[GeeBeeQED]

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.....First I was in a $50 NL tournament there was 70 people to start in the tournament and we are down to 11 players left 6 at one table and 5 at the table I am at. I was in second position with a little better than an average stack at the table with about 16000. I can’t exactly remember but blinds were at 1000-2000. I get 9-9 and so I push all in and I get a call from the big blind (who was also the big stack) she has J-Q off suit

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Not a good call on her part. Your M is low enough that I think the Push is OK here. She had pot odds to call you from the BB if she knew your hand so in that regard she did not make an error. The only way it's clearly a bad call is if she had a similar size stack. Were I her I'd rather not enter a flop late in a tourny to call all in or nearly so with that kind of hand.

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and I get beat as she flops a set of jacks. I figured O well I just got beat that’s Poker.

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She flopped trip jacks, a set is two in the hand.

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So then last week I am playing in a $100 NL Hold’em Tournament with 12 people left 6 at my table and I am in the big blind for 2000. The person in third position raises to 4000 (she is the big stack and I am the small stack with about 12000 in chips) I am dealt J-A suited so I come over the top all in and she calls with a pair of 7s and gets her third 7 to beat me on the flop.

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You were beat before the flop, crushed afterwards. However, I think you made the right move short on chips. You must take the better of those two famous chances if you want enough chips to win a tourny.

I'd say your playing well if your strategy is to finish high. If you play like a kitten (just to get in the money) then I think your long term return might be lower. What's the point in entering a contest if it is not to win? Don't let a few bubbles shake your character into bunny land.

I've been leaning towards more aggressive play a little further from the bubble in recent games. Don't wait until it's right on the bubble to start putting presure on last longer bunnys. At least that's my view.

Dave