Tough 1st Level Hand

[AtlBrvs4Life]

I'll keep the pushing on the flop subject in mind. Also, I thought a 5xBB raise was fine with limpers behind.

[PrayingMantis]

Regarding the push on the flop, as opposed to a pot-sized bet:

You are forgetting stacks when you think like that. Look at how the hand was played: OK, of course you cut his odds, but he still called you, and then YOU made a bad call, because you figured the pot is too big, he might not have the NUT-flush, etc. With stacks that short, a pot sized bet that leaves you with almost no room to manouver, is worse than a simple push. And again: most chances your opponent will call another bet on the turn, however - if YOU are willing to call HIS bet on the turn once the diamond hits (and this is exactly what you did), you should definitely push to begin with, on the flop.

With much deeper stacks, this hand could be played very differently. However, this is not the case in Party's low-limit SNGs (and in the higher as well).

Edit: I've noticed you've edited the post I'm replying to here, so anyway, this is a reply to what you first wrote there.

[AtlBrvs4Life]

Yea I edited it after reading your reply directly above it and realizing I was wrong. Thanks for the help man.

[gergery]

Usually it’s you giving me advice, so take this for what its worth:

1. The preflop raise was too small. I think you want 1-2 callers. You offered the next caller better than 2:1 on a hand he already likes enough to call with. I raise to 100-125 here. If they put you on a big pair that you are willing to go to the mat with, then you are giving them implied odds that are too good with any lower pair.

2. Pushing preflop with KK is insanity and gives up way too much EV. You WANT a caller.

3. I like the flop raise to make the singleton diamond pay to draw. I might raise more, as the A or Q of diamonds is likely to call you anyway, and the Ace of diamonds which you fear most has 10 outs twice to beat you so is correct to call your bet with implied odds.

4. I am very leery of your turn call. People will play any ace, and once the 4th diamond hits you have to strongly suspect the A is out, or else what would he just call the flop and then bet the turn on? He’d have to be pretty bad to do this with 9 high, so you’re putting him on KxQd or QdJx specifically, instead of AdXx, where X could legitimately be K-7 in these early stages with bad players.

5. Sadly, I probably make a crying call as well here with an ugly feeling in my stomach. Bad luck, my friend, that he hit a 10-outer on the turn

--Greg

[AtlBrvs4Life]

Alright, so I have to raise more preflop in the early rounds with limpers behind. I guess the consensus is 6-8xBB raise. My call on the turn was part frustration, and part a feeling that if he was bad enough to call me with the draw, he could be bad enough to call me with a lower flush draw such as the queen or jack of diamonds. I was also getting 4:1 on the call.