Deep run miniftops #20

[Dennis]

Played pretty ok. Got to 148 of 9600. Just trying to get deeper.
In particular I would like to see your thoughts on the last hand. After you comment I will post my thoughts on this hand. I really thought hard about it at the time. And I was almost right.

www.pokerxfactor.com/HA208660/48478_20091228_183718/48478

dennis

[huge]

Hey Dennis - I'm working through your hand history, and will post when I get half-way through or so.

You should set up an account on the forums here ... I'm guessing that the forum server won't let you post a clickable link because you're posting as a guest. Also if you register an account you can subscribe to threads so that you'll know when someone replies.

Nothing wrong with your shove on the last hand - I can't imagine anyone faulting you for that. You might easily get called by a weaker Ace who thinks you're "just squeezing", and there's no reason to put either opponent on a big hand.

[huge]

I got half-way through this tournament before you posted it here, and then I just forgot to post my notes. I'd better post what I've got before I forget again. Hopefully I'll get back to working through it soon...



1: I think I like taking a stab at this on the flop rather than on the turn, because you have both more fold equity and more pot equity on the flop. Once the Ace comes on the turn (bringing another flush draw) I don’t know if the bet is profitable.

12: I’d like a little larger preflop raise after two limpers, especially because you’re in the cutoff – give the button just a little extra incentive to fold.

14: This is more important later when the blinds get higher, but I think you might as well go with a lower opening raise than 3x – 75-80 chips gets almost as many folds as 90, and saves you a bit when you have to fold to a 3-bet. If you “spend” 75 every time you try to steal 45 chips you don’t have to be successful as often to be profitable, plus you end up playing smaller pots when you get called, which is generally a good thing. I realize this is a matter of personal taste and lots of very good players go with 3x early in a tournament and then adjust downwards when blinds get bigger.

21: I’d probably open here, but no big deal.

37: At least worth considering taking a stab on the flop here.

51: Your line is fine, but I might just check the river … three possible ways you can gain: (A) you induce a bluff, (B) you save money if he’s slowplaying a king, (C) you keep him from bluff-raising you off the best hand. Obviously you can gain by betting too, but I think I like checking better.

53: By now I *really* like a smaller opening raise size. At 30-60 I’m usually opening to 144.

68: Nice result, but it’s probably better to just fold pre-flop – JTs with those stacks out of position is not going to play very well postflop. As played I think a smaller bet on the river might be a little more likely to get you some action – I think you need to bet so small that he might look you up with Ace-high.

77: reminiscent of hand 1. Again I think I like stabbing on the flop with the flush draw rather than the turn. Your turn bet just feels weird – if you had a big hand you’d likely go for the checkraise, so it’s easy for him to think his bottom pair might be good, and the four gives any Ace a gutshot … just not much fold equity. Actually a checkraise semi bluff on the turn could be interesting.

86: HEY!! That’s *MY* signature move.

88: I probably limp along here with 53s, or even raise if the limper is weak/loose. Look how well you would have hit the flop and turn … oh, oops, I guess you would have been drawing pretty thin … well, actually you raise the crap out of the flop, the guy with the big draw calls and the Q3 folds and you win a big pot … easy game.

94: I’m tempted to just shove the flop – it might seem excessive but there are so many cards on the turn that will make you hurl, and if you’re not folding to a raise, might as well just stick it in. I don’t know – either way is fine I guess.

95: Again I’d probably stab at this on the flop.

97: OK I’m only watching a few hands in the replayer and even *I’M* getting sick of this guy’s limping! I say raise his ass with your A8 – make it 777 and watch him fold like a little girl.

105: Be careful that you’re not telegraphing the strength of your hand with the small raise over limpers – maybe not that much of an issue in miniFTOPS but if your opponents are observant it could cause problems. (I’m not careful enough about this myself)

107: With your stack I’d raise A2s here – put a lot of pressure on the limper and 3 of the stacks behind you are so short that if they shove you’re OK to play with them.

117: This seems weak but I don’t know what the best alternative is. I think when he fails to C-bet you just have to take it away on the flop … I mean what can he have? By not betting the flop you potentially put yourself in an ugly situation on the turn if he fires, but if you bet the flop and he calls or raises you can happily give up (or take a free card on the turn and suckout on the river).

148: I would just shove preflop here when the SB completes. Especially because UTG is all-in for the ante and you’re going to show down your hand. By shoving you send a message to the SB and the table that if they play weakly into your big stack you’ll put their tournament on the line, and that when you do that you’ll have a legit hand … if they’re smart they’ll realize that those messages can’t both be true, but they’re probably not that smart. If you don’t want to shove pre I guess you could 3x raise, but I think you have to call if he shoves. As played I think you could bet the flop, but I guess checking behind is OK. Be aware that from what I’ve seen, when you flop a draw you always check the flop and take a stab on the turn when you miss.

149: Even with that crappiest of hands, with your stack and antes in play I would never give a walk. I would probably complete and then min-bet almost any flop (ala hand 86) or raise if I think the BB is tight.

158: OK now you’re down to a nice small raise size.

164: Again I think a raise pre is in order here – I understand that by checking you disguise the strength of your hand and if you hit an Ace on the flop you might stack him because he doesn’t believe you could have an Ace, but I think putting pressure on the SB when you’re confident you have the best hand is a worthier goal.


more later...