$Freeroll NLHE MTT: pocket KK, 4way postlop action. Did I under value my set prior to the turn?

$Freeroll NLHE MTT: pocket KK, 4way postlop action. Did I under value my set prior to the turn?

In this session, I just minimum raise preflop due to positional disadvantage and it's still an early stage.

I have hit a set in the flop but since there are too many limpers, I just minimum raise again.

So my question is, did I under value my preflop and post-flop plays? Have I played it too cautiously, considering the all-in trend in PSO league?


Poker Stars Freeroll No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t30/t60 Blinds - 9 players - View hand 3014690

UTG: t3510 58.50 BBs
Hero (UTG+1): t2880 48 BBs
UTG+2: t4180 69.67 BBs
MP1: t1290 21.50 BBs
MP2: t6890 114.83 BBs
CO: t4380 73 BBs
BTN: t1050 17.50 BBs
SB: t2920 48.67 BBs
BB: t2030 33.83 BBs

Pre Flop: (t90) Hero is UTG+1 with
UTG calls t60, Hero raises to t180, 3 folds, CO calls t180, 1 fold, SB calls t150, BB calls t120, UTG calls t120

Flop: (t900) (5 players)
SB bets t60, BB calls t60, UTG calls t60, Hero raises to t180, CO calls t180, SB calls t120, BB calls t120, UTG folds

Turn: (t1680) (4 players)
SB bets t2560 all in, BB calls t1670 all in, Hero folds, CO calls t2560

River: (t8470) (3 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: t8470

Final Cards:
CO shows (a straight, Ten to Ace)
SB shows (two pair, Aces and Deuces)
BB shows (a flush, Ace high)
CO wins t1780
BB wins t6690

Your flop/turn sizing are way too small. I'm making it 4bb here pre and if the table is very loose, I'm making it 5bb.

Flop I'm making it 800. You do have a set, however you are 4ways and need to be looking to extract value. Not really sure what you plan to accomplish by raising so small here.

Thanks for evaluating my play trent. Pre and post flop is something i need to improve.

Preflop it was 5way, one drop after i raise postflop. On postflop I have the feeling that someone is drawing a straight. Hence, the small bet. Was planning a bigger bet if no draw in the turn.

Flameofrecca said:

Thanks for evaluating my play trent. Pre and post flop is something i need to improve.

Preflop it was 5way, one drop after i raise postflop. On postflop I have the feeling that someone is drawing a straight. Hence, the small bet. Was planning a bigger bet if no draw in the turn.

Click to expand...

If you have a feeling someone is drawing to a straight, then it makes even more sense to raise larger on the flop. By raising small you are giving your opponents insane odds to call profitably with their draws. By sizing larger you are not allowing them to. You also aren't going to get any further value from draws if your opponent's don't hit their's on the turn.

Be aware also that a lot of the time the SB is betting the flop small here so that he can see the turn card cheaply. Raising it to something like 800 as Trent suggested will make the pot ~2500 on the turn and you will have about 2000 left, which allows you to go all in there.

Also this is a freeroll so people will be calling with a lot of hands, which is another reason to be betting very large when you have the nuts.

I don't think that it matters too much on PSO if you bet preflop 3BB or 4BB on low levels. As you may see from the cards of the other guys, they probably also would call it even with 4BB.

With the rainbow flop and a set for you, you play it pretty well with small 3BB raise just to wait for A and to score almost unbeatable all in. The runner/runner always could cause you problem in every hand. So you just didn't have luck.
You play the hand very well. Just in such tourneys you are going to lose from time to time with great cards in early stages from weaker cards.

Thanks guys for the feedback. I guess I still have so many to learn and your inputs are really appreciated.

One more thing, does including middle connected and suited cards as low as 76 advisable?

I think you played this almost perfect. You played very good pot control, and the smallish raise on the flop will bait out shoves in freerolls like this. Disciplined turn fold, but keep in mind it may be a little nitty in a higher stakes game with deeper stacks, that depends on the opponent though, and is irrelevant in this situation. All in all I think you played this pretty close to optimal.