AA on Hand 1 of Tournament

[Poker Junkie]

I might be missing something (I usually am) but i didn't think re-buys started you out with T5000?

Walt

[chucksim]

Yes, good read, freekobe.

The level of buyin certainly did play on my mind. If it was a more significant buyin, I would have been more apt to have laid it down. Last thing I thought was "Eh, if I'm wrong, it's only $65".

What made this all the more comical (to me) was that I had just told someone I figured I'd like this tourney and at least get some playing time because it had no rebuys. I'm generally a tight player so I don't like the all-in fests during the start of rebuy tourneys; then I go do something like this!!!

[Seadood228]

Wow I can't believe all of the negative responses to how the villian played the hand.. IMO he played his hand VERY well for a first hand of a fairly deep-stacked tourney..

Open limping is fine with 100BBs, and I'd probably recommend it without table reads. Raising is fine also, although I really don't like open raising on hand 1 in a slow moving tourney such as a 10k main event. You are just setting yourself up to lose a big pot or win a small one.

Anyway when you raise now he's got a decision, win a smallish pot before the flop or smooth call and possibly stack his opponent. With one player in the middle it makes calling less attractive, but with 100BB behind everyone I don't think it's bad at all, provided the villian is resigned to not going broke with his AA. Luckily the limper folds and he's now headsup.

On the flop he checks it to you to see how you react, and then you throw out an "I don't have a set" bet of more than 3/4 of the pot. If I were in his shoes I'd be licking my chops right here. Looks like you either A) Have an okay hand and are making a strong attempt to buy the pot or B) Have a hand and are betting for protection. Either way there really isn't too much danger in letting you have another free card. Your likely hands up to this point are KK, AQ, or possibly JJ and AK. Villian can all but rule out QQ or an underset just based on the size of your bet.

When the turn pairs the undercard, he knows he's got you either drawing dead or to two outs. He checks again to see how you react. If you bet here he will likely put you on AQ or KK and checkraise knowing there's a decent chance you'll call. If you check behind he might be able to get paid off by JJ or AK with a bet on the river. Either way villian knows he's got the hand nearly locked up, and can play accordingly.

And if I were the villian I would have beaten you to the pot when you pushed. If you have a set, then you played it very well and deserve my chips. I doubt that's the case most of the time when the hand is played this way though.

As far as how you played the hand, I only like betting the turn if you can fold to a checkraise, which I don't think I could do. Your opponents likely hands are a small set, KQ, AQ, Jx, and possibly a gutshot. Either way he's drawing to 4 outs at best if he's behind, but has you crushed if he's ahead. I prefer checking and giving him a chance to bluff on the river if he's behind, or lose the minimum if he's ahead.