Just bragging, but this was the play of my life so far.

[Cactus Jack]

[ QUOTE ]
So, first I'm going to chastise myself for putting myself in this position

[/ QUOTE ]

Which is going to happen how often over 50% of the rare times that you put yourself in this position? [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

CSC, given the raise PF, you'd push your QQ, right, given that a raise would be half your stack? I think I would call, as this would give me more options post-flop. QQ is a great but dangerous hand to push, I feel.

OP, thanks for giving us an insight into the minds of those who do this. Very enlightening.


CJ

[MeanGreenTT]

I'm curious about this hand as well, seems straight forward easy for some, guess I still need learnin' [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
CSC, given the raise PF, you'd push your QQ, right, given that a raise would be half your stack? I think I would call, as this would give me more options post-flop. QQ is a great but dangerous hand to push, I feel.


[/ QUOTE ]

What's the plan, if/when, as happened here, that both scare cards fall? You put in 1/2 your stack and now consider folding, leaving 10xbb nehind?

This is a type of situation I find confusing, because a push looks like a massive overbet to some.

I've always wondered for those not thinking in terms of "M" what a push looks like to them? To them, we're pushing way too many bbs in as a bet...rambling so I'll stop [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Cactus Jack]

To be honest, when I see that bet with this hand in this position, I feel kind of nauseous. However, yes, I'd probably call then fold. I know that's very weak/tight, but I'm still in it. I'm very hurt, but I've still got a chance. I just hate going broke with QQ, and it happens a lot.

CJ

I like a call here.

If the OP is raising with AK, I'm not going to like the flop if overcards come. If it's checked to me, then I have to decide if the OP is slow playing the nuts, or I'm ahead. Chance are, I'm ahead, so I go all in. If OP bets the flop, I probably fold, unless I think the OP is going to make a continuation bet with any two cards.

At this stage of the tournament, I'm not worried about a donk playing A,x and calling any bet. Most players, except for the most advance, who raised with any ace (and it could happen at this stage), will push to protect their hand, so if it's checked to me after the flop, I'm going to gamble that I'm ahead.

[yabastid]

[ QUOTE ]
When he called you, were you happy, knowing you'd trapped him into calling with JJ? I doubt it. I suspect you screamed "No!!! FINE!!! You win with your precious, unfoldable ACE RAG YOU *********ing ***** of ******ing *****"

Yes I have screamed this many times while making "the best plays of my life".

[/ QUOTE ]

Awesome.

[CardSharpCook]

I'd love to hear why OP thought he played this hand well.

[ajizzle]

Here's my reasoning.....

PF: I am in alright chip position. Probably could play a conservative game and make the final table, but I don't want that. I want top 3. So at this point, I am willing to take QQ to the felt. So the question is, how much to raise. So why did I raise to 60k. It tells the first raiser that I am committed to this hand. If he has AA or KK, so be it, if he has AK, i will race. Now this player had shown a willingness to put the chips in the pot. He played with a mentality of, "I may not always have the best hand, but I am not gonna be the one getting pushed around". Therefore, I believed that 60k was a good amount to put him to the decision. All-in or fold. When he chose option C, my read went straight to JJ or TT. Sceptics (sp?) will say that I put him on these hands because they are the only two hands he will call with that I am a big favorite against. However, my instincts are telling me one of these two hands, and I have come to learn that it is +EV to stick with my first instincts as opposed to second guessing myself.

On the flop: Now most will say that this is one of the worst flops that could come for me. However, I would be just as scared of a JT2 flop. So why do I bet 20k? It leaves me with 45k behind, and i am betting peanuts into a 130k pot. The reason I do this is to give off the impression that I am scrared of the flop. The reality of the situation is, I have no problem calling off all of my chips with two overcards here, but I wanted to see his reaction. If he busted on my bet with all of his chips, then I am leaving myself an out with 45k in chips if i re-evaluate that he has me beat. If he just calls, then I probably check behind the turn and call a bet on the river if he chooses to bet. If not, I will take a cheap showdown. But he did exactly what I expected a beginning aggressive player to do. He min-raised me. This made me confident that he had an underpair to mine (no evidence to this besides my instinctive read of course, he could have had something weird like KQo too, but I just didnt think he would play it like that). I was also sure that he would call off another 25k with the pot so big. This is why I push in. I got what I wanted in his call.

Note: The time he took to make his decision on all streets helped me make a read on the hand. When he called my re-raise Pf, he took a few seconds.

My thoughts on his thought process were this. Initially he wanted to push in, but his hand was not too strong and would not want to be crippled. Then he considered folding. Live to fight another battle. But being a $5 PStars tourney player, he couldnt let go of a big hand. There's 24 people left, and pairs dont come around that often, so the least he could do is take a flop.

On the flop, he takes a few seconds and checks. No reason for him to bet and have me fold, when i will likely bet at such a big pot. The thing is, i dont think there are very many hands that he can hold that beat me on the flop. AA or KK pushes PF, as does AK, given his previous play. AQ is unlikely, since i have QQ, but he could probably fold this and weaker A's. Same with KQo. So my read is, he has a lower pair, and I have him beat. So I take about 7 seconds and bet 20k. An unusually small amount, given how big the pot is and how much this leaves me with. So he thinks the same thing I think of his hand. I am weak. I dont have an A, and will fold to a raise. But he doesn't want to raise all my chips, in case I do have a real hand. But what gives it away for me, is that he takes a LONG time to make this decision. When he finally min-raises, I have him where I want him, but take my time before I push 25k more. He goes down to the end of his bank before he calls. I fully expected a call, and as I had thought throughout the entire hand, he had a smaller pair.

[Jurollo]

Not to sound rude, but your explanation makes the play seem even worse. If you are willing to go to the felt with QQ why not reraise all-in right there. Would you be folding to a JT2 flop due to your read that you have him on JJ or TT. I just have seen a lot of hands on here, but this explanation, coupled with the play itself has to be one of the most confusing, non sensical ones in a while.
~Justin

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the play OR the reasoning. So you directly go to JJ or TT? No you didn't. I'm sorry, but I don't believe you. You should know better than to try and pinpoint y our opponent's hand. Go ahead and say "I thought JJ ORRRR TT." They're essentially the same thing. You have to take into account AA, KK, AK, and even AQ. Two of the 6 hands you dominate, two dominate you, one is a race, and one you have a decent lead, but an Ace beats you.

Like another poster said, if you were planning on going to the felt from the beginning, push all-in. If any flop comes and you go all-in, why not remove the guesswork postflop.

Bad play all around, you're looking at results.

[ajizzle]

Hey, that's why I post here. Don't want to just post "good job" everytime someone wins a tourney. I want to know what I'm doing wrong and how I can correct those mistakes.

I was just pleased with my play in the hand because I got all of his chips when he had JJ and i had QQ and the flop had an A and a K. I realize now that pushing PF would have prevented me from being put in a tough spot, but then I may not have gotten all of his chips.