Been reviewing some of my late stage pre-bubble play and I'm wondering if you would consider these good stealing spots. If so, how much do you raise in the first two scenarios? These are from $3.25, 6-max STT turbos, with no significant info on villains.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (4 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG (t2775)
Hero (t1670)
SB (t2860)
BB (t1695)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 6, A.
UTG folds, Hero???


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (4 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

BB (t2775)
Hero (t1670)
Button (t2760)
SB (t1795)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q, K.
Hero ???


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t150 (4 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB (t1850)
Hero (t1670)
UTG (t4160)
Button (t1320)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 3, 3.
2 folds, SB completes, Hero???

Push on this last one?

3x, 3x, push

these arent steals really, these hands have a good chance to be ahead pf.

In hands 1 and 2 are you prepared to get it all in if played back at, or would you fold? I'm guessing fold both in the face of a reraise?

hand 1 I fold, dominated too often, hand 2 I play. If the bb was 200 on hand 2 Id push.

On a push though with KQc, why is this a call to a push and the A6o isn't? Isn't there the the chance we are dominated there as well?

There's a chance sure, just less of one. With A6, were getting screwed on 77-JJ for example, where were not in such bad shape holding KQ against those hands.

Also we're dominated by any Ax with x down to 7, but with KQ we're only dominated by AK, AQ and even those we have flush and straight possibilities against when we miss pairing the off card.

There may be less of a chance we're dominated, but also a very good chance we're behind with the KQs if he puts me all in. I'm raising from CO at a 4-handed table, which is less likely to look like a steal. If any of them put me all in I would have to credit them with a PP or decent Ace. Do I really want to call off the rest of my chips into a situation where I'm likely behind?

Youre getting about 7:4 odds and are about a 6:4 dog.

I have a lot of SNG experience and this is very standard to me. Cop beat me to it though. 3x 3x push. As he said, you are not reallt stealing w these hands. You probably have the best hand in all three hands. Here is an example of how to make a good steal in a SNG (if you are interested):

SNG. 6-max. non-turbo. 4-handed. $13. UTG and button seems to be pretty weak. You've played w SB though and he's a thinking player. He's not too crazy but makes a move every once in a while.

blinds. 75/150

UTG: 2100
Button: 2400
SB: 2200
Hero: 2300 (67s)

UTG calls, Button calls, SB raises 550, Hero push w 67s.

A weak raise from SB indicates that he's perhaps got a lil something but hopes to take it down pre. You know he's capable of making a move like this w complete air though. He may have a superstrong hand expecting you to steal and snap call you but lets not give him credit for such a fancy play. I think this is a very good spot to re-steal. The weak players (UTG, Button) see a raise and a re-raise all in and folds and SB may give you credit for a big hand and lay down a good hand himself, or give up his own steal attempt. If you've read the play wrong, and get one or two callers, you've still got a hand with some potential.

Wow, with 2 limpers in front and then a raise, I would never think about pushing there. Is this the kind of aggressive play I need to develop to take my game to the next level?

SNG strategy by collin moshman covers a lot of these situations really well.

KQs has a substantialy equity edge over someones shoving range compared to A6o.

His book seems to be hard to find in Canada. Doesn't even appear in a Chapters online search.

2+2 or gamblers book club.

Where in CA are you?

This, IMO, is incredibly spewtastic...If someone is willing to bloat a pot preflop OOP with a small raise after 2 players, they are typically going to have a pretty tight range..I would expect you to get looked up A TON here..Now if the button opens the pot and you have a similar read, and your one of the blinds, I like a resteal much much more because his range is a lot wider..That scenario I've just described is more of an example of selective preflop aggression, where as the one you have described is just reckless IMO

Toronto. Chapters online has a pretty decent selection of poker books, so I'm surprised they don't carry Moshman's book. Maybe I'll try Amazon.ca.

Overstock.com has it for $16

Thanks, never heard of overstock.com. They deliver to Canada?

Youre lucky...most annoying commericals on TV around Christmastime! dont know about Ca delivery...actually I never thought that was an issue anywhere....give it a try, or next time my boss goes back there Ill send it with him, lol. Or I'll mail it from Calgary in July!

well I can't say nothing but I'm very confident in what I say. This is how you play a SNG. And if you think the raiser has got a tight range you are wrong. And you won't be looked up a ton. I'd make a raise like that with pure bullshit. Every time I sense weakness, I'm there to punish you. The scenario you described is all cool. Very standard.

limp, limp, raise and youre going to push into 3 players with equal stacks? Giving SB nearly 2:1 odds? Thats insanity. Let the other players fight it out and cripple one of them.

Word.
My SB raising range there is soo tight..One that getting 2:1 on an all in almost always getting called

You might be able to get it from torrent sites.

[whistles innocently]

Limpers, as I defined as weak players, won't call. SB has to put in 1650 (all in) to win 2500, not really 2:1. What is his raising range? I'd say pretty wide if he's a creative player as I stated that he was. Any pair, every ace with a kicker better than an 7(ish), sometimes complete air (if he doesnt have no respect for the weak players and is confident that he can take the pot away from them on the flop), KJs, KQ suited or not, and every once in a while some suited connectors (which in SNG's with blinds this high has little value to limp with. Raise is often the way to go if you wanna enter a pot. With two limpers though, it's a different story I know. But still, if villains got a strong feeling for the so important pre flop play in SNG's, he will raise w suited connectors sometimes). So what is his calling range? From what I've learned I'd say A10 and better aces and 66>> or someting like that. But, a smallish raise like 550 indicates that he wanna take it down cheap, or get action. So it's more likely that he's got <<66 or KK>> than other pairs. So what does he think that I've got? I think he's gonna give me credit for a big hand and hate to call with AJs or something like that. And even if he does show up with AK id's still take it down 40 % of the time. I think you also underestimates the bubble consideration. Probably top two gets paid but I know for sure that many players slow down even four handed. No one wants to be crippled so lets mess with them a little bit.

Ummm....huh?