Play a Hand With the Masters Results and Panel Comments

[AtticusFinch]

[ QUOTE ]
All this talk about betting 5k vs 7k on the river is just pointless IMO.

He calls 5k he calls 7k.

-Jason

[/ QUOTE ]

Nothing but respect, Jason, but I couldn't disagree more. Especially in person. This guy sounds like exactly the sort of semi-immature player that would react very strongly to the difference between "ALL-IN baby" and "I'll bet 5k." He may not even have noticed that Soss only had 7k left.

[m1illion]

A great exercise and looking forward to the next.
Kudos and thanx to Lloyd and any others for putting this together.

I raised 450 = Sirio11
I bet 1200 on the flop = 2005
I folded on the turn = best move not made
I bet a "looking for a call" on the river = Sossman (my bet was much smaller but the thought was the same)

All in all I just think this hand was mismanaged. I think that not betting the flop was a nonrecoverable error.
The overall strategy though was the real disaster. Third level of a 10k buy in and we're risking our tournament on AJs? Really? Good luck with that approach. Argue all day whether or not a push v 5k makes a difference, it is a moot point. The fact that you're at that much risk with the worst of it, that early and it is all your own doing is horrible imo.
Now you can start name calling or flaming or whatever other non productive response strikes your fancy but there is no question that my choices let you exit this hand in much better shape than most. This was simply the wrong time to make that play.

[odiggity]

whata ya know i got it right. i said to check the river even though it would suck, and this is because the all in (or close to it) would be snuffed out. yay for me

[2005]

I did find it a little hard to give good input in this hand because I would have played it differently on the flop and turn than hero did. I would have bet 1200 on the flop, folded to a check raise, checked behind on the turn, and checked behind on the river. As each street was presented to me individually my actions changed, so I see where you are coming from on this Jason, though I do think presenting it in a street by street format strengthened my opinion as to how I would play the hand normally because I felt like I was put in awkward situations by the way the action played out(holy runon sentence).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are merits to doing it either way. The "How would you play this all the way through?" approach is good because it really lets the "Master" get into the hand and give some good analysis. The "This is what happened, what would you do now?" approach is good because it gets you out of your comfort zone and causes you to question whether the way you would have played the hand is correct or not.

This isn't supposed to be a thread where we take the experts line as scripture and that's it. We're supposed to be questioning each other and improving everyone's game.

Ok, done rambling.

[2005]

[ QUOTE ]
There's an enormous psychological difference between going all-in and saving 10 big blinds, especially when you're covered by this much.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which is why you should bet it all. If you want the CO to fold, you have to make him think that you are completely committed to going home with this hand. You leaving your last 2k looks like a bluff. I don't think this is the type of guy who's thinking "It looks like a bluff b/c he wants me to think it's a bluff b/c he wants me to call, so I'm folding." This is the type of guy who's thinking "He left some chips behind, that makes it easier for me to call b/c he's leaving his 'bus fare'."

[2005]

[ QUOTE ]
Now you can start name calling or flaming or whatever other non productive response strikes your fancy but there is no question that my choices let you exit this hand in much better shape than most. This was simply the wrong time to make that play.

[/ QUOTE ]

We weren't presented with your options. I like my line best too, but once we get to the river the way we did, I think that pushing is, BY FAR, the best play. Also, I don't think we can fold the turn when he bets into us. Yes, your way conserves chips and avoids going broke with AJs, but I don't see the logic behind "AJs isn't enough hand to go broke this early in the tournament." As far as I'm concerned, there is absolutely no hand that I'm not willing to go broke with at any time in the tournament if I think I'm making the right play. Trusting your instincts and trusting your reads is exactly what makes the great players great.

[fnurt]

[ QUOTE ]
All in all I just think this hand was mismanaged. I think that not betting the flop was a nonrecoverable error.
The overall strategy though was the real disaster. Third level of a 10k buy in and we're risking our tournament on AJs? Really? Good luck with that approach. Argue all day whether or not a push v 5k makes a difference, it is a moot point. The fact that you're at that much risk with the worst of it, that early and it is all your own doing is horrible imo.

[/ QUOTE ]

One of the points of checking the flop was to keep the pot size small in an unclear situation, which is generally a good tournament strategy. Those who ended up with all their chips in the middle didn't exactly follow through on that strategy, but the concept was valid.

I really hate this idea of 'how could you risk your tournament on AJs' or 'how could you go broke with top pair' or whatever. Yeah, after the fact, you may not feel as good about yourself as if you had gone out with AA. But your favorable situations do not always show up on the doorstep complete with gift wrap; you have to take them as they come. And if you have a chance to make some money with AJs, then you should. There is no point at which you should say 'well, betting is the +EV play, but I'm not allowed to risk any more chips with AJs, so I have to fold.'

[kuro]

Yeah I don't like villain's line much.

[m1illion]

I can accept that pushing on the river is a better option than what I chose.
And,likewise, I can go for broke with AJs. But not in this situation.
Given my options, on the turn, I let this go while kicking myself for not betting the flop. Checking is the best option(after further review) since we win if we hit, we just don't make any more chips. I just don't like compounding errors(raising the turn).

[CardSharpCook]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't see the logic behind "AJs isn't enough hand to go broke this early in the tournament." As far as I'm concerned, there is absolutely no hand that I'm not willing to go broke with at any time in the tournament if I think I'm making the right play. Trusting your instincts and trusting your reads is exactly what makes the great players great.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really like this mentality and I feel the same way. Hell, I busted out of a WSOP event with 82o with just 15% of the field remaining. Sure, you question your decisions, but you gotta trust your reads and go with your gut. Make the right play and you have nothing to regret.