PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB (t1440)
BB (t2090)
UTG (t1390)
Hero (t1470)
CO (t1580)
Button (t1030)

Preflop: Hero is MP with A, Q.
UTG calls t20, Hero raises to t60, CO calls t60, 2 folds, BB calls t40, UTG calls t40.

Flop: (t250) 9, 5, A (4 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets t100, CO raises to t240, BB folds, UTG folds, Hero calls t140.

Turn: (t730) 7 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets t300, Hero calls t300.

River: (t1330) K (2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks.

Final Pot: t1330

I have no idea what to do after the CO raises my flop bet. Should I fold this there?

I usually re-raise big on the flop there. If he has a set then fine...but you will see AJ, A10, etc waaaay too often to fold.

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

Hero (t1720)
BB (t1015)
UTG (t5270)
Button (t995)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J, K.
2 folds, Hero raises to t200, BB calls t100.

Flop: (t450) A, J, 8 (2 players)
Hero bets t250, BB raises to t815, Hero calls t565.

Turn: (t2080) 6 (2 players)

River: (t2080) 2 (2 players)

Final Pot: t2080

What about this hand? Am I wrong in thinking that an ace would have shoved pf?

1) raise a bit bigger PF

2) bigger flop lead

I'm not so sure about the big flop reraise. As a general rule I think you want to avoid going broke with TP in the very early stages of a SnG. I actually don't think your small-ball approach here is terrible.

*Edit: This is in response to the first hand posted

Here is how I play it: 3xbb as you did pre. Make a larger c-bet. There's 240 in the pot. 100 is a bit small. I like 200 better. Sends the message that ur talking bussiness and makes it harder to stick around with a naked FD + he's holding a weaker ace here pretty often. If he calls I might slow down or make another bet depending on how I feel about the situation then and there.

I would just limp behind UTG at this stage, or raise to 100, raising to 60 isn't good beause it just create messy situations like the one you found yourself in, in the early stages of a SNG you want to minimize your risk and try not to get into big pots unless you're very sure of your hand. I think you played post flop ok though.



This is a really easy shove PF

As played, I still bet more on the flop, like 200. But I probably limp along so the pot's a whole lot smaller. Or I raise more preflop. Usually I limp along. Sometime I'll fold, although that's harder to do six handed. You got options, but don't do what you did and create a bigger pot without at least getting it heads up.

When you play hands early in a sng, ideally you want :

Premium hands
Position
Bet first in
Be hu

If you have none of these things, you should probably fold.

Shoving second hand is probably best, raising to 250-300 preflop is okay too. I don't like min raising here.

After flop, you're in a tough spot. Probably be easier had you raised more or just shoved.

Does he have an ace? Well, maybe a weak one. He's been given the option to see a cheap flop. With A8-, he might elect to see that flop, with position, folding if the flop is horrible, and grabbing some extra chips if he makes a pair.

He'd be more likely to shove an ace here if there wasn't another short stack.

He could also have JT, J8...
But again, with the other short stack, I wouldn't expect this to be a bluff ever. Should be J or ace.

raise more PF, minimum 80, 100-120 is better as UTG and UTG+1. You want to shut out the rest of the table.

Other than that I think you played it ok. Theres argument for a probe re-raise on the flop, or a lead to the blank turn card, but getting to a very cheap showdown cant be that bad here.


Oh, theres a second hand....An A usually will push PF, but the problem is youve raised PF and led the flop, against an easily committed stack. Aces are definitely in your range, and if he doesnt have a hand he's being awfully suicidal. I fold and if he outplayed me, no great harm to my stack. However, you probably opened the door to this with a minraise PF. Against his stack just go ahead and shove, youre way ahead of his range, and if he calls you probably arent worse than 58:42 or so.

whoa! you guys limp aq after a limper at a 6max table?

please tell me i misread something.