General question on $5.50 & $11 1-table Stars tourneys

[cognito20]

Hi everyone:

I'd like to get some feedback on how some of the more experienced players here (I've just started multitabling $5.50 SNGs for the first time, only played 216 tourneys so far) feel about playing 4 specific hands in the first 3 levels (up to and including 25/50) in $5.50 and $11 1-table Stars SNGs. How aggressively, in general, would you recommend:

1.) playing JJ, TT and 99 in these tournaments at these stages (I've been treating them more as drawing hands so far, almost like I would with smaller pairs), and

2.) is it necessary to play AQs and AQ at all at these levels, or can you safely pass them early on? My initial guess would be that you'd probably be giving up too much value by not playing them at all, but you can't really stand any preflop or postflop heat with them and need to play them extremely carefully if you encounter resistance. Am I right in thinking this?

3.) Also, kind of related to the first question, if I limp in with JJ-99 and flop an overpair to the board, how should I think about proceeding with the hand? There's no way I'm check-folding, but what are some of the dangers I need to watch for? How about the same situation in a raised pot?

I realize that the optimal strategy is to play rather tightly in the first few levels and look to double your stack or, failing that, preserve it, but it seems almost to be playing -too- tightly to me to do things like limp with JJ or fold AQs to a single raise ahead of me. Any advice you all might have would be greatly appreciated. Just trying to plug what I think might be some holes in my play. Thanks.

--Scott

[whyherro]

1) JJ, TT, 99 are great hands. I would raise if no one has opened the pot, with JJ being my minimum from UTG and 99 being the minimum from MP. Just be careful post flop if a ton of overcards flop. No reason to lay this down when its reasonably likely you will see a flop with no overs or maybe a small over like a queen or jack and you still have set value.

2) AQ is a great hand to open the pot with. Just be careful. Its a profitable hand simply because at this level people love Ax and will generally reraise you with AK.

3) You should be less worried in a raised pot. I would stick out a raise and if you get reraised its either a donk with A-x where x makes top pair or an overpair. But remember most people reraise with JJ+ at this level, so you can severely limit possible hands that beat you.

[Beerocrat]

1. Early on, JJ is my cutoff for raising from any position. TT-, I will generally limp, or even call a raise for set value if it is a small enough % of my stack and conditions are present for the set paying off.

2. When it comes to AQ, I frequently muck it in the first few blind levels, unless I am in late position and action before me is amicable. Many see this as nitty, but whatevs.

3. Number three depends on a lot of things. Flop texture other than the absence of overcards, position, and preflop action, to name a couple.

[rounder00]

early levels play monsters, later levels, raise with all, u can easily double up with ppl pushing with 77-88 kq.hand like these

[Prodigy54321]

[ QUOTE ]
1. Early on, JJ is my cutoff for raising from any position. TT-, I will generally limp, or even call a raise for set value if it is a small enough % of my stack and conditions are present for the set paying off.

2. When it comes to AQ, I frequently muck it in the first few blind levels, unless I am in late position and action before me is amicable. Many see this as nitty, but whatevs.

3. Number three depends on a lot of things. Flop texture other than the absence of overcards, position, and preflop action, to name a couple.

[/ QUOTE ]

these around just about my thoughts as well...

as far as #3 goes..post some of these hands..I've posted a lot of like these types of hands..after seeing posters' responses to an individual situation, you can figure out what factors are bringing them to their conclusions and weigh those factors when you face those types of situations..

they will still probably be some of the trickiest hands you'll play in STTs, but you'll get better as you go.

[splashpot]

Here is a goos thread about AQ I made a while back.