Texas Holdem Poker
I was playing the 11+rebuys NL HE tourney last night at PS. There's about 130 players left, 63 get paid. I have 35,000 in chips, which is shortstacked. (i think avg was 45-50 at this point). BB was 3000 i think.
I get AKo 3 off the button. Early-middle postion raises to 15000 (his stack is slightly larger than mine). I just call. We're heads up, flop comes 44Q rainbow. He bets 15,000 and I fold.
Still learning proper play at this stage of a tournament. And really still learning proper NL play. How would you have played this hand?
I think the important question is what did you put him on pre-flop...and what did you put him on after the flop bet.
If you thought you were beat on the flop, then the fold is probably the best move...not sure if you will push him off with a raise as he has almost all of his stack invested in the pot...the only way he folds is if he has nothing, and no draw, and doesn't want to get knocked out right there.
The only two viable options I see as other ways to play this hand are to push all-in preflop and put him to a decision, or to muck preflop....which is hard to do there. If you are going to call the raise and want to call the hand down no matter what hits...I think you are better off just pushing pre-flop anyway.
I would have reraised him all-in pre-flop to try to put the heat on him. If you didn't put him on AA or KK your chance of winning is not too bad.
I was heads up against a fairly poor player, but all he did was try to trap. If he has top pair all he does is check to the river, and even on the river at times. Same goes for if he has nothing. He doesn't bluff hardly ever. If you raise him and he has nothing, he folds, but it's always for small pots because he's always checking to the river! It's very frustrating and I was wondering how you would play a person like this. I haven't found the best technique to win against this dead money.
You already know the answer, just need to listen to yourself.
"you raise him and he has nothing, he folds"
Sure it may be for small pots but it's money, and money earned not lost at that.
Point is if you have to win small pots it may take a little longer but over time you will get him. So I say time is your friend, you don't have to play slow but the pots may be small but give it time and the money can and will come your way.
If you got a good read on him kind of like you said already than I say bluff more than usual and if he folds than you get the pot (may be small but your also winning more hands than usual because of the bluffing and him folding) if you bluff and he calls you back than back off and let him check it since it sounds like he's not going to raise, so even on your bluffs when he has something it may not be to bad because you may not even be forced to fold a bluffed hand if all he does is call your bet and than checks the rest of the way.
You should love to play against someone who plays like that. You can bluff him out of pots when he doesn't have it. And when he does have top pair, you can outdraw him for free and take a big pot from him on the end.
I dont see a problem at all. If anything, this guy is a f.uckin moron! Be happy you are playing him.. i wish i had competition like this.
Heads up you could always raise preflop to build the pot when you think you have the best hand. Then you can bet the flop not on the strength of your cards, but on the possibility that it missed him. Give him a chance to fold after you get him in for a raise preflop. Winning heads up requires an excellent read on your opponent and a certain degree of aggressiveness.
Ok, 4 people left in $5 sit n go on party, blind are 150, 300, i'm in small blind with 480 in chips, big blind has 125 left after blind, and player left of big blind folds. i have 99 and dealer raises, which putts me all in. I call, big blind smartly folds, and he turns over A9o. Needless to say he gets an ace on the flop, and i'm out.
My question is this. Should I have laid down the nines and waited until the next hand because the player in the big blind wouldn't have been able to cover the small blind, so if I laid down the hand, and waited to see if he'd get eliminated in the next hand and i'd at least make it to the money?? All comments are welcome
In my opinion you played the hand fine. Even though you were close to the money, you were shortstacked and had to make a move. Just my 2 cents.
tough one I had a similar hand a while back but my hand wasn't as good just was forced to go all-in and knew it before I got my cards.
Was 4 people left I was low stack and in the BB and the chip leader first to act raises than the guy in 3rd goes all-in and the SB calls before I have to make my move and also since he was short stacked as well it wasn't a big raise over the chip leaders first raise anyway and because of that there probably going to call as well.
I folded guy got put out finishing in 4th and putting me in 3rd.
Your talking about the next hand the guy in the BB would go out if he didn't hit, well actually he probably would have played that hand if you didn't go all-in. Kind of like my hand the SB would have forced me all in next hand as well but I would have went all-in that hand if the guy in 3rd spot didn't go all-in with a caller...etc
Tough call but I would probably fold and take 3rd (if he gets put out of course), your still short stacked if you double up so your still not going to be in great position if you win that hand.
Others may have played it differently I don't know but I would have folded and increased my chances at the money.
You had to call that.... a chance to double up too! Plus, you were a huge favorite pre-flop... so dont feel bad.
Can't say that I disagree. If the stakes were higher, for example your a couple spots from the money in a big multi, I would probably take the same approach.
