Analysis of my new aggressive play (Well thought, 12 hands, long)

[adanthar]

I am writing this part of the post without looking at your hands yet: You have the absolutely right idea but the wrong application. Mostly, the issue is that you are trying to LAG it up in a $5 tourney, representing big hands when people's thought processes go 'I have an ace, I'll call' on a flop of KT8. Don't do this. For your purposes, gambling just means things like taking coinflips for small chunks of your stack or getting huge odds; that will be far more helpful.

OK, I'll now actually go review your hands.

1)The call is actually not THAT bad solely because you have the button behind 3 limpers (though T8s is vastly better.) If you don't know how to play this hand well postflop, though, it's bad. So anyway, you bet the pot on a paired board with 5 people in it when it got checked to you and turned a flush draw into 72o because you couldn't call a raise. Don't do that and just take your free card.

Hand 2: Fine PF, fine on the flop, take his stack on the turn. He won't fold an ace if you push anyway.

4: Fold PF out of position. Bet or check/call the flop, your 2 is obvious.

6: Bad beat post, don't do this.

7-9: fine

10: Well played, this is an autocall on the river BTW

11: With no reads, just check. This is a move you can make in a tournament where a raise means something, not in a $5. You actually kinda want them in, BTW, because the flip side to this is if the flop comes AK4 you triple up.

12: Frankly I would just push this perfect flop; the pot is big and you want it. PF, you're calling off 10% of your stack with very little against people who will not fold (you should've learned this from hand 11 BTW) if they hit anything.

So yeah, you're on the right track. Just vary your play according to the buyin you are playing.

[Danny H.]

Well first I’d say you got the wrong idea in the tournament by playing conservative in the first few levels. Usually I see a lot of flops early b/c like you said, why risk chips to steal pots. So, most people won’t try to steal pots and you can see cheap flops with suited low cards or stuff like 7 5. If you hit, you could take a lot of chips away from people but if you don’t then you don’t lose much. That’s my strategy and helps my table image as a loose player so later on when the blinds do go up, I usually get action and win back whatever I lost if anything.

Hand 1: if you’re playing against loose players, I usually play tight and take free cards. I do this because I naturally assume they are better loose players than I am, if I play a tight person I play looser because again they are better loose players. I’d take a free card and let them dig their own graves on the turn and river with their betting because you know they are itching to bluff at the pot. Although I don’t think you were wrong here in trying to steal the pot…just I wouldn’t. After you had no chance to fold because you had to assume that he was ahead because chances are he has your 10 high beat (even though he didn’t)

Hand 2: Nice hand…played well.

Hand 3: I would’ve bet on the turn. If he calls me there he might have a flush draw and he probably would raise if already had the str8 because he is so loose right? On the river it’s a big bet for him…nearly half his stack, if he calls you or raises he probably has you beat. I would’ve bet a little smaller and tried to get more money and have it serve as a feeler bet to see if you are ahead.

Hand 4: Difficult play but still I’d suggest letting them catch up to you. If you check and then call, people will probably think may be 10 3 or may be a smaller pocket pair. Raising it that much probably cost you some chips but then again better to win a small pot that lose a big one. I’d say you did alright in this hand.

Hand 5: Difficult decision here, this is where I say I would’ve called but if I was there I would’ve folded. The reason why I would say call but actually fold is because he is loose he could be bluffing. Also he could have a queen and put you on a king, but when the 2nd king fell on the river he could think you don’t have a king and were bluffing w/ ace jack suited or some pocket pair around 8s. Oh well, you were ahead in chips over most people so I can’t fault your play. You don’t need to risk those chips and risk ruining all your work with a marginal hand. I see both sides here and its one of those gut feeling things and where you just say good luck. That’s why the winners of poker get paid money…its not easy.

Hand 6: You did what you were supposed to do, put all your money in there with the best hand. Got outdrawn, bad break man…sorry, grab a beer and relax for a few and then get back on that horse. This is one of those hands that is the reason why you always see a percentage next to a guys name and not a check mark when he has aces. Sorry bad beat. Nothing you could do.

Hand 7: They say heads up an average hand is queen 7, obviously 9 4 isn’t the best and to make a move and I think you could’ve waited for an ace or king but hey you lucked out so I think that was a bad play that worked out.

Hand 8: Here I say it’s a really play and I can’t see how someone didn’t call you, I mean it’s obvious you are on tilt but hey its working so again nice job. Remember they say all-in works every time…every time but once.

Hand 9: With BB sneaking up on you and having an ace I thought you had to make that move. Good job and now you don’t have to push all-in with every hand…you can play poker.

Hand 10: I think you made the right move here…he knew he would have to bet to win the pot and good job with winning the pot. If he had a 10 or a 5 he would’ve bet on the flop trying to get some money from the short stack. After you already have a quarter of your chips in the pot. A few value bets here would make you pot committed, him not better and having more chips makes this a hard but correct move. Good job.

Hand 11: Lost a lot of chips for really no reason. Pocket 4s is nice hand but you’re probably not going to force the short stack out w/ a quarter of his chips in there. Probably too bold of a move for a small pair and a table you have no read on. Next time wait until you get a read on the table for bit. You are playing poker not cards, you’re playing people as well. It didn’t work out but you have chips at least to still play with.

Hand 12: Wow!! Tough break, I can’t believe he called a re-raise with just an open ended straight draw. Bad break but when he called on the flop, I’d wait to hit the hand before betting again. I could only call if I had trips or two pair or the nut flush. I’d say this was a mistake but you made a move and you’ll have to live with it. Not a bad move but I’d say hold back a bit. Hope these help. Good luck.

[DawnToDusk]

[ QUOTE ]
I am writing this part of the post without looking at your hands yet: You have the absolutely right idea but the wrong application. Mostly, the issue is that you are trying to LAG it up in a $5 tourney, representing big hands when people's thought processes go 'I have an ace, I'll call' on a flop of KT8. Don't do this. For your purposes, gambling just means things like taking coinflips for small chunks of your stack or getting huge odds; that will be far more helpful.

[/ QUOTE ]

So what would you have me do in these tournaments where people say "I have an ace. Im going to call." Do you suggest a TAG style of play? It just seems like everytime I do use a TAG style I finish just outside of the money or just make it.

[ QUOTE ]
1)The call is actually not THAT bad solely because you have the button behind 3 limpers (though T8s is vastly better.) If you don't know how to play this hand well postflop, though, it's bad. So anyway, you bet the pot on a paired board with 5 people in it when it got checked to you and turned a flush draw into 72o because you couldn't call a raise. Don't do that and just take your free card.

[/ QUOTE ]

So your saying that the hand was good up to that point? I had two overcards to the board as well as a flush draw. But when I bet it and got reraised my hand turned to a junk hand that I had to raise.

[ QUOTE ]
6: Bad beat post, don't do this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Im not trying to say its a bad beat. My aces get beat from time to time and I can live with that. But what I was asking was that if I had played this any other way, could I have won? In the hand I talk about just flat calling him and then pushing it on the flop. Maybe he would think me for a flush or kings. Would he then be able to call an all in call with just middle pair in his hand a flush draw?

[ QUOTE ]
12: Frankly I would just push this perfect flop; the pot is big and you want it. PF, you're calling off 10% of your stack with very little against people who will not fold (you should've learned this from hand 11 BTW) if they hit anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean go all in on the flop here?