Did I misread this or just misplay it.

[banditdad]

I haven't played many MTTs, this is probaly my 12th. one. I usually play very tight before the first break, but for some reason didn't this hand. I'm only seeing 15% flops including BB. I'm the big blind with AhTh. Everyone folds except the SB, who is also the big stack by about 2-1, who completes. I check. The flop comes 6h 7h 8c. so I now have an inside straight and nut flush draw. The sb checks and I bet the pot I think it was around 500. The turn is an A. SB checks. I bet small to build the pot and he raises the amount of my bet. I figure he's just splashing around trying to force me out and is working on a draw. I go all in to try to get him to fold and he calls. He has 45s for a little straight but I can still catch him with a 9 or heart. They don't come and I'm out.

I've been going over this hand trying to figure out if I should have known or what I should have known from the board. I wouldn't have completed with a 45s in the SB, did this color my thinking. He never bet out. Did he just run a good trap on me? I'd like to turn this into a learning experience.

Mike

[threeonefour]

if i have ATs from BB and I am only up against the SB I will raise preflop 100% of the time. Why did you just check it through? what was your thinking. your play seems pretty decent. although I am not sure how big the blinds are. the deepness of the stacks might affect how you play this one.

I am not a NL tournament wiz kid but my advice would be to raise preflop if only the SB limps.

[TexInAtl]

I agree. If you have a big A, you need to raise PF in order to drive out random hands and to find out where you're at.

Also, the smooth call on the flop, and the equal bet raise on the turn (at least to me) are BIG RED FLAGS. I am still relatively new to MTTs, but I have seen these "I'm sucking you in" moves many many times. I've even used them with pretty good success myself.

Beware of the smooth call.

[banditdad]

[ QUOTE ]
if i have ATs from BB and I am only up against the SB I will raise preflop 100% of the time. Why did you just check it through? what was your thinking. your play seems pretty decent. although I am not sure how big the blinds are. the deepness of the stacks might affect how you play this one.

I am not a NL tournament wiz kid but my advice would be to raise preflop if only the SB limps.

[/ QUOTE ]

In retrospect this is probably where I made the fatal error. At this point in the tourney I could have raise 3-4x the BB for less than 10% of my stack and it might have made him release his hand.

Mike

[cferejohn]

I would automatically limp 45s from the SB here unless I was sure I was going to get raised by the BB with any 2, fwiw. There are plento of players who would complete here with almost any 2 cards.

All that said, I would have been figuring I was ahead on that flop, you've got 2 good draws and 2 overcards. If you are up against a pair, your a favorite. If you are up against 2 pair, it's about even money. I'd be looking to get my chips in here.

Raising preflop was probably a good idea, but you knew that...

[0evg0]

It very likely would have (and if not, well what can you do? Sometimes you run into bad, but lucky players). I'm big on seeing flops for cheap with hands like 45s, and would very rarely not complete the blind were it dealt to me. Once you raise I'll probably let it go, but this is the reason why you play hands like 45s - when you catch with them, you hit big.

I think just raise PF next time and you'll be fine.

[laceratedsky]

Just to echo what everyone else has already said. Raise Preflop every single time in this situation.

If I am in the SB with those cards, I will complete about 90% of the time and if the BB is weak I will raise. I'd certainly lay it down to a 3x or 4x BB raise.

As far as the flop play goes, I think it's fine. Obviously if your Ace doesn't hit on the Turn you're likely releasing the hand then. Just got unlucky when your card hit [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Good luck in the future!

[banditdad]

[ QUOTE ]
Raising preflop was probably a good idea, but you knew that...

[/ QUOTE ]

I know it now [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]. That's why I come here to learn from my mistakes.

[Pat Southern]

[ QUOTE ]
if i have ATs from BB and I am only up against the SB I will raise preflop 100% of the time. Why did you just check it through? what was your thinking. your play seems pretty decent. although I am not sure how big the blinds are. the deepness of the stacks might affect how you play this one.

I am not a NL tournament wiz kid but my advice would be to raise preflop if only the SB limps.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think this is an automatic raise. Its one of those hands that you really can't stand a reraise from, a lot of the time the SB will limp with a big hand, fearing they won't get action from the BB if they raise. If SB had been trying to steal everytime it was folded to him, and suddenly he limps, I'd worry he's got a big hand, but if he's been straight forward preflop, then I raise.

[tripdad]

[ QUOTE ]
I would automatically limp 45s from the SB here

[/ QUOTE ]

i would automatically raise with it going against someone who's seen only 15% of flops, and i bet you would too.

cheers!