[$5.50 FTP] - Facing pushes in low blinds play

[RemyXO]

<font color="blue"> Guys, line check in hand 1 and what's the right play in Hand 2 and why? The push in #2 seemed weird ... smelling like a draw to me. All villains are unknown.
Thanx! </font>

HAND 1

Very first hand in the tourney. t1500 stacks, 15/30 blinds. Hero is UTG+1 with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
UTG folds, Hero raises to t100, MP1 reraises AI to t1500.
It's folded around to Hero, who also folds.

HAND 2

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t20/t40
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t1515
UTG+1: t1695
MP1: t1455
Hero: t1355
MP3: t1600
CO: t1690
Button: t1300
SB: t1660
BB: t1230

Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is MP2 with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
UTG calls t40 <font color="aaaaaa">(pot was t60)</font>, 2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises to t170</font>, 3 folds, SB calls t150 <font color="aaaaaa">(pot was t270)</font>, BB folds, UTG calls t130 <font color="aaaaaa">(pot was t420)</font>.

Flop: T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (t550, 3 players)
SB checks, <font color="#cc0000">UTG is all-in t1345</font>, <font color="#cc0000">Hero ??? </font>

[vers]

first at a 5.50 I'd probably call, at higher levels I fold. Pretty sure villain's range is very wide here and if we are just concerned with making +ev calls then it's fine. Villain rarely does this w/ AA/KK so racing the rest of pairs and 3-1 fav vs lots of hands/etc.

2nd hand - I'd call, villain shows TJ or some sort of pair/straight draw combo far too often here to fold. Also since this is a 5.50 you'll see some really funky stuff here too.

[DannyOcean_]

Random note - you say you are playing the 5.50's at FTP?

Play the 6.5's. No reason not to because the rake is less. I'd imagine the competition is exactly the same, and instead of rake is 10% of the buyin it's 8%. Doesn't sound like much but your ROI will jump up by those points.

[sippin_criss]

hand 1 I can't blame you for folding but I probably call in a $5. Hand 2 I never fold there but it's not super exciting.

[DannyOcean_]

For the hands

I call the first hand, unless i've seen villian before and he is a reg or something. I think we're solidly +EV.

Second hand, I call pretty much for the same reason vers said.

[jon7alt88]

for the first hand in a 6.50 i def call this for this level of play pushing ATo isnt completely out of his range along with other weak pairs or flush draws.

[RemyXO]

Thanks for your input, guys!

In Hand #1 I was on the fence, but decided to muck. Against an unknown, I felt I'd be either in a race vs underpair or royally screwed vs AA, KK. My stack was largely intact and I'd rather put the chips in in a better situation.

In Hand #2 I had the same reasoning as you guys and called, villain showed 44 [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

As far as playing $6.50s - those are turbos, it's more of a crapshoot than normal structure SNGs, no? Aren't those extra 2% in rake going to be offset by more variance and worse ROI? I am pretty comfortable with my current 30% ROI in the 5.50s over a couple of hundred tourneys ...

[DannyOcean_]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for your input, guys!

In Hand #1 I was on the fence, but decided to muck. Against an unknown, I felt I'd be either in a race vs underpair or royally screwed vs AA, KK. My stack was largely intact and I'd rather put the chips in in a better situation.

In Hand #2 I had the same reasoning as you guys and called, villain showed 44 [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

As far as playing $6.50s - those are turbos, it's more of a crapshoot than normal structure SNGs, no? Aren't those extra 2% in rake going to be offset by more variance and worse ROI? I am pretty comfortable with my current 30% ROI in the 5.50s over a couple of hundred tourneys ...

[/ QUOTE ]

first of all, congrats on playing well and running hot. I'm pretty sure 30% is unattainable longterm (anything higher than 17-18% is gross), but it means that you're playing really well and probably running really well also.

As for Turbos, I feel that educated players have a HUUUUUUDDDDGGGGGEEEEEE advantage in these, more than in regulars. You get to the bubble a lot faster in turbo's, and the bubble is the most profitable place to play. Low-limit players are so bad at bubble play, and will generally play worse than you think possible on the bubble. I think turbo's are way more +ROI if you know ICM and are a decent push/fold player. SNG's are a high variance game turbos OR regulars, but man people are dumb on the bubble, and that's where the majority of our profit comes from.

Try it out for a little way is my suggestion.

[RemyXO]

Danny, will give it a shot, man. I see your points.

30% ROI is sick, i kno, but I am actually getting killed by the deck lately and I am DOWN to 30% [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] it's more of a reflection on the donkeys that play these SNGs than my skill. My long-term low-limit ROI is a bit under 20%.

Again, I appreciate the advice!

[Webster]

Hand #1 (I have not read other replies yet EXCEPT for the 6.50 games which I disagree with).

#1 - fold - AK is a hand where if you do not hit GET OUT - you do NOT want to see a showdown unless you have a REAL good reason to.



Looking at my PT stats I have a horrible record when pushing AK and I have to see the board!

I limp an fold if I don't hit. AK is a drawing hand and at that point in a STT it's a matter of surviving, NOT winning chips!

#2 raise was too small - I would put in 240ish. Anybody that wants to play needs a REAL good hand and there will only be one player. Again - survive - you don't want to see a flop unless all the chips are in BEFORE the flop.

As played push it! What can ya do - backing down and you will feel like a fool and think about the hand all night.

Push it - you have a great hand and he might be stealing and thinking you have over cards. If you push and lose - move on - bad luck.

I'm pretty sure 30% is unattainable longterm?? not in the least, 30% is good but certainly attainable playing one table.

6.50s are turbos and pretty much random. Your ROI will go down, and your $/hour will stay the same if you get lucky.

A good player that knows how to play poker (unlike many humun bots that play 10 tables and think a 10% ROI is good)will do pretty good in reg tournaments. a ROI of +30% is very doable even on tight tables.