First Hand

O.K.

I was in a $10 MTT the other day. It was the first hand. And I'm on the button. The 3rd player to act goes All in! I have QQ. What do I do here? I called and lost, I was favorite in the hand (58%) but should I risk ALL my money there, when I can probably outplay most of the field? He had A-K and hit a Ace on the turn. So my question is this: Should I have laid that down? What pocket pair do you consider laying down here? In this circumstance when there is no "read" available, what do you do? Do you call with 9-9? Certainly with Kings and Aces right? I see a TON of players playing A-K all in early and I see a lot of em win, like in this case.

I think it was McEvoy or TJ Cloutier that said that the only hand worth going out on early in a big tournament is AA. In this instance that seems to hold true. Not that you're playing the WSOP but you get the idea.

You've answered your own question though in that you thought you could outplay most of the field anyway.

Still though, it's not an easy fold.

The main thing I would look at is if he has an overpair to yours you're a big dog. If, as he did, have AK your talking about a coin flip; are you willing to risk your whole stack early on a coin flip. If he has Ax with x being less than your queen then it's 60-40.

Since you didn't have to commit any chips to the pot, I'd fold... it wouldn't be easy, but I think early on when you don't have a read you live to fight another hand.

I think it's a good call. It's only the first hand of the tourney and you can go and start another one if you lose, but if you win you've doubled up immediately. Here you were the favourite, and much of the time when people go all-in pre-flop (in my experience) they have something like TT, JJ, or even 77, which can easily be outdrawn.

True, but as you noted, most of their advice applies to big buy-in MTTs which involve world class players.
I think your call was fine, Sammy - If you double up here, it's a huge advantage for you already, and you'll have enough room to take a few gambles early on to build a solid stack.

As strange as it sounds (with it being so close to QQ), I think I cut the line at JJ for all ins; for whatever reason it's just not an all in pocket pair for me...

Another thing to consider is whether this is a rebuy or a freezout. You didn't mention, but I think had it been a rebuy, you wouldn't be posting this question - in a rebuy this is a %100 call, but in a freezout it's a little different.

Right now I'd say fold QQ in a situation like that, but if it was me playing i doubt that I would be able to in the heat of the moment =P

Okay, I think that QQ on the first hand of the tourney for me is an all in. Same with KK and AA. Probably not with JJ or lower, but JJ would likely depend on the situation. Definitely not with unpaired cards.

I'd type more and explain my rationale, but I'm tired.

What a tough position. It would be a tough lay down but it probably is the right play. There isnt a need to call here if you think you can out play most of the field anyway. Since it was a buyin tourney you have to think the guy had a pretty good hand and that your Qs might not hold up. Either way it isnt risky the tourney on the first hand. It is tough but also think about this, he could have had Ks or Aces so you definitely would have been in trouble. I think it is best not to risk all your chips unless you have Aces on the first hand.

In different situations, I've gone all in with less and won. and also lost. Later on in the tourny you could better tell if its a desperation move, or the table chip leader pushing his weight around. If 10 bucks was the extent of my bankroll at that site I probably wouldn't have done it. If it was a re-buy and I had the required amount of money to get into a re-buy/ add on , then I would have for sure. I think it was a worthwhile risk anyway. I think an early chip advantage helps an aweful lot, but thats just pushy old me. Without having a note on the guy, and the prevelance of fishes early on in the tourny its worthwhile. But also I have to say that for me,, I want to get an early advantage so that I dont have to sit there for the next couple of hours struggling against bigger stacks, and folding some marginally good hands that I might otherwise push with. I think it was a good call. Yes theres AA KK, and theres also another game in twenty minutes, and even if its a 50 / 50 coin flip its a good risk from my perspective. So Then i actually can mow that peice of lawn i put off in the first place.

First hand all you know for sure is strength of your pockets. Good call.

First hand with pocket QQ my money would be in the pot without blinking an eye,, there were few hands that could beat you Pre-Flop, the guy got lucky and got an Ace, if he didnt you would be in great shape, i say its a good call>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> buck

easy fold

if you can outplay them (and know it for sure), or if it is early in the tourney.. lay it down. cash game, call

Why?

What in particular makes you say it's 'easy'?

(re: OP, I call with AA-QQ and maybe AKs against an unknown here)

I've found that some players like to push all in at the start of a mtt rather play for hours and not ever double their stacks. I avoid the first few hands because of this and try to let the crazies bet themselves out. QQ would be good enough to beat most, but AK seems to draw the poke-n-hopers out of the woodwork. later...

I agree whit what a lot of the guys have said.

If it had been a WSOP day 1 1st hand the chances are the guy would not have gone all in with AK. So, the nature of the beast to me is to call.

Like Chuck said, this early in a tourney I would go all -in or call with AA, KK, QQ, AK - in my humble opinion u would have to be very unlucky to be behind when you put all your chips in with the above hands.

Having said that, I have been pushed or gone all in first hand of a torney with AA and lost.

My opinion on poker is simple with the view to going all in. If, at the point of chancing your money, u r ahead (even only 51%) it was a good call.If u r behind when u go all in and hit - great. If u r behind and u lose it was a bad call!!!

Having said that, I have only been playing for 6 months!!!

Good luck


Ronaldadio

well, think about it, wutz the pot odds here? if he's all-in, u kno he has at least one over-card on you, i don't think itz worth it
also, i've neva understood y people go all-in first hand...i mean what exactly are they tryin to accomplish? steal a 15 chip blind? sooo not worth it