Stars $5.50: 6K chips 5-handed and I finished 5th

BIG NIGE · #1 07-20-2007, 11:53 PM

Okay I'm still trying to figure out how I lost so many hands in a row. Maybe someone can give advice.

Hand #1:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero (t5935)
SB (t2910)
BB (t2285)
UTG (t1395)
MP (t975)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 9

, A

.
UTG calls t100, [color=#666666]1 fold, [color=#CC3333]Hero raises to t600, [color=#666666]1 fold, BB calls t500, UTG folds.

Flop: (t1350) 4

, T

, J

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: (t1350) K

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: (t1350) 7

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
[color=#CC3333]BB bets t900, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t1350

Results in white below: [color=#FFFFFF]
BB doesn't show.
Outcome: BB wins t1350. 

I was trying to isolate shortstack UTG, but the annoying BB called. I had previously won two fairly large pots from him by value betting made hands and having him call down when he was guaranteed to be worse. He had generally been very loose calling preflop and even on the flop.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero (t5235)
BB (t2860)
UTG (t3085)
MP (t995)
Button (t1325)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A

, 7

.
UTG calls t100, [color=#666666]2 folds, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t300) J

, 7

, 3

[color=#0000FF](3 players)
[color=#CC3333]Hero bets t300, BB folds, UTG calls t300.

Turn: (t900) Q

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks.

River: (t900) 5

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks.

Final Pot: t900

Results in white below: [color=#FFFFFF]
Hero has As 7h (one pair, sevens).
UTG has Td Th (one pair, tens).
Outcome: UTG wins t900. 

Bleed off another 400 chips. Down to 4800. The very next hand...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero (t4835)
SB (t2760)
BB (t3585)
UTG (t995)
MP (t1325)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 4

, 4

.
[color=#666666]2 folds, [color=#CC3333]Hero raises to t400, SB calls t350, [color=#CC3333]BB raises to t900, Hero calls t500, SB folds.

Flop: (t2200) 6

, 9

, T

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
[color=#CC3333]BB bets t300, Hero calls t300.

Turn: (t2800) A

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: (t2800) 2

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: t2800

Results in white below: [color=#FFFFFF]
BB has Jh Js (one pair, jacks).
Hero has 4d 4c (one pair, fours).
Outcome: BB wins t2800. 

I knew when he reraised he had to have a good hand, but it was only 500 more, am I supposed to fold? Then he bets 300 into a 2200 pot on the flop. Should I have folded getting 8.3 to 1? I figured there's a chance he has AK and even if he had an overpair I could surely stack him with a 4 on the turn. When he checked the ace on the turn, I suspected he had a high pair, but I knew he'd call a normal sized bet, and I'd have to go all-in to have a chance for him to fold. However I still had the chip lead and I really didn't know whether he'd call or not. I figured it was too risky to try an all-in bluff when I had the chip lead and he had been loose up until that point. When he checked the river I knew he had KK-JJ but had to check behind because now a bet would surely look like a bluff. After that hand I had 3625 left and was still in 2nd place. But then I doubled up the shortest stack with AK vs QQ all in preflop, followed by winning a small hand against the guy to my left with ATs, leeaving me with 2640 chips when this hand came up:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t150 (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero (t2640)
SB (t2610)
BB (t5085)
UTG (t1990)
MP (t1175)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 5

, 5

.
[color=#666666]2 folds, [color=#CC3333]Hero raises to t450, [color=#666666]1 fold, BB calls t300.

Flop: (t975) A

, 2

, 6

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
BB checks, [color=#CC3333]Hero bets t450, BB calls t450.

Turn: (t1875) 9

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: (t1875) 8

[color=#0000FF](2 players)
[color=#CC3333]BB bets t4185 (All-In), Hero folds.

Final Pot: t-2310

Results in white below: [color=#FFFFFF]
BB doesn't show.
Outcome: BB wins t6060. 

I kept wondering if he was on a busted flush draw, because of how he pushed all-in instead of betting a specific amount, but it seemed too likely that he was just betting an ace, or two pair, or any pair on the board that had my fives beat, and I figured I'd still be able to get all-in in a better spot.

So now I'm on semi-tilt, and unfortunately with 75/150 blinds I raised to 450 with J9s UTG, and the BB decided his KQ was best and lucky for him he was right, he shoved for 800 more and I felt compelled to call, I flopped a 9 but he turnd a king. Folded through the blinds once, then pushed for 340 with K6o UTG, got called by the guy to my left and the idiot who won so many other pots from me, the flop was 789 but of course he had K8 and I missed my straight, and that's all she wrote.

kleath · #2 07-21-2007, 02:52 AM

Imo all of those hands are spew in some way(EDIT: well 55 hand isnt spew so I exaggerrated)

#1 no point in raising so big if you play the hand at all, because the pot is so huge you should probably bet the turn once he's checked to you twice, but the real issue is preflop here.

#2 No real point in leading, you dont really want anyone to do anything but fold and its over a t300 pot.

#3 AAAAGH, This is a horror imo. First raising to 400 just bloats the pot in a spot where you really dont want to bloat it, when he raises FOLD. You dont have the correct price to set mine by a long shot and really you have reverse implied odds when you see a low flop and get puthimonAKitis and put money in the pot, as evidenced by your flop call(which is a marginal peel but I dont think terrible, if he checks almost any card but the A I bet turn).

#4 bet more on the flop

J9 hand sounds pretty bad too but it sounds like you know that.

I think your main problem is you're trying to play big stack captain at T100, it doesn't work, esp at the 6s

Gaborsisters · #3 07-21-2007, 03:06 AM

On #1 I don't recommend a raise here. Your hand is not that strong and there are still players to act after you who might have a better hand. Your raise won't guarantee you'll isolate UTG and the shorty might push. What then? Just call and see what develops. Since you did raise though I think you need to play it aggressively after the flop with a continuation bet. You continual checks showed weakness and allowed villain to draw out.

#2 I think you should bet the turn for value and to see where you are at.

#3. Tough one. Did you have any reads on villain. I think this may be read dependent. I am probably folding on the turn. He is saying he is pretty strong.

#4. I probably would have played it the same way.

cougar62 · #4 07-21-2007, 03:22 AM

kleath nailed it, the only thing I'd add is just to keep in mind that when you have a big lead you can wait for bigger edges to get involved, especially in a non-turbo and at the lower buy-ins. You can afford to wait for better opportunities.

BIG NIGE · #5 07-21-2007, 03:48 AM

Thanks for the advice. I'll try limping more instead of raising against loose players

stevi3p · #6 07-21-2007, 06:05 AM

very rarely is the right response to limp more; I never limp in these mid-levels. the trick is to raise small amounts, 2.5 times the BB (e..g, #2) or fold (#1).

good luck

kleath · #7 07-21-2007, 01:14 PM

Yeah, I fold alot in these spots, you dont really need to do anything right now, just chill for the most part.