Stupid Stupid Play on The Bubble

Ok, heres what I really want to know- Exactly how stupid was I here?

This was a small sitngo. I went out 6th, one before the money. I don't know what got into me. The next person to go out ITM was blinded out! Can't stop kicking myself!!!!
What do ya'll think of the play?

I know in some people's opinion A-8 suited weren't good card in my situation. But they should know that there were 7 remaining, I was fourth in chips with 4500. Top 3 Chips leader had 9500, 8400, 7800. So if I was going to last long, I felt I had to seem some cards. These were the first in a long while worth calling.

The obvious mistake is that I shoulda checked the river, b/c she gave me that option. Except she was trapping and I walked right in.

Here's ther hand:
Player 6 has 9500. I have 4500 or so.



player1 Posts SB 100.00
player 2 All In 135.00
Player 3 Calls 200.00
Player 4 Folds
Player 5 Folds
EllaGraceJ Calls 200.00
Player 6 Calls 200.00
Player 7 Folds
Flop dealt:
Player 6 Checks
EllaGraceJ Checks
Player 3 Checks
Turn dealt:

Player 6 Bets 200.00
EllaGraceJ Raised to 400.00
Player 3 Calls 400.00
Player 6 Calls 200.00

River dealt:

Player 6 Checks
EllaGraceJ All In 3561.00
Player 3 Folds
Player 6 Calls 3561.00
EllaGraceJ Shows
Player 6 Shows
EllaGraceJ Out
Player 3 Out

Player 6 Won 8517.00 from pot 2 with Three of a Kind Sevens
Player 6 Won 640.00 from pot 1 with Three of a Kind Sevens

Your play was fine, no way to know you were toast on the flop. However, why did you think it was necessary to bet so out of proportion. You had a good hand, and all the cards were out. A smaller, 'value' bet would have saved you here if villain decided to come over the top (likely), or if villain, aware of the situation, decided to merely call. With ICM considerations you fold to the over the top bet, and only lose some if villain calls.

I know, I know.. thats what I can't stop telling myself!

IMO i think you should have been more aggressive preflop and raised i dont think limping in here was a good idea. Use some of those chips to your advantage push people around some. I the flop raise should have been bigger also around 3x just to see where you stand and than the all in should have been a check or 1/3 - 1/2 pot bet depending on what you think he has.

Some very good advice so far. I would more than likely not have played that hand to begin with and just let em fight, but that's just me. Keep trying...........

Tough hand, but in hindsight, it's easy to see that you could have avoided the hand entirely. The BB was all-in for 135, and there was already a caller in front of you, which meant you were limping in to play for a measly side pot. Not the best of situations to play a drawing hand like A8s.

the best thing to do is quit kicking yourself about it, your play wasn't extremely horrible, you learn from your mistakes and take what you learned into the next game. Untill you are unstoppable!

I agree with PokerVic--should have avoided the hand since you were on the bubble and there was a caller ahead of you.At the time I bet you loved the flop---just not as much as player 6..... We all kick ourselves from time to time---but we can't win em all.

your play was not horrible but your river bet was excessive. theres always tommorow and poker will always be around lets not play like its the last game ever

I agree that limping in was the problem, however, if the 7's had called you would've been toast anyways, it was either a raise preflop or a fold...

Thanks for all the replies. I have realized that I tend to push all in when I think I have the best of it and feel the need to double up. Then i am blindsided when a hand I haven't even contemplated knocks me out. Usually this is a calling station on a draw, but this time stung b/c I was beat at the flop and completely unaware.

I need to learn how unneccesary, (and am beginning to see it through posting my hands) it is to push all in at the river. Better to value bet and still have some chips left if I am caught in such a situation again.

the key to bubble play i think is not building pots up ... play smallball...if someone comes over the top of you...be submissive ...yes they may be bluffing...but if you build the pot up you make the decision to fold even tougher on the river ....and by betting small you increase the odds that a dominating opponent will value bet and not put you all in...so you lose a chunk of your stack .. but not the tournament.

I've done the same, going out on the bubble in a couple of freeroll tournaments with 500 players....
Instead of staying calm and wait, I called both times an allin with AQs and AJs, and went home beaten by a 777 and a 33322.... I just wanted to bite my hands.
I must always deal with panic when I get to the bubble or ITM, and often I do something stupid. I still have a lot to learn.
Bye, Arian

this is exactly the kind of flop that allows a large # of starting hands to stay in. everyone thinks they have the best hand so they all keep calling down to the river. your play wasn't bad, but if you were serious about playing this hand you probably should have been more aggressive preflop to get most of the other guys out. all in all, you still would have lost this hand. thats poker. some hands you just can't get away form.