This is just a example of some Semi bluff situations I have been running into and just dont know what to do.

5 players left in the tournament.
Chip leader to my left with 6,500 in chips
Im in second with 5,000 chips.
other stacks 3,500, 2200, 1200
Blinds 100-200
Top 3 pays

Everyone folds to me I raise to 600 on the button with 9s,9c
Small blind(chip leader calls)
BB folds.

Flop coms 9d,2h,6h

Small blind bets out 800

Seeing the flush draw on the board and seeing this guy play I figure he is semi bluffing with a flush draw.

I reraise to 1,600

He pushes all in.

Now for me this isnt a easy call. This is the only guy that can take me out of the tournament and put me out of the money. If he hits his heart I cant beat his hand unless the board pairs. Is this a situation where even though I have allot of my chips in the pot and at the moment I have the best hand I fold since he has good odds on hitting the flush and knocking me out? I still have almost 20BB left to pick on a smaller stack. What should I do?

As far as terminology goes, I'll quickly correct you. The first to put money in the pot post-flop is a "bet." Second, it's a "raise." Third is then a "re-raise." You "raised" on the flop, you didn't "re-raise."

Second, stop with the minimum raising business. You aren't going to force any flush draw out of the pot making such a tiny raise, and you are giving him proper odds to chase if he does have a flush draw. Pop it back like 3000ish. The rest of your chips should be going in on the turn if he smooth calls.

And no, there is no argument for folding here at all. You can't fold a hand for fear of being outdrawn. You want to be a favorite, not the underdog in a hand remember?

If he has a flush draw, he has 8 outs at best (the 9 of hearts would give you quads), and he also needs to avoid having the board pair.

I suppose you got outdrawn and are second guessing yourself, STOP THAT! Result-oriented thinking will get you in trouble when learning to play this game. Like I already said, there is NO argument for folding top set here. Unless of course, you want to lose this awesome chance to double up and be a force in the tourney in exchange for putting yourself in a position to try and slide into the money. Don't slide weakly into the money, you have a great hand and opportunity, take it.

Thanks for the advice. sorry about the terminology. I figured folding was really not a choice here. But I know sometimes you need to look at all the possibilities and have heard that sometimes laying down the best hand in order to advance in a tournament is the thing to do. Cant remember where I heard that though hope i dont find that site again. Thanks again for your help. :-)

a) Call....considering you have the nuts

dont raise from 800 to 1600.....you practically giving him odds to call with the draw

But I know sometimes you need to look at all the possibilities and have heard that sometimes laying down the best hand in order to advance in a tournament is the thing to do.

There are situations where you may lay down what you believe is the best hand in a tourney, but this isn't one of them. Not even close.

Times when you look to fold are is when you have marginal edges. NOT when you hold the nuts on the flop. There's a difference between smart/conservative tournament strategy and weak strategy. Folding here would clearly cross that line.

I'm not saying this is the correct way to play that hand, but I would have raised all-in after the flop, to hopefully deter any flush chasers away. If they call, even better as you have the best hand right now and according to the math win more times than you will lose in that situation. Your small raise only increased the pot odds should they be going for the straight, and can be construed as a weak attempt to steal that pot by many players in small stakes SNG's. Never consider folding with the nuts in that situation...unless we are playing against each other, in which case you should fold to my bets/raises every time, as I always have the best hand possible... :wink: