Summary of my play at recent PS 180 player SNG

Feel free to critique or just read for entertainment. Some hands are atrocious and are loose passive and some seem too aggro, but there was reasoning behind my plays (some Shania and some based on reads).

Level 1 : Nothing eventful early. Lose some chips here and there.

Level 2: Blinds 15/30.

Big stack in MP raises 100. I call with 7c6d from SB for 100. BB calls. Flop is Qh9d7d. Big stack bets 150. I call. BB folds. K on turn. Bigstack checks. I bet 250. I take the pot. I have 1470 chips.

Level 3: Blinds 25/50.

I have AhKh UTG. I limp. Somewhat loose midstack raises 300 from LP. I push. He calls. He shows JJ. K on the flop. I take pot. Stack is now a little over 3,000.

Get KTo in EP. I limp. A few others limp. Flop contains an ace. I checkfold.

Checked to me in BB with 9d5d. 2 limpers. Flop is AcAhTd. I bet 200. Smallish stack folds. Bigstack calls. Ace spade comes on the turn. I bet 400. Bigstack calls. River is 6s. I bet 400 and am raised to 800. I fold. Stack is now a little over 2,000.

I’m on button with A9o. 3 limpers to me. I raise 150. 2 fold. Chipleader calls. Flop is Kc6cTd. I bet 250. He calls. 3d on turn. I check. He checks. River is 7d. I check. He checks. Villain takes pot with 9c7c. I’m down to 1,800 chips.

Folded to me in CO with ATs. I raise to 150. BB – with 1,400 chips and somewhat tight – calls. Flop is Ad9h7d. I bet 300 and take the pot.

I check from BB with K6 with 4 limpers (one is a bigstack). Flop is Kh2h3d. I bet 200. Only bigstack calls. Turn is 8s. I bet 200 again and he calls. River is 6c. He checks. Did he induce a bluff with his straight? I have no idea. I check. He shows A5 and I take the pot. I’m at 2500 chips.

Level 3: Blinds 25/50.

2 limp to me on the button with Qd9d. I call 100. BB checks. Flop is Jd Qs 3d. Small stack pushes 500. I reraise to 900. 2 fold. He shows QJ. River brings diamond and I take the pot. Stack is a little over 3,300 chips.

I’m UTG+1 with KJo and raise 3xBB as a steal. Everyone folds (all have smaller stacks than me, except UTG).

I’m CO with 7h2h and raise 4xBB. BB reraises to 700. Defense? Let’s find out. Flop is 8h 7s Ac. He bets 500. I call. (my plan is to bet the turn if he checks it, and take the pot). He bets the turn and I fold. Down to 2,200 chips. Ugh. Remind me not to blow 1/3 of my stack on steal attempts.

I limp with AJo UTG. SB completes, BB checks. Flop is 2sJcAd. SB bets 250. BB folds. I push. He calls with A4. Turn is J. I win and my stack is now 3,310.

It’s folded to me in the SB with Q8o and I raise to 300. BB calls. Flop is 6h9c6s. Check check. Turn is 5c. I check/call his 200 bet. I call his 200 bet and he shows 84c and I take the pot. Stack is around 4,000 chips.

Level 4: Blinds are 75/150.

I’m in early middle position with J5s and raise to 450 as a steal. Short stacks pushes for 450 and I call the 90 chips. He shows AQ and wins.

Early middle limps and SB completes to me in BB. I have 2cTd and check. Flop is Qc6hAd and I bet 300. Both fold.

I’m in CO with A8o and limp with UTG+1. Button limps and BB checks. Flop is KsAh6c and I bet 150. All fold but BB who calls (he’s a short stack with 900 chips). Turn is an ace and I bet 150 and he calls. River is jack and I bet 150 (hoping he’ll push his small stack) but he calls and shows K5. I take the pot and grow stack to about 4,600 chips.

Go card dead some more and then get QJo in BB. Folded to SB who completes and I check. Flop is Ks7hJh. He bets 300 and I call. Turn is 4c. He bets 600 and I call. River is Qs. He pushes 3,000 chips and I call. He shows AK and I take the pot. (I didn't put him on a pair of kings given his pf check). I’m in 5th position overall with 9,000 chips.

Level 4: Blinds at 100/200.

I get AKo UTG and limp hoping someone will raise. SB completes and BB checks. Flop is Td9sQs. We all check. Turn is 2s. I bet 200 and SB (a loosish midstack calls). Turn is 8c. He bets and – to continue my stupidity – I call. He takes pot with 94o.

Next hand dealt QQ in SB. Button limps and I raise 3xBB. He calls. I bet the ragged flop and take the pot.

Next hand I raise 3xBB from SB with K2o and BB pushes 3,000 chips. I fold.

On the button with K9o. 2 limpers, SB, BB and I see the flop. 5hTdTc. I bet 400 and take the pot.

And now for the pivotal moment. At the time, I thought I was ahead. I raise 3xBB from CO with QhTh. BB calls. BB has 7,000 chips and I have 9,000. Flop is QcJc9d. I bet 600 and he calls. Turn is 6h. I bet 800 and he calls. River is 4h. He pushes 3,600.

I think for a moment. I don’t think he has TPTK – he would have probably reraised me pf. And he would have reraised the flop. I don’t think he has QJ or KQ – he he would have reraised flop or turn because of coordinated flop (or maybe not). Q9 or J9? Maybe but he would have raised the flop (same as above). Q4, Q6, J4, J6? Nah. Straight? Possible but with two clubs on the board, I expect a raise on turn or flop.

If he had any of those hands, then why push? Why not bet something I would call? So I reason that he has nothing – maybe a busted draw or an ace that never showed - and wants me out. I call. He shows AQ and takes the pot. I'm down to 2,000 chips.

Level 5: Blinds 100/200.

I work my way to 3,000 chips by stealing some pots and then, with about 30 people left, I push my 3,000 chips with JJ. Bigstack calls with 77 and hits a 7 on the flop.

[yvesaint]

[ QUOTE ]

Big stack in MP raises 100. I call with 7c6d from SB for 100.

[/ QUOTE ]

ugly

[ QUOTE ]

Get KTo in EP. I limp.

[/ QUOTE ]

ugly


[ QUOTE ]
Checked to me in BB with 9d5d. 2 limpers. Flop is AcAhTd. I bet 200. Smallish stack folds. Bigstack calls. Ace spade comes on the turn. I bet 400. Bigstack calls. River is 6s. I bet 400 and am raised to 800. I fold. Stack is now a little over 2,000.

[/ QUOTE ]

ugly, i think turn bet is just spewage...

also, i dont think raising in EP as a "steal" is that good, especially in the earlier levels - for example, your reasoning for raising KJo in UTG+1 as a "steal" ....seems bad to me

76 call was because I thought I could outplay him on the flop. KTo was kinda ugly but it was a passive table and again I thought I could outplay on the flop. I definitely agree with you about KJo steal - 75 chips aren't worth it.

[yvesaint]

hey then why not call with 32o if you can outplay them on the flop?

point is, youre not going to be happy with many flops unless you get trips, 2-pair, or a straight

youre OOP with a pretty weak holding, and stacks aren't really deep enough to do any "outplaying"

[yvesaint]

plus, "outplaying" people usually ends up with them calling your bets with a weaker hand, not folding a better one - i highly doubt youll ever make your average 180-man player fold top pair, etc.

[jcm4ccc]

You’ve asked for feedback and I’m going to give it. I’m afraid it is going to be a bit harsh. In general, I think you are bit too LAG, you don’t take position into account enough when making or call bets preflop, you like middle and bottom pair a bit too much, and your bluffs tend to be poorly timed. Also, you seemed to be more aggressive in the beginning of the tournament rather than the end of the tournament—it should be the opposite.

[ QUOTE ]
Level 2: Blinds 15/30.

Big stack in MP raises 100. I call with 7c6d from SB for 100. BB calls. Flop is Qh9d7d. Big stack bets 150. I call. BB folds. K on turn. Bigstack checks. I bet 250. I take the pot. I have 1470 chips.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really dislike this play. You are calling a decent-sized raised out of position with a poor hand. Even if he is stealing, he may have you beat. Your description of the flop play is a little confusing. You should be betting before the big stack. Nonetheless, I don’t like the call with bottom pair. Seems like chip spewing to me.

[ QUOTE ]
Level 3: Blinds 25/50.
Get KTo in EP. I limp. A few others limp. Flop contains an ace. I checkfold.

[/ QUOTE ] I would be fine with a raise preflop if you have no limpers before you (though if you get a caller, you'll have a difficult time playing the hand). I don’t like the limp. Too likely that you will get callers behind you, and you will be forced to play an easily dominated hand out of position.

[ QUOTE ]
Checked to me in BB with 9d5d. 2 limpers. Flop is AcAhTd. I bet 200. Smallish stack folds. Bigstack calls. Ace spade comes on the turn. I bet 400. Bigstack calls. River is 6s. I bet 400 and am raised to 800. I fold. Stack is now a little over 2,000.

[/ QUOTE ] I really dislike this play. You are betting into 2 limpers, with a decent possibility that one of them has an ace. Not a good spot for a bluff.

[ QUOTE ]
I’m on button with A9o. 3 limpers to me. I raise 150. 2 fold. Chipleader calls. Flop is Kc6cTd. I bet 250. He calls. 3d on turn. I check. He checks. River is 7d. I check. He checks. Villain takes pot with 9c7c. I’m down to 1,800 chips

[/ QUOTE ] At least you have position, but you are raising an easily dominated hand. Great potential for losing a lot of chips.

[ QUOTE ]
Folded to me in CO with ATs. I raise to 150. BB – with 1,400 chips and somewhat tight – calls. Flop is Ad9h7d. I bet 300 and take the pot

[/ QUOTE ] good.

[ QUOTE ]
I check from BB with K6 with 4 limpers (one is a bigstack). Flop is Kh2h3d. I bet 200. Only bigstack calls. Turn is 8s. I bet 200 again and he calls. River is 6c. He checks. Did he induce a bluff with his straight? I have no idea. I check. He shows A5 and I take the pot. I’m at 2500 chips.

[/ QUOTE ] Difficult hand to play well. I probably would have played it similarly, though I don’t know if that’s a good way to play it.

[ QUOTE ]
Level 3: Blinds 25/50.
2 limp to me on the button with Qd9d. I call 100. BB checks. Flop is Jd Qs 3d. Small stack pushes 500. I reraise to 900. 2 fold. He shows QJ. River brings diamond and I take the pot. Stack is a little over 3,300 chips.

[/ QUOTE ] The pf call seems loose, unless you are able to give up top pair. And I’m not convinced from your play that you are able to do that.

[ QUOTE ]

I’m UTG+1 with KJo and raise 3xBB as a steal. Everyone folds (all have smaller stacks than me, except UTG).

[/ QUOTE ] Seems a bit pointless to try to steal 75 chips from way out of position. If somebody is behind you with AJ, AK, or KQ, you could be in a world of hurt.

[ QUOTE ]
I’m CO with 7h2h and raise 4xBB. BB reraises to 700. Defense? Let’s find out. Flop is 8h 7s Ac. He bets 500. I call. (my plan is to bet the turn if he checks it, and take the pot). He bets the turn and I fold. Down to 2,200 chips. Ugh. Remind me not to blow 1/3 of my stack on steal attempts.

[/ QUOTE ] Sounds like the BB had a decent-sized stack, and he repopped you for 500. Even if it is a defensive move, he has you beat . So when he repops you, you have to call 500 in a pot that is 875. Would you do that with 72s in a different situation? Then why are you doing it here? You’ve been caught. Fold to the pf reraise.

[ QUOTE ]
I limp with AJo UTG. SB completes, BB checks. Flop is 2sJcAd. SB bets 250. BB folds. I push. He calls with A4. Turn is J. I win and my stack is now 3,310

[/ QUOTE ] good.

[ QUOTE ]
It’s folded to me in the SB with Q8o and I raise to 300. BB calls. Flop is 6h9c6s. Check check. Turn is 5c. I check/call his 200 bet. I call his 200 bet and he shows 84c and I take the pot. Stack is around 4,000 chips.

[/ QUOTE ] You call 2 decent-sized bets without even a pair. You can try to steal the pot if you want. But if you are not going to try to steal it, then it seems chip-spewing to me to call 2 bets without a pair.

[ QUOTE ]
Level 4: Blinds are 75/150.
Early middle limps and SB completes to me in BB. I have 2cTd and check. Flop is Qc6hAd and I bet 300. Both fold.

[/ QUOTE ] You really need to pick your spots better when you are going to make this move. You have nothing. There is an Ace and Queen on the flop. Great chance that the flop hit the early middle limpers hand.


[ QUOTE ]
Level 4: Blinds at 100/200.

I get AKo UTG and limp hoping someone will raise. SB completes and BB checks. Flop is Td9sQs. We all check. Turn is 2s. I bet 200 and SB (a loosish midstack calls). Turn is 8c. He bets and – to continue my stupidity – I call. He takes pot with 94o.

[/ QUOTE ]. Bet the flop.

[ QUOTE ]
On the button with K9o. 2 limpers, SB, BB and I see the flop. 5hTdTc. I bet 400 and take the pot.

[/ QUOTE ] Loose call, though at least you have position.

[ QUOTE ]

And now for the pivotal moment. At the time, I thought I was ahead. I raise 3xBB from CO with QhTh. BB calls. BB has 7,000 chips and I have 9,000. Flop is QcJc9d. I bet 600 and he calls. Turn is 6h. I bet 800 and he calls. River is 4h. He pushes 3,600.

I think for a moment. I don’t think he has TPTK – he would have probably reraised me pf. And he would have reraised the flop. I don’t think he has QJ or KQ – he he would have reraised flop or turn because of coordinated flop (or maybe not). Q9 or J9? Maybe but he would have raised the flop (same as above). Q4, Q6, J4, J6? Nah. Straight? Possible but with two clubs on the board, I expect a raise on turn or flop.

If he had any of those hands, then why push? Why not bet something I would call? So I reason that he has nothing – maybe a busted draw or an ace that never showed - and wants me out. I call. He shows AQ and takes the pot. I'm down to 2,000 chips.


[/ QUOTE ] Difficult hand to play, I think.

[ QUOTE ]


Level 4: Blinds at 100/200.

I get AKo UTG and limp hoping someone will raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

No one else has commented on this so I'll take a stab at it. I'm not sure that I think limping w/ AK in EP hoping someone will raise is such a good idea. If your reasoning is that you will get them to fold with a reraise, then yes that is a good result. But with your LAG image, I'm guessing they are going to call a limp reraise and then you are forced to play a hand that needs improvement out of position. I can see the play w/ KK+, but I don't like it with AK. This is just my opinion and I have been wrong on many occassions. Thanks for sharing the hand histories.

Excellent reply. Not saying I agree with all of it (most of it, yes). The feedback helps.

He just didn't have bottom pair on that 67 diamonds hand. He picked up bottom pair with a flush draw. He hit a great flop, for a hand where most, if not all of us, can agree that he should have mucked preflop.

[jcm4ccc]

[ QUOTE ]
He just didn't have bottom pair on that 67 diamonds hand. He picked up bottom pair with a flush draw. He hit a great flop, for a hand where most, if not all of us, can agree that he should have mucked preflop.

[/ QUOTE ] He had 7c6d, not 7d6d.