This hand has me doubting my decision making process...

Gomez22 · #1 07-31-2005, 11:52 AM

A 15/1 Turbo SNG on stars. Since I've been playing SNGs, I've been doing rather well (actually I'm making about double what I did in ring games where I was winning ~2BB/100). So far, I only have about 200 SNGs, so numbers aren't important to say the least.

What IS important, however, is what happened to my play and thought process in this particular hand. Table had been relativly tight except for villain in this hand, who had shown a penchant for wanting to gamble a touch earlier. He hasn't shown down trash, but he hasn't really had to showdown much, period.

This is a point in a SNG where I make my biggest errors, when it gets deep, and the field is still rather large (for a SNG).

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t600 (5 handed) converter

saw flop|saw showdown

Button (t4625)
SB (t2290)
BB (t1905)
Gomez22 (t2930)
MP (t1750)

Preflop: Gomez22 is UTG with T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
Gomez22 raises to t2880, 2 folds, SB calls t1940 (All-In), 1 fold.

Flop: (t5020) Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: (t5020) 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: (t5020) Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: t5020

Having 2nd biggest chip stack, is this a point where I can wait 5 more hands and see what develops? Is this a situation where a 2xBB raise is better than an all-in? It's the situations like these that give me problems in my play.... I didn't regret the move last night, but I regret it now, and it's nagging at me like an anal-wart......

axeshigh · #2 07-31-2005, 12:04 PM

2BB isn't better than AI because you can't fold after raising 40% of your stack. How the blinds got so high without so many people busting is the strange thing about this hand... 4 players under 5 BBs.. heh.

bluefeet · #3 07-31-2005, 12:13 PM

Nothing fun about this one. With larger stacks behind you, 3x'ing this would be preffered - if the blinds were say 75/150 or so. But this certainly isn't a 'steal' attempt. You only have 4BB's yourself.

So on one hand, your instincts are telling you "this hand is good enough"....which it is IMO. But on the other hand, you have to realize with that with others holding 3-4 BB's themselves behind you, their calling standards have also dropped. AQs+/JJ+ becomes ATo/55/KQ maybe here.

With that said, I still think you push it here. There is something psychological about still holding t1700-1900 chips - even if that does only represent 3BB's. Working against 'random' and opponents that might have a death grip on their chips here (read on villian, not withstanding), this could very well be your last chance to take down a pot PF.

pokergrader · #4 07-31-2005, 12:17 PM

I dont see any problem with this play. Folding here is out of the question, so just push to maximize your FE.

ldavidjm · #5 07-31-2005, 02:58 PM

I would push this without looking back, taking down the blinds here would be huge, and even if you're called you've got a very solid hand. Don't second guess yourself on this one.