Playing 99 in L2

[UncleRemus]

How do you play this hand in Level 2 (15/30) of a low buyin party tourney ($20's, $30's)?

After posting a Tournament Summary and recieving much (very welcome and appreciated) criticism on a limp with 99, I decided to examine how I play it. I am furious at myself! I've got about 40 instances of 99 in level 2, and it is losing me big time money. It seems I'm more inclined to limp with this hand if I'm in EP or if there are many limpers. From MP and LP, I seem to be raising it far more often. Is this "correct"?

I think the biggest problem with this hand for me, though, is the post flop play. I realize I have a small sample size, but it seems like I get played back at quite often and have to lay down my hand, having bled ~T300.

For instance...

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (7 handed)

MP1 (t105)
MP2 (t725)
Hero (t2915)
Button (t525)
SB (t1210)
BB (t1790)
UTG (t730)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t100</font>, Button folds, SB calls t85, BB folds.

Flop: (t230) K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets t40</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t250</font>, <font color="CC3333">SB raises to t460</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t940

Multiply that by 20 and you have a good idea what many of my 99 hands look like when I've raised.

I'd really appreciate opinions on how you all play this hand at this period. I'm thinking I could use a lot of work with it, especially the preflop action.

Thanks,
Remus

[ilya]

I've only just moved to the $20s from the $10s, but fwiw:

I limp from any position with the rare exception of early position/agressive table, in which case I muck. I almost never raise this hand preflop at level 2; in fact, I will even open-limp on the button. One exception is that I might open-raise it from the button or the cutoff if the blinds are tight preflop but tough and tricky on the flop and beyond.
I will call a min-raise without any other callers. I will call a 3-4xbb raise with 1 or 2 callers if I'm in medium or late position, otherwise I'll muck it.
If I'm somehow &lt;8xbb at level 2, I push in any position provided it hasn't been raised and re-raised in front of me.