$1 Stars SNG - Am I Protecting or Over-Valuing TPTK

[Rant]

I've been having trouble with bubble play recently so some help here would be much appreciated.

Keep in mind that the $1 SNGs are a total donk-fest. This particular table was very loose and passive in general. Things had tightened up a lot on the bubble though.

BB has been very loose and donky - calling down with bottom pair, calling raises with very few outs, etc.

Is AJo good enough to play here? The blinds seem worth stealing.

On the flop I'm trying to price out the flush draw. I thought I'd need a pretty healthy bet at this table because people were calling often. Considering this is the bubble should I have bet less here? 400? That doesn't price out the flush draw but it might get a paired 4 or 3 out. What does my opponent have to call here? A worse J? Set? Flush draw?

On the turn I don't want to give a free card. I'm hoping just to take it down here. I maybe could have bet less but I only have about 6 BB left so it seems like check behind or all-in, right? Should I have checked behind?

I was thinking about the turn some more and maybe I should have just checked? If he has a flush draw he maybe wouldn't have called the flop bet? If so then I don't need to price out the flush draw and I can just check behind and showdown cheaper? Am I maybe beat with a set and he's letting me hang myself? I'm probably thinking too hard for a $1 SNG but I don't like what I did and I can't figure out what I should have done.

I'm confused.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (4 handed) internettexasholdem.com

Hero (t3965)
SB (t3705)
BB (t4680)
UTG (t1150)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t600</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls t400.

Flop: (t1300) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t800</font>, BB calls t800.

Turn: (t2900) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t2565 (All-In)</font>, BB calls t2565.

River: (t8030) 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: t8030

[Rant]

I'm such a donk that I can't even post this to the right forum.

Big apology.

[mflip]

You played this fine. You aren't trying to steal the blinds from the button here, your raise is for value because you most likely have the best hand. Your flop bet is good for the reasons you mentioned and I like the turn push as well. At buy-ins this low you will get called by worse hands so shoving is good. You played it well overall, nh.

[BlueEcho]

Nothing to add here I play it the same.

[RobMcB]

I think you played fine. OTOH, simply pushing this PF is a perfectly legitimate move at the $1.1SNG. You get called by hands you beat (KJ+, Ax+). You also get to take the blinds alot without having to face agonizing post-flop decisions + bad beats.

[Jbrochu]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you played fine. OTOH, simply pushing this PF is a perfectly legitimate move at the $1.1SNG. You get called by hands you beat (KJ+, Ax+). You also get to take the blinds alot without having to face agonizing post-flop decisions + bad beats.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pushing 20 BB into one stack that can cripple you and one stack that can bust you is a bad idea. Even more so on the bubble with a 5 BB shortie.

[RobMcB]

Yep, missed the shortie. My bad. Thanks for the correction.
If the stacks were more even I would stand by my assertion that it's ok to push 20BB with AJ at the $1.1 due to the fact so many worse hands call, though.