How to play this?

sobefuddled · #1 03-09-2006, 11:40 AM

In this hand I am up against a player who has played every hand since I was moved to this table. He has two strategies. Either he goes all-in with the largest stack at the table pre-flop when there are a number of blinds out or he calls or raises only to go all-in on the river. How would you play this hand against this player?
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (9 handed) converter

MP1 (t6325)
MP2 (t5005)
MP3 (t1470)
CO (t1670)
Button (t3440)
SB (t1145)
Hero (t3105)
UTG (t1075)
UTG+1 (t3805)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
1 fold, UTG+1 calls t100, MP1 raises to t400, 5 folds, Hero calls t300, UTG+1 folds.

Flop: (t950) Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets t600, Hero calls t600.

Turn: (t2150) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets t600, Hero calls t600.

River: (t3350) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets t4725 (All-In)
Final Pot: t8075

MaddHatter · #2 03-09-2006, 11:50 AM

You are beat by everything but 92=>32 or a total bluff - even with you're read, I think you either re-raise preflop to 1500 or re-raise the flop all-in. You're way behind to too many hands here to make the river call. If he has Ax, Kx, Qx, Jx, Tx or 22 - you're beat. just my .02

uclabruinz · #3 03-09-2006, 12:21 PM

You could push this preflop and go get that 650 in the middle.

kenstall · #4 03-09-2006, 12:24 PM

Has anyone played back at him or just called down? If he's never faced any resistence then of course he will continue with what works.

Against a player like this I think you should've re-raised preflop to isolate. Something like 1200-1500 with the intention of pushing any flop. The flop is UGLY but it may look even uglier to your opponent considering your re-raise preflop.

Beachman42 · #5 03-09-2006, 12:29 PM

I think I would have called this pf bet given your read on villian but c/f the flop. That board is the worst we could have seen, giving us an underpair and the ass end of a straight draw. On that flop, the only turn card I really like is a black 8. Wait until you have a strong holding to check/call to the riv and then push AI.

sobefuddled · #6 03-09-2006, 12:46 PM

Thank you. Posting these hands really helps. I considered going all-in preflop but I don't see 99 as an "all-in" hand for me at this stage in the tournament. Perhaps that's one of many areas where my play is too tight? At this point I would have threatened half his stack and he obviously used his chip count advantage very well.
He was called down twice and both times he held the winning hand and took out both players. Therefore, I concluded that he did in fact have a hand here but what? Too early to tell preflop.
The flop interested me. Scary a bit but interesting.A K, an 8 or a 9 would help me but would it help him more?

uclabruinz · #7 03-09-2006, 12:49 PM

I put pushing out as a viable option, but truth be told I would probably call and probably check/fold this flop. Don't get into questionable situations with this guy, he will probably double you up eventually.

sobefuddled · #8 03-09-2006, 12:56 PM

In retrospect that is precisely what I think I should have done. I did fold to him on the river but two hands later I was out of the tournament precisely because I put so much of my stack into this hand. I hit two pair on the flop but didn't have enough chips left to bet my only opponent out of the pot after the flop. She made her straight on the river....

C-Dog · #9 03-09-2006, 12:59 PM

There is no reason to continue in this pot once the flop comes with 3 overcards. You really only have a gutshot at that point. And you dont have odds for that. (I know its OESD but the K is bad out)

C-Dog

Diamond Dave · #10 03-09-2006, 01:08 PM

I like the push PF line here. I don't see the value in a 1200/1500 raise though. Seems like the kind of villain who will set you in with a decent holding and fold if not. So if we simply push we get a decent amount of FE and will have a good shot if we get called. Please explain this stop 'n' go tactic here someone.

A pre-flop call seems fine but this particular flop is a disaster and surely must be folded

DD