Hero is attempting to play tight aggressive.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

UTG+1 (t760)
MP1 (t1370)
MP2 (t1500)
MP3 (t1440)
CO (t1500)
Button (t1500)
SB (t1480)
Hero (t1500)
UTG (t2450)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
6 folds, Button raises to t80, 1 fold, Hero raises to t220, Button folds.

Final Pot: t170

Standard? I figure, I am ahead of a button raiser's range and I am still deep enough. After this I figure the button is raising quite light in LP and is also aggressive.

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

UTG+1 (t610)
MP1 (t940)
MP2 (t1425)
MP3 (t1500)
CO (t1440)
Button (t1635)
SB (t1965)
Hero (t1570)
UTG (t2415)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
6 folds, Button calls t30, 1 fold, Hero checks.

Flop: (t75) , , (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks.

Turn: (t75) (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets t90, Hero raises to t240, Button calls t150.

River: (t555) (2 players)
Hero bets t300, Button folds.

Final Pot: t555

The button limps this time, I don't credit him with much of a hand. I also think he may be afraid of raising weaker hands on my big blind now since he got reraised last time. I expect him to still play aggressively though.

I check the flop with a momentary pause, and after he checks behind I purposefully "hesitate" before checking the turn. He overbets the pot, and I suspect that he cannot have a queen since he would have most likely bet the flop with it. I suspect that he has picked up a flush draw and decide since my hand is quite possibly the best I will check raise and lead any non-space river, providing he doesn't stick another raise in on the turn.

When he calls and doesn't reraise I feel confident in my read that he is on a draw and lead the river.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB (t635)
BB (t940)
UTG (t1425)
UTG+1 (t1500)
MP1 (t1440)
MP2 (t1440)
MP3 (t1950)
Hero (t1830)
Button (t2340)

Preflop: Hero is CO with K, A.
3 folds, MP2 raises to t200, 1 fold, Hero raises to t1830, 3 folds, MP2 calls t1240 (All-In).

Flop: (t3345) 4, Q, 9 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: (t3345) 3 (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: (t3345) 5 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: t2955

Same guy again, and this hand occured about 3 hands after the one I posted above. I know he is raising more hands than anyone else at the table, I also know he is likely to call me with some weaker holdings like AT/AJ since I have been bullying him pretty much the entire time. I also think I have him covered so even if I lose I still have some small chance in the tournament.

Is this okay?


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

MP2 (t735)
MP3 (t865)
CO (t1350)
Button (t1425)
SB (t1390)
BB (t3055)
UTG (t1950)
Hero (t390)
MP1 (t2340)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with , .
1 fold, Hero raises to t390, 1 fold, MP2 calls t390, 4 folds, BB raises to t1111, MP2 calls t345 (All-In).

Final Pot: t2261

After losing the previous hand, I am left pretty short. This has to be 100% standard.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

BB (t1425)
UTG (t1365)
MP (t5475)
CO (t1800)
Hero (t1195)
SB (t2240)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
1 fold, MP raises to t600, 1 fold, Hero raises to t1195, 2 folds, MP calls t595.

Final Pot: t2540

Did I overplay my hand here? This is the same guy again, a few hands ago I saw him come over the top of a shortstack all in with AQo, now he is raising heavy on another shortie. Given the ridiculous size of his raise I thought I might be behind his range but I shoved anyway.

I lost on this hand and went out in 6th.

Thoughts?

AQ hand: Im just calling with the AQ, and check/folding when I miss, no need to go crazy at the 10/20 level, you need your chips.

T4 hand: I think im just calling behind on the turn, I dont like getting cute this early.

AQ hand #2: yes, easy shove

99 hand: Ugh this is rly close. I dont think either play is a mistake, as its all dependent on what you think his range is. 44+,A8o+, A4s+, KJs+ you call. If you think hes tighter you fold.

I don't think any of these are bad plays, and you make some sensible reads during the 104 hand. Now, if you are crushing these sngs, please ignore any advice I give.

If you are losing in 9-6 place a lot, you need to play tighter and a bit more patient.

I can't say I never reraise in that spot with AQ. You have bad position and it's much easier just to take down the pot preflop. But calling and folding if you miss is a safer route this early in a sng. I even fold here sometimes:) The blinds/pot are too small for me to really care about, I'm out of position and there's still a lot of opponents left.

I'm for calling/folding/raising. Really, none of these plays are terrible. Sngs are about survival. Although rare, you can cash in a sng without playing a singe hand. The same can not be said for a mtt or a cash game.

In the early stages of a sng, do not be tempted to go out of your way to outplay/bully your competition.

With the 104 hand, I think you did a good job of playing the board. Just make sure you continue to be careful on which boards/opponents to bluff.

I either go for the play you made or fold the turn. Usually, I just fold the turn. I'm never calling.

Allin with 9s? Considering our chip stack and the turbo blinds, I think it's an allin. We could be up against Ax, KQs, maybe 8s and then a bunch of stuff we don't want to see. Hopefully, I have a good read. I can fold this some of the time, but not likely.

Thanks for the replies guys, while reading them over I noticed that I pasted the 10-4 hand in twice but had descriptions for another hand. I just edited it in and I would like to get a few replies for that one as well.

Hand one: I think not re-raising is just plain bad here.

Hand two: Interesting, i don't play it this way and i'm not sure what the best way to play it is.

Hand three: I play it the same

Hand four: No need to even contemplate thinking of a diferent move.

Hand five: Confusing raise size, but i think shoving is fine here.

1, 3, 4: Standard.
Hand 5 (the 99) is close. I don't think it's a big mistake either way, but I probably fold it.


Hand 2:
I lead the flop most of the time. It's a small pot, just take it down. I don't hate checking though.
The turn is interesting. I like your line. You have the best hand 95% of the time, and you should have outs if you're behind. I can make good arguments for both leading and for check/calling as well.
On the river, why are you betting? You probably have the best hand, but he's rarely folding better and he's never calling with worse. This is a blatant check/call imo.

Good point, I should not be leading this river at all. =/

"Why do we bet? To get better hands to fold or worse hands to call."

I agree with all this... Your aggression with the AQ, T4 worked, but success in low limit turbo SNGs is all about surviving until the end and pushing/calling correctly when the shoving begins. Winning a small pot early on really isn't very important at all... For the most part just play your monsters strong and try to get paid off early in a SNG, and don't get too tricky.

All that said, none of your plays were bad and it's ok to be creative now and then early in a SNG, if you are really confident in your read; just be careful you aren't doing it too much though.

The only thing I really question was the T4 300 bet on the river... I probably just check/call there. Good chance he was chasing spades so checking could induce a bluff, and you probably aren't going to get a 7 to fold at these stakes.

reraising with AQ in that first hand is pretty risque. I'd just fold it or smooth his raise. All the other hands other than your 104 seem standard.

Folding AQ there would be super nitty.

AQ also sucks OOP without the betting lead, so I don't like the prospect of calling and check/folding the 2/3 of the time we miss. Reraising here wins the pot I'd say over 70% of the time.

You'd be suprised...

Also if you're going to be re-raising, please make it 3x. Im actually surprised that the guy didnt call you. I had trouble getting them to fold even to my 3x re-raise lol