Hoping for Coin Flips

FGators · #1 01-12-2006, 12:32 PM

Coming from a 2-3 year cash game background I never had a problem with "coinflips" because in the past if the raise was cheap, and the money was relatively deep, I'd take a flop and hope to hit a set or make a read on an opponent if I felt he had overcards based on his flop or preflop betting or image.

As I've adjusted to tournaments I am having a ridiculously hard time dealing with what I should do with pocket pairs two through eight. It seems I'm always "hoping" for a coinflip situation. Then I know I'm a slight favorite in the hand and can leave it up to the five cards to come out and award a winner in the hand.

There are certain situations that are easy, when you are a large stack you can call and if you take a slight hit you will have enough chips to continue. If your M is under 5 any pair is good enough to take a stand with.

But what about situations where you are bordering around chip average and a guy who is half chip average pushes in front of you? Sometimes, if you are not in the blinds you have to worry about a guy behind you picking up a better hand than your pair.

Odds of being dealt a pair are about 5%. So if you have a pair and the all in only takes about half your stack should you gamble that it is a coinflip, because usually it is? Do you guys use a borderline hand, like sevens or sixes to make these calls?

Little example:
$22 Multi Table Tournament on PokerStars
UTG folds, UTG+1 pushes all in for 7050, all folds.
Hero is in BB with 55 (12450).

If my read on the UTG+1 is that he is a very aggressive player, raising a lot of pots and pushing in situations like this when he is desperate it is a much easier call, because I'm likely ahead.

However, if I have just been moved to the table, or if the opponent is relatively tight, at what point do I muck this hand?

Obviously we all know to win poker tournaments, especially online poker tournaments, which do NOT have the great tournament structure of a Bellagio or World Series of Poker Event you need to accumulate a boatload of chips.

One way is winning coinflips, which comes with the territory of winning No Limit Hold'em Poker Tournaments.

However, what I seem to be doing in this case is "hoping" for a coinflip." When I use my time bank and eventually hit call with two sevens I pray to see an AK, AQ, KQ, QJ, or whatever hand these people decided to make a stand with.

After all, when I'm not a huge stack I need to make moves on my own to stay into the tournament. But when I'm around tournament average and a guy pushed his chips in in front of me for a little over half my stack and I've got a measly pair of fours or threes that could be drawing to two outs or even counterfeited on types of flops like 885 what am I to do?

Does anybody have any tips here? Mucking is the safer play, but in order to win tournaments mucking is never the best option.

I'm sure this post was all over the map, because I'm thoroughly confused and always sweating these type of situations. I feel like a donkey when I eventually call with pocket fives and see my opponent has pocket jacks. Then I'm drawing to two outs and the potential for my tournament is over because I've just lost about half my stack.

Hopefully someone can enlighten me a little and ease my problem.

Thanks.

davidross · #2 01-12-2006, 12:37 PM

Muck em when there is action in front of you and calling isn't an option. Play them if you can be first in. That's my philosophy. I hate "praying" for the coin flip.

rockin · #3 01-12-2006, 12:38 PM

have you read HOH2? small pairs are not what you want to take a stand with when your M is below 5. On top of that, you should only be taking a stand when you have "first in" vigourish. The only time you should be pushing in after someone else has entered the pot is when you have top tier hands.

hencole · #4 01-12-2006, 12:41 PM

You don't want to be calling when at best you think you are a coin flip. You shouldn't mind pushing as much and getting coin flips if called, because sometimes everyone folds and you win uncontested.

hencole · #5 01-12-2006, 12:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
have you read HOH2? small pairs are not what you want to take a stand with when your M is below 5.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which HOH2 is that then? You have to go in with small pairs, though you may not neccesarily call with the lowest ones.

rockin · #6 01-12-2006, 12:45 PM

read the section on inflection points where he discusses "M" and "Q". small pairs are death.

FGators · #7 01-12-2006, 12:47 PM

I just don't know when to step up and play to accumulate chips. Winning a coinflip gives you a nice stack, losing and you are knocked down, but at least you won't be blinded out.

rockin · #8 01-12-2006, 12:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I just don't know when to step up and play to accumulate chips. Winning a coinflip gives you a nice stack, losing and you are knocked down, but at least you won't be blinded out.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, what you mentioned was M below 5. You really do not have that many choices when you are in desperation mode. At this point it is either push or fold, you just have to pick the best spot.

Seriously, you haven't said if you've read HOH. Read 1 & 2. They will help you out greatly and they disucss many different scenarios. Hope this helps.

THEOSU · #9 01-12-2006, 12:54 PM

I hate calling significant all ins with those small pairs. Pushing with them is much better, but you have to be careful when you do so.

hencole · #10 01-12-2006, 12:55 PM

[ QUOTE ]
read the section on inflection points where he discusses "M" and "Q". small pairs are death.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not when your M is 5 or less. He points this out on several occasions. Sure don't play them for trip value when you have more than that, but in the red zone you are playing the pair as the best hand.