AK,AT in a row from early position with callers behind, $33 Stars

[kamel]

Just would like to check 2 hands I've played in 150 players $33 MTT on Stars.

1) Average Stack is about t2700,
CO seems to be taggy, but also seems to have loosened up since he got a lot of chips, BB is unknown.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

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

Button (t3275)
SB (t1883)
BB (t9255)
UTG (t1235)
UTG+1 (t1140)
Hero (t1830)
MP2 (t2785)
CO (t9812)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t150</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, CO calls t150, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, BB calls t100.

Flop: (t475) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t300</font>, CO folds, BB calls t300.

Turn: (t1075) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: (t1075) 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">BB bets t450</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t1525

cbet O.K.? (I guess yes on this board)
I first wanted to 2barrel the turn, but that would have potcommitted me, so I just have given up the hand unimproved on turn.

2) Exactly 2 hands later. UTG+1 is unknown, BU is the same villain as BB in hand 1.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

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

MP3 (t3275)
CO (t1858)
Button (t9530)
SB (t1185)
BB (t1140)
Hero (t1380)
UTG+1 (t3969)
MP1 (t2785)
MP2 (t9312)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t150</font>, UTG+1 calls t150, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, Button calls t150, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>.

Flop: (t525) K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, Button checks.

Turn: (t525) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets t200</font>, Button calls t200, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t1230</font>, UTG+1 folds, Button folds.

Final Pot: t2155

After losing the pot in 1), I only have about 1/2 of average stack and blinds will rising in 3 mins, so I decide that ATs is good enough for a raise in my situation even from UTG.

At the flop, I miss and didn't want to cbet OOP.
After the weak bets at the turn, I decide that both can have only marginal hands, perhaps something like 99 or A5 or even more weaker and try to squeeze them out of the pot.

The main problem should be that I don't have really here a made hand to represent, as I'd play nearly every made hand different. O.K., it worked in this spot, but generally is it worth to make such risky moves??

[Collin Moshman]

Hi kamel,

In hand #1, I would either check the flop or make a smaller c-bet. You are against 2 opponents, one of whom is a TAG with position over you. Since all you have at the moment is ace-high, I would try to keep the pot small. One option is to check the flop. If you check and the CO checks behind, if the BB checks again at the turn, make your c-bet then. You could also make a smaller probe bet at the flop of 150 or 200, which will often win immediately if both guys missed. If you get action, you can forfeit a small pot against a raiser and hope to improve if called. As played is OK, but I definitely wouldn't make a pot-committing turn bluff since the BB's smooth-call indicates he is very likely to have you beat with KQ, 4 4, etc.

In the 2nd hand, I agree with the flop check. When you reraise the turn, however, you are making an above pot-sized bluff with at most three outs if called. I prefer making another 4th street c-bet here, since the 6 is unlikely to have helped anyone and an opponent with a king would probably have bet the flop. This bet would also be very consistent with you holding a solid top pair hand from the perspectives of your opponents.

Best Regards,
Collin

[gibler321]

hand #1 looks pretty standard

hand #2 i fold preflop. with blinds going up in a few min doesn't mean that you should be more agressive UTG. you are too small of a stack to be raising that affectively.