PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FCP)

MP2 (t1770)
MP3 (t1395)
CO (t2060)
Button (t1260)
SB (t860)
Hero (t1400)
UTG (t1680)
UTG+1 (t1785)
MP1 (t1290)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K , K .
5 folds, CO calls t30, Button calls t30, SB completes, Hero raises to t150, CO calls t120, Button calls t120, SB calls t120.

Flop: (t600) 6 , 8 , 3 (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets t240, CO raises to t1910, Button calls t1110 (All-In), SB folds, Hero???


My flop bet should have probably been much stronger than what it was. I mostly want to know if I'm an idiot for even taking time to think about this.

I would have bet more on the flop.. i dont like people drawing cheaply at me when i got a big pair. and no your not an idiot...

Oof, this is a tough spot in my opinion. 33, 66, 88 are easily in their range of hands, but so are overpairs (except the big ones probably, that would be a horrendous play even for this level) and even straight/flush draws.

I think Button's call makes it a fold, but I wouldn't be happy about it.

Agreed

Agree on both counts: 1) Bigger flop bet; 2) Button's call is a real problem. CO's push looks like a semi-bluff with a good draw, but Button's call screams set.

This early, I usually don't like to build the pot very big, even with a preemo hand like KK, you could argue for the strong pre flop raise to get the limpers out, I honestly wouldn't expect this much action with that large of a raise in the BB, but now the pot is almost unmanageable, people see all the chips and will get in with a lot less then the best hand here, Usually I like to bet at least half the pot heads up, and maybe 3/4ths with this many people, but then we're pot committed. This is a tough spot, I'd probably call and hope they're all idiots, and when you run into a set gg me.

Leading the flop for 450 doesn't commit Hero, it leaves him with about 800 behind.

From a pot odds perspective, Hero is getting only slightly better than 1-1 at this point (roughly 3400 into a 3600 pot) and with CO and Button both committing their stacks to the hand I think it is very safe to say that Hero is much worse than 1-1 here.

*Edit: Sorry, my odds calculation is off because CO won't be committing all 1910 of his chips and Hero only has 1400 to start. The pot at this point is actually about 2800 and Hero would have to put in about 900 to call, which is about 3-1. Is Hero better than 3-1 at this point?

step 1) grumble
step 2) fold
step 3) realize you're in a $5 tourney and you're better than these guys (donkeys) and with the BB only at 30 you have plenty of time to set a trap later and still have a good shot to win the damn thing.

I think you're up against 7h9h from the CO and a set on the button... (crazy shot in the dark there) but here's why... at this level people like to slow play their sets. but they cream themselves w/ a straight flush draw and almost break the mouse trying to get all the chips in...

If the blinds were higher (say up to 100-200) you just gotta suck it up and call... but even with blinds at 50-100 i'd still consider laying this down and waiting...

QFT, you can always out play them later. I wasn't really thinking when I said you'd be commited with a bigger flop bet. You can get your money in better then this later, so fold, and grumble if you had them beat, and laugh when they somehow catch up anyway.

exactly... don't know how many times i've laid something down "*$%!, I was ahead!!!, I should've called!" and then they hit their suckout card that would've busted me and i end up going on to win the tourney...

This is exactly what I did. I figured at least the button had to have me beat for sure. I was horrified to see that the CO shoved it in with T8o and the button called with A6o. I guess maybe the CO was trying to push everyone out, and the button figured he didn't have a lot of chips left so just shoved them in as well. I really have no idea what either one of them was doing.

It's hands like this that make me question why I practice and try and get better by reading books, forums, etc. Obviously the practice and patience pays off later when people who make plays like this end up giving you their chips eventually though.




This should be on a fortune cookie or maybe one of those stress balls or something.

What you have to take to heart is that you made the correct play. The correct play in the face of the evidence was to lay it down. With the huge overbet and call someone probably had you beat. This time they just happened to be donkies, but i think at least 3/4's of the time you see this same situation you're going to be behind.

I ran the numbers through cardplayer... you're 62% to win if neither player has a heart... if either of them has a heart then you're only 57%...