TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (6 handed) Poker Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

saw flop|<font color="#C00000">saw showdown</font>

UTG (t670)
<font color="#C00000">MP (t8805)</font>
CO (t100)
Button (t10235)
SB (t2600)
<font color="#C00000">Hero (t4590)</font>

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP raises to t400</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t1000</font>, MP calls t600.

Flop: (t2100) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t1000</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP raises to t2000</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t3590</font>, MP calls t1590.

Turn: (t9280) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

River: (t9280) J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

Final Pot: t9280

Villain has been raising unimproved high cards. Thinking that possibility, combined with the fact that we had two shorter stacks leaving soon, I take a shot at the pot. It is possible that Villain called because I have been doing the same raises when hitting top pair, but have not shown the hands. Reraising AI after Min-reraise seems to be one of my leaks, which needs to be repaired. Is it too risky to steal this pot when Villain has you covered? How should I consider playing if I do not believe Villian's min-reraise? Should I play a stop &amp; go, or , considering the two short stacks, simply take the move as gospel and and fold with the t2590 I have left?

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

I was following you until the flop re-raise. All in or fold at that point IMO. I probably fold.

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

I hate putting in 1/2 our stack and folding.

If I have your read, and am OOP, I'm moving in pf
as I think we have his range well covered.

With your line, you get to bet into whatever strength
his raise meant, while he'll likely give you more
credit for a hand just like you have than a pair.

Now, no matter what you do you are tied to this pot
after you lead out and are minraised, right?
He flips over 88 right? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

-ZEN

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

Zen...You are correct. I am tied to the hand as soon as I put in the t1000 r/r, as it represents ~25% of my stack. The flop missed me completely, so my play depends on what I think his minraise/call meant. Most of the table has been folding to these minraises, so I decided to challenge it. His call of my reraise didn't surprise me due to the 2.5:1 odds I left him. I did not want to chase him out.

As far as what he turned over, I'll save that until later. I'm hoping a few others chime in. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

What do you think of &lt;call PF, C/R allin on flop, if he checks behind flop, PSB the turn&gt;

You violated one of the basic tenets of tournament play, which is not to challenge a bigger stack without you have Tha Nutz, IMO.

To quote SunTzu:

"It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him. If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him. "

AQo is nothing I would want to challenge a bigger stack that looks like he wants to mix it up with. Not PF. Not on that flop. Not on any flop without an A or Q-high.

Regards

Gar "BkAWK" Pike

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

I think I would have liked to see a reraise to 1500 pf, then you can shove about a pot sized bet. As played, if you were willing to get away from the hand then check/fold the flop. If you bet the flop, be prepared to get it in as the pot is about 2/3 your stack.

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I think I would have liked to see a reraise to 1500 pf, then you can shove about a pot sized bet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Deuce...This sounds like the SPR theory mentioned in PNL1. This is an area where I'm uncertain. More study is needed to fully understand that concept.

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

Doesn't this belong in STT?

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

[ QUOTE ]
Doesn't this belong in STT?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a 2-table SNG. I do not see why it should be in STT.

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

Raise to about 1600 preflop. Shove any flop

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

As played, I think you can still get away by c/f. You aren't committed to this flop, and even though villain appears loose, you still have to respect the bigger stack. Even more so when you know, that they know, you could hurt them just as much.

I like the idea of reraising to 1600 OOP against a loose opening raiser, especially short-handed. Its just the right size. After raising to 1600 and a call by villain, the pot stands at 3300, and your stack at about 3000. I think this line makes it a much clearer to shove on the flop, as any continuation is over 1/2 your stack.

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

[ QUOTE ]
To quote SunTzu:

"It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him. If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him."

[/ QUOTE ]

This is certainly an interesting concept as it applies to poker. However, if the enemy scout perceives a larger opposing army then what is present, the enemy may employ an incorrect strategy, like 'if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy.' In war, perception is reality.

It really is a solid quote, though. I have included it in my 'Notes to Live By.' Thanks.

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

OK, looks like all the responses are in. Villain had T9o and had flopped trips.

I am now playing much tighter at final tables, thinking plays like this and overthinking is a leak needing a permanent fix.

Re: TKo\'s Hand of the Day: Playing Overcards Near SNG Bubble.
 

I'm thinking here that the size of the army corresponds to stack size. Not much you can do about misrepresenting that.

You would need to have superior weapons for your army to prevail, and while AQo is a pretty good weapon, by itself (i.e. unimproved) I don't think it's anything to get frisky with. Think, standing up and challenging the Chinese Army with an AK47.

I agree, if you can misrepresent the strength of your hand, you might get a fold, but a) if he doesn't respect the hurt you can lay on him (think "stack sizes") and b) you aren't all that sure you can hurt him (think "unimproved A-high" post flop), I'm folding this without much thought after that flop. And I'
m just calling Pre, hoping for a flop I like. That's what, a 5%-of-stack call of a min-raise with AQ? Not too unreasonable...

Regards,

Gar "The Cautious" Pike

PS, there's a lot more in Art of War that can be applied to poker. Mr. Sklansky did a reprise, just for that purpose. Might be in the Archives.