Did I make the right move? (limit hold'em)

[morgan]

This was my first limit hold'em tournament. Small tournament, about 40 players, only the top 4 get paid. It's down to about 13 of us, 7 at my table. I only have 1500 left, and we are playing 400-800 (with 200, 400 blinds). I'm UTG+1 and I'm dealt KTo. UTG raises to 800 and I decide to try and double up my chips raising to 1200. All fold to UTG who re-reraises and I now I realize I'm beat but I throw in my last 300. He has KK, and they hold up, of course -- though I did catch a T on the flop, so I at least had a 2 outer [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] . Anyway, was I premature here? Did I just make a really stupid decision? And after he re-reraises me, I still have to throw in my last 3 chips, right? I'm sorry if this post is too elementary, but I'm just starting out with tournaments, and want to play in many more. Thanks,

Morgan

[morgan]

Not that it's that big a difference.

Morgan

[rayrns]

If you really thought you were beat. Fold. Save the T300 for the next hand. Who knows what might come. You could just as easy win with AA and if you get 4 callers, your back at T1200. Never give up!

[TimTimSalabim]

First, I would have folded to the UTG raise. KT is going to be a big underdog against virtually any hand someone UTG would raise with. (There are those players who will bluff raise UTG with trash, but those players are pretty rare, and you will know by then if he is one of them). Even though at this point you're fairly short-stacked, you can still afford to wait a bit.

Of course, when it comes around to you again, you might as well throw in your last 300, because now you're getting enormous pot odds, and there's a chance he has something like QQ or JJ and then you're only something like a 4 to 1 dog with your KT.

[sam h]

I would fold before the flop. While the K10 may be the strongest hand you will see before the BB - and you really have to play the next hand or the big blind hand - it is a big dog against most hands that somebody will raise with UTG, even six handed. You would do better to openraise on the next hand or just call with whatever you get on the BB.

Once you have made it 1200 and get raised back, you absolutely have to call the extra 300. You are getting an amazing 11:1 on that call.

[morgan]

You have convinced me I jumped the gun here. Thanks again,

Morgan

[ohkanada]

Fold pre-flop. I don't like re-raising UTG with KT.

Now if UTG folds, then raising with KT is fine being that you are 6 handed.

Once you raise I don't see much point in folding for 3 chips. Of course if he shows KK then muck, otherwise hope your King is an overcard.

Ken Poklitar

[Greg (FossilMan)]

Sorry, but this is awful advice. You cannot ever put in 1200 preflop, and then fold preflop to save your last 300. Look at the math. 300 to win 3300, 11:1? KT isn't that big of a dog against AA. You happened to be up against KK, which is even worse, but you're still only a 9:1 dog. Getting paid 11:1 when you're 9:1 would make you rich if you bet horses, it's an edge of 20%, and this is simply too big to pass up. Even more so when the chips you have remaining will provide you with no maneuvering room whatsoever.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)