught 5 minutes of a WPT re-run on Travel Channel today.
They had a little segment with Doyle Brunson where he says that the biggest problem some of today's young players seem to have is not respecting EP bets and raises enough.

If he had enough to bet or raise from EP then you should assume that he has something decent unless you have specific reason to believe otherwise.

Pushing all-in here against an EP min-raise and a cold-call is just not a good idea. Calling here to see if you catch a wheel or flush-draw would be warranted.

[ QUOTE ]
I am shortstacked and have been for a while. I usually am.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not particularly comfortable with how frequent I find myself short-stacked and just 'hanging in there'.
I seem to do okay with it but it's a habit I'm trying to break a bit without being hyper-aggressive-desperate in my play.

you and I would be best advised to work on this particular aspect of our game.

JoshNjuice · #7 06-25-2005, 09:07 PM

Thanks everyone for the great feedback and criticism. I now see I goofed here and that, at most, I should've taken a flop to see if I hit it or picked up a decent draw.

MicroBob, as you said, I also spend a lot of time short stacked. I don't have much trouble eeking into the money in MTTs, but I always seem to get there with just enough chips to gamble and try to move up. I have yet to make the money with a big enough chip stack to be a threat or do any damage. I have been finding ways to accumulate chips lately, but I'm still not getting ahold of much before the money.

I hear what you're saying about Doyle's thoughts. I wouldn't have made this play against many players, but this particular player was just screaming "I have a mediocre hand!" with his min-raise pre-flop. In general, when I see an EP min-raise, I think, "AA, KK, looking for action." and get out of the way.

What's sad is that pre-flop play is the strongest part of my game right now and I'm still making stupid plays like this. My post-flop play is why I don't have many chips when I eek into the money.

Thanks again for all your input. I appreciate everyone's time.

JoshNjuice