Level 3 - TT - UTG

[Scuba Chuck]

Negative EV and I were discussing this hand, and I'm surprised on how differently we play this hand. Negative EV limps here, and I raise.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (7 handed) converter

Button (t488)
SB (t1030)
BB (t1855)
Hero (t805)
MP1 (t972)
MP2 (t2205)
CO (t645)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].


My general question is this, how do you play this hand here preflop? Postflop? I know I'm being vague, but I like it that way.
Furthermore, if you advocate limping preflop, be sure to discuss how you're handling a raise, as well as if you raise here, how you handle a push. And don't forget postflop.

[Ogre]

i raise to 150 i never limp

[ace_in_the_hole]

I tend to play TT pretty passivly, at least at the lower levels. I find it too diffucult to play postflop, so i just limp for set value unless I am in LP and I want to pick up blinds.

[unreal_nh]

whether to raise or limp i think it depends alot on the table... tight/loose/aggressive/passive.. and go from there

[Scuba Chuck]

Since I can't get an answer to the question, I'll post mine.

The table was generally average. Not overly tight, and certainly not loose.

I generally don't care for my position here, and I don't care for limping or folding. I raise to t150. If I am reraised allin by one individual, I'm calling. In general, IME, if I am called here, it is 95% of the time, AJ+, and the other 5%, it's AA. That might be pretty narrow, but that's just how I feel. So I will proceed forward on the flop with that in mind.

There are certainly some variations of my play on this hand depending on my stack size.

[bjb23]

so youd play this the exact same way with 99?..88??... what is your cutoff here?

I think this is a rare situation where a minraise is good.

First, you are in early position and a lot of people play AA this way (and expect it to be played this way), lending you a bit more FE for a continuation bet. Second, you invest the minimum in a hand you will probably have to fold more than half the time (I'm folding to a big reraise preflop and to a strong bet on overcards on the flop at this level). Third, if you get a few callers you can sometimes take down a big pot if you flop a set and somebody thinks their TP is good, or decides to take a stand with a lower pocket pair.

Of course, minraising and folding to preflop reraise is contextual. If there are one or two maniacs who mindlessly bet into weakness, it might be good to limp-reraise either of them allin to get it heads up when they inevitably raise your limp preflop. If the table is overly passive, I wouldn't mind a largish bet like 200 here, knowing most times you'll take it down preflop. If there is a calling station who is loose preflop and weak/tight postflop, take the pot down on most flops with 1/2 potsized continuation bet. 1010 is a good hand, but you're in horrible position and it's an early level.

Against an average table I think a min-raise is good here.

[Newt_Buggs]

I'de raise it up to 125.

[durron597]

I don't want K7 to see a free flop. Raise to 150, call any single push, just like you said.

TT is a strong hand, this is your chance to double up not lose 50 chips.

If I get called such that I am out of position, I bet any non A non KQ/KJ/QJ flop.

[UMTerp]

What does he do? Limp/call? Limp/reraise? I think limp/calling would be terrible. What do you do when an ace comes? Or two overcards? Just raise to 150.