Hi guys,

I was hoping to get some feedback on this hand I played.

It's early in a one table Sng on Pokerstars. Blinds still at the first level. I've been sitting back (maybe played one hand).

Bear with me - I'm using that new tool for the first time so I hope it comes out looking OK.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (8 handed) converter

SB (t1560)
BB (t1490)
UTG (t1530)
UTG+1 (t1500)
MP1 (t3000)
MP2 (t1500)
Hero (t1450)
Button (t1470)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9:club:, A:club:.
UTG calls t20, [color:#666666]1 fold[/color].


-> First off, I don't particularly like A9 suited. I had been sitting too long and wanted to play a hand and see a flop for cheap. I also like playing the position.


Flop: (t120) 9:diamond:, J:club:, Q:club: [color:#0000FF](5 players)[/color]
SB checks, UTG checks, [color:#CC3333]MP1 bets t60[/color], Hero calls t60, Button calls t60, SB folds, UTG folds.

I've got low pair and an Ace high flush draw. A lot of people would raise here, but I thought that play would be too predictable. I put MP1 on a pair of Queens and didn't want to get played back at right away. I also didn't know how the button and SB+UTG would react if I raised.



Turn: (t300) 6:club: [color:#0000FF](3 players)[/color]
[color:#CC3333]MP1 bets t120[/color], Hero calls t120, Button calls t120.


3 players, I'm stuck in the middle and I currently have the nut flush. (Str flush can appear on the river).

I think MP1 is trying to buy the pot and a raise will scare him off. I also want button to tag along, so I just call.


River: (t660) Q:diamond: [color:#0000FF](3 players)[/color]
[color:#CC3333]MP1 bets t100[/color], MP1 folds, Hero calls t1050 (All-In).

Now I'm a little worried. MP1 bets less than flop and turn, so I figure I have him beat. Button kept calling and he had only played one hand before all of this so I didn't have much feel on him. Now I'm hoping he had the queen and was playing the top pair all the way through and thought he got lucky with trips.

What I'm really worried about is he slow played his flopped set, got worried with the flush turn, and rivered his boat (or made quads).

But 2 things: 1) He raised all in VERY quickly.
2) If he did have the boat, wouldn't he try to sell his hand and hope for a caller rather than an all-in scare?


Final Pot: t3280



I won the pot and knocked him out. He had flopped the straight. But I'm not sure if I made the right call that early in the tournament.


Your thoughts?

no SF possible. I would be worried about the all in for sure, the board paired and he could have been trying to slowplay two pair, then got worried about the flush.

Preflop: Raise to 60 or 80.
Flop: Calling here is ok. I think raising does set you up for a reraise.
Turn: WAY too cute here. I reraise at least the size of the pot (with MP1's bet included). Get your chips in while you have the best hand.
River: Why on earth didn't you push? I'd call and hope like hell I didn't slowplay myself into a lost pot...but I would have never waited that long to get my chips in the middle.


Two extra thoughts:
1. Use the "Bet the Pot" format for the hand converter.
2. Don't post the results right away.

This situation is very similar to the one I posted the other day, except you have the nut flush as opposed to my good flush. I was told that in my posting it was an easy call (except from Smash), so I believe this one is even easier as your flush is much better than mine was. Works out that your scenario was a win, while mine was a loss :cry:

Two big differences:
1. You were leading out all the way.
2. You never hand the nuts at any street.

I was saying it was played the same, just that the situation was similar.

So, if it was me in the scenario you have described, I would play it very close to how I played it in mine.

Thanks for the feedback.

Preflop - I think I like to mix it up here. Sometimes I raise it when it's folded to me and just the blinds are in. Other times, I like to go in for cheap because A-9 is a hand that I don't become too attached to and can release.

Flop action - agreed. My sentiments exactly.

Turn action - essentially, no need to slow play the nuts (unless you're unbeatable on the river). You're saying "I've got the best hand and am committed to it).

River action - agreed - the re-raise was a little too weak. Good thing it did work out.

Came in 2nd in that particular sng. The one play that saved me was laying down a set of 9s to a flush.

If I suspect a set is out there against me, I want to punish it hard on the turn with the nut flush. I'm going to make him pay a heavy price to draw to his 10 outs. This assumes that I've built the pot along the way, of course.

Raise PF.
Raise the pot on the flop.
Raise the pot on the turn.
Push on the river.