Hand comments

Zithal · Dec 16,2004, 02:06 PM

Hi all,

I had wanted to post earlier how well run Redington's tournament was, but the site was down, so I'm doing it now! Great job! Anyway, just wanted some comments about the hand that busted me out...

The blind schedule was excessively aggressive and at a final table, with 10 people left, I was in the BB. I had 10,200 in chips, blinds were 500-1000 and I was slightly less than an average chip stack. The large stack at the table, two to my left makes it 4,000 (I hadn't been playing with him at all in the game), a girl in late position who I'd seen overvalues hands calls and it was folded to me. I look down and see 99.

I should have been more worried about another pocket pair being out there, but I figured that late position would have raised if that were the case and from what I heard from other, the big stack had been pushing around people alot. So, I was hoping that an all-in call would reduce it to heads up, so I re-raised all-in, making it 6,200 to the other two players.

The big stack calls, the small stack considers and finally folds. The big stack looks and me and says "pocket pair?" I look at him and say "AK?" and we both show it, so I got my wish and headed into a coin flip. The flop missed use completely, but the runner-runner spades matched the A and K as well as the single spade on the flop and I was out in 10th. The late position player said, "Good thing I didn't call with my AJ." and only then did I realize that a call/all-in move (see the Nov. issue of CPP magazine) would have certainly worked here.

Comments on how I played the hand? My last few tournament I've either been squeaking into the money or have been slowly blinded to death around the formation of the final table, so it wasn't enough for me to just get into the money; I really wanted first or second. I think the better move would have been to call and push (I can't remember the name of the "move") or should I have just let the hand go with a raise and a call behind me?

SirWatts · Dec 16,2004, 02:38 PM

I'm not sure about this case. In a normal heads up situation call/push would be the right play for sure, but I'm not sure you want to let 2 people see the flop with you. In this case if there's a jack on the flop you've allowed yourself to get outflopped by someone who shouldn't even be in the hand. There are a lot of borderline flops, for example any flop with just one face card, that I would feel comfortable taking my chances with against one opponent, but with 2 opponents I would feel it's very likely someone must have hit. You might even let a smaller pair hit trips. I think I'd take my chances on the coin-flip and try to get heads up with 4000 in extra dead money in the pot. You're a small favourite and the dead money makes it even more of a +EV move, but I think it also maximizes your chances of winning the hand regardless, which is your goal.

Redington · Dec 16,2004, 07:52 PM

Thanks for the Kudo's.

Your right the blind sched was VERY excessive, i didnt realize by that time we would have so many players.

I think that was the hand where I was happy I didn't call with AJ.

This is the way I looked at it;

10 of us, all around 10k and one stack at 50K. Why not let impatience take out some of the competition? You had 5 to go to the money. Action was assured and you had 4 orbits.

Why push with a coin flip against a monster stack? When the monster stack can call with any ace or king and have a great shot 50%, AND NO FEAR, And end your day?

Against a Huge stack 5x the table, he has been breaking people, he has confidence and he believes he is going to break you. 6k into 16K pot, with
big outs.

I just dont think the psychology is there for him to lay down, 4k raise said he had something and your hoping it was ak. Your set (represented) vs str draw, flush draw and over cards...Im sure he was thinking why not?

Once I realized the action people where willing to give him at the final table, I just hung around. Cowardly yes, but it made sense.

He did over play and call too much, that is how BB went form 10X lead to chopping even with second place.

I think there was more then just the move you tried to make.

pkrfce9 · Dec 16,2004, 08:52 PM

That guy laid a big hurt on me too. Only my turn I had the AK and he had a Q9o in the big blind. That boy does not like to give up his blind!

I think Tyson's analysis is sound. You had a few circuits left around the board. Better to go up against anyone else than him since you'd have more 'fold equity'. Any time he felt he had a decent chance of winning a hand, he'd stay in since he had no fear of going broke and I think he took great joy handing out bad beats. Who doesn't?

I'm ready for him on Saturday, though. I am going to take him out. Let me at him!