My tourney game must suck.

Russ McGinley · #1 04-05-2005, 01:14 AM

I've tried to qualify for the WSOP in a few spots and unfortunately I have not been playing many tourneys lately and I feel my game has struggled mightily. Here's a situation that just came up that I think I made the right play but I'm not sure:

Stars $80 sat. to the $615 WSOP qualifier
25 entrants, top 2 get seat, 3rd gets $500 or so
17 remaining, hero is deal K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] in MP3
Avg. chip stack is about 2k
Blinds: 15/30
Hero has 1550TC
Villain has 2940TC

Folded to hero. Hero raises to 120TC.
SB calls, all others fold. (pot = 270TC)

Flop: J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Checked to hero. Hero bets 200TC. Villain raises to 600TC. Hero...?

LethalRose · #2 04-05-2005, 01:19 AM

I push

sloth469 · #3 04-05-2005, 01:41 AM

Now tell him why you push.

LethalRose · #4 04-05-2005, 01:45 AM

gutshot + 2nd nut flush + possible overcard (unlikely)

at this point I gamble.

Hotrod0823 · #5 04-05-2005, 01:42 AM

With those blinds and that hand I think its a fold PF. What are you looking to accomplish by raising PF? Stealing 45 chips from the blinds?

Don't think this is a terrible flop for you but even with your flush outs (that my not be good) and your gutshot I don't think you can just call the raise. Either fold and get away while you can OR push and hope for a laydown.

Either way I think the best idea is to fold PF and avoid the tough decision.

Russ McGinley · #6 04-05-2005, 01:58 AM

[ QUOTE ]
With those blinds and that hand I think its a fold PF. What are you looking to accomplish by raising PF? Stealing 45 chips from the blinds?

[/ QUOTE ]

Basically I just tried to steal the blinds. I heard Phil Ivey say that he tries to steal at least once per orbit (which I never bother with usually), so I gave it a try.

I thought the flop was about as good as I could have hoped for. Inside straight draw + 2nd nut flush draw. After the raise, I felt I was up against a hand like KQ, AJ, AT, QJ. I don't think I'm up against a set or QQ-AA.

I did push all-in, was called by AJo. Turn brought a red 8, giving me 3 more outs, but I missed the river and was eliminated. I guess I played a little too fast when it wasn't needed. Had I not been thinking about the "one steal per orbit" thing, I probably would have folded PF.

niin · #7 04-05-2005, 01:59 AM

Early in a tournament, stealing blinds isn't as important... once the blinds get a bit bigger, stealing at least once per orbit (which pays your blinds for that round) is more worth it.

sloth469 · #8 04-05-2005, 02:22 AM

No need to steal here. Still very early, you steal later in the game when the blinds are substantial not here. A sat like this I'm using a tight SNG strategy the first 3 or 4 rounds. There will be plenty of stealing opportunities for you later as long as you have a stack to back you up.

If I got myself into your position, I'd probably push too. Even if you give the other guy credit for AT or AJ you have about 15 outs twice and at that point the pot is laying you 2.5 to 1 on the call. Calling off that much of your stack is out of the question. I don't hate a fold here if you can honestly say you have any edge over the field, judging by your play here that is doubtful. Take it to the felt, let the cards fall as they may, you made your bed you gotta lie in it.

-sloth

Chaostracize · #9 04-05-2005, 03:05 AM

There are things to keep in mind here.

The tournaments Phil Ivey plays stay at limits longer, meaning tighter play early on; not so online. There is the frenzy to build the stack from everyone, so stealing is likely to be unsuccessful in the first few rounds of online tournies (Especially since it's "only" t120).

Also, there are antes worth stealing with Phil's tournies, and not online tournies. I admit I don't know the structure of yours tourney, but I assume there were no antes at this point anyway.

Sure, if this level last an hour, try to steal a few pots here and there so you aren't pegged a rock, but if they blinds are going up every 15 minutes, it's just not worth it this early with such a mediocre holding.

captainzodiac · #10 04-05-2005, 01:45 AM

everyone keep saying push here to these situations,and i just don't see why,if you fold you still have aprox 40 bb left.
i know the odds are about 50/50 on your draw,factoring in the str8 draw with the queeens,still seems desperate,just play solid poker and forget the all in draws, seems alot more effective here.