Confused???

[bruce]

50 players left, 50k guarantee on. I am in the money, for whatever that's worth. Winner gets 12.5k and 10%
of Howard Lederer ( what the hell is that worth?) in the ME.

Mid player with 7k open raises to 800. Blinds are 120/240/25a.
I have around 7k also and I look down at pocket Nines.

I have a slightly above average stack. Play in this tournament, in my opinion, is pretty soft. What is my
best play?

I happenened to be on the phone with a pro while this hand was going down. He called me about something completely unrelated while this was dealt. I ran the hand by him and
all I got from him is well, you can reraise, push, call, or fold. I said thanks.

Bruce

[DemonDeac]

make it ~2000 and fold to further agression, depending on pot odds given and nature of your opponent

[bruce]

If I reraise to 2000 he has great odds to call with anything and I have a very difficult hand to play. So if I reraise I would have to put in around 3000 and then I am in pot comitted, so I might as well push. Calling seems like a horible option,
don't have enough to play for set equity, and again Nines are tough to play. This was my dilemna.

Bruce

[locutus2002]

What position are you in? And how much have you been playing?

[45suited]

I don't see how calling is so terrible here. You're getting 2.5:1 on you call here and your opponent has a deep stack in case the flop is favorable. Personally, I just call and see the flop.

[aucubbie]

either call and hope you hit a set or raise it up to 2k and see how he plays it. if he calls you prob. checks the flop to you and can decide to take a free card or not. be careful, you can lose alot of chips here.

[JC_Saves]

Has this player been playing a lot of pots? has he open raised from mid position with suited connectors or premium hands? Has there been a lot of blind stealing with this size bet? Has this player been doing this a lot?
The read on this player is a major factor in how you play this hand.

A) If he will open raise with anything then I would reraise to 1600.

B) If he is a solid player and more than likely will only open raise with premium hands AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK, AQ than I would just call and then evaluate the flop.

I see zero value in pushing this preflop, even if this player will make this move with any two, because there is a possibility that you could be 4 to 1 dog here.

I would more than likely just call this and then look at context of the flop and how he plays on the flop compared with how he has played in the past, if you have that kind of info. Like will he make stabs at the pot when it misses him?

Against AK, AQ, KQ you are a 54 to 45 favorite. If flop does not have any of those and he checks flop I would bet out 1/2 pot, if he calls then I am pretty much down with this hand, and would check it down on the turn if it is checked to me and call a small bet on the turn if it is made.

[bruce]

I am in cutoff and I don't have a good read on my opponent. He
hasn't been playing a lot of pots. Play has been fairly tight.
Even though play has been tight, I think the key point is, players when called have generally made bad decisions. I thought the competetion was generally pretty soft. Without
being overly pretentious, do I want to become involved in this type of hand when I think I am one of the best players?

Bruce

[45suited]

[ QUOTE ]
Without being overly pretentious, do I want to become involved in this type of hand when I think I am one of the best players?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because you're getting good odds to call, your opponent has a deep stack, and you will outplay him after the flop. The fact that you're a better player should make you want to call and see a flop, IMO.

[locutus2002]

I'd call and see the flop.

Keep in mind that your about a 45% dog if villain has a legitimate hand and about even if he'll open some junk and is stealing occasionally.

I would be very careful about keeping the pot small. 1/2 the pot should be a bet respected by both players here.