First hand

amxvulcan

amxvulcan

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First hand in a tournament and get A J off in the small blind. Three people limp in, I call and the big blind checks. Flop comes rags. What is the play here?
 
Four Dogs

Four Dogs

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Rag flops tend to hit limped pots. Just check back.
 
PacMan

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You made a mistake by starting the game four. The flop bluff is not worth it because you are out of position, and certainly someone apponenta caught his card.
 
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ph_il

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Check-fold.

You're oop with 4 other players behind you and you missed the flop. Too early to try anything, also not worth it
 
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LizardDan

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I'm not a fan of limping in the small blind. If you were on the button and there were limpers behind you, sure, why not.

Check the flop. bluffing is virtually useless in the very, very early stages of MTT's(though not always, depends on the table), look to see a free showdown or get out of the hand.

You'll have hundreds of hands to play after that one, if you don't bust chasing fancy plays.
 
bprpm

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Don't like the limp in the small, but that ok.... check is the better way to start this hand, remember is only the first hand.... Never bluff with a lot of people in the hand...
 
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illkillerm

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:cool: check fold is the best way
 
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ph_il

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I'm not a fan of limping in the small blind. If you were on the button and there were limpers behind you, sure, why not.
I was thinking same thing, but getting better than 4:1 with AJ is good enough. Especially if we hit the flop strong. If not, we can fold and only lose half a BB.

A big raise to pick up dead money might work, but we don't have info on players. And it is first hand, so we're very likely to get called and won't pick up pot/isolate.

I think folding is too nitty.
 
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PershingSt

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Check and fold , the only option that I think you could take to play the pot differently is to try and iso raise preflop . That way hopefully we can take the pot to HU where we can take it down on the majority of flops with a cbet .
 
Four Dogs

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I was thinking same thing, but getting better than 4:1 with AJ is good enough. Especially if we hit the flop strong. If not, we can fold and only lose half a BB.

A big raise to pick up dead money might work, but we don't have info on players. And it is first hand, so we're very likely to get called and won't pick up pot/isolate.

I think folding is too nitty.
I think he's getting 9:1. AJ in the SB is a must call.
 
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rlzaleski

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Problem with limping AJ is you won't get calls if you hit strong. That's why you should generally bet to isolate and c bet. And even when your J hits, there's still a 1/6 chance a Q or a K hits.

If you're worried someone has a big pair after you 4-6x it, then you can fold there. But it should keep you out of the situation you're in.
 
Vadim Kudimov

Vadim Kudimov

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I can only advise not raise no more than 10% of your stack in the early stages, especially if you are not in position.
 
MrBadAss

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the common mistake is try to play good after played bad, those flops hits those fishes that entery in a pot by limping, just check fold and raise those mattes pre flop
 
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hffjd2000

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Check since you have nothing.

Besides, you have 4 opponents sharing to get the pot compared if you have only 1.
 
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gklcap

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I don't see any point in bluffing in the very first hand against 4 other players. I would check-fold.
 
Bogdan Pyts

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depends on the tournament, usually prefer to raise large size, because out of position
 
APUTS

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I do not remember where I saw (in the book) at the start of the tournament (especially online) at the table with opponents whom we do not know or do not have the history to them, we should concentrate on observation. especially on opponents who are involved in the hand and focus on the showdown hands and the game during this time ... by playing only premium hands at that time. It makes life easier and allows you to collect the necessary information (metagame). Poker is a game of patience ... the tournament is not won in the beginning, but at the end. :8s4:
 
Zupek

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It depends on tournament, but mainly with AJo on SB, I would raise after limping. for example 3 ppl limped in for 20, Im on SB with 1500 - raise to 130. When more than 1 person is calling and u dont hit a flop I would play check-decide. On HU FLOP almost always c-bet and u win a pot.
 
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KLDUFF1987

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Yes if your OOP I would check and fold, or if you have notes regarding some of the players ie if they play tight and have ranges like AQ AK ect I would c bet raise if they bet, most of the time they will try and snatch the pot, but in 99% of cases yes check and fold if no notes.
 
edgaxs

edgaxs

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3X before flop if u limp and dont get anything check/fold
 
makisaa

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If you can stay in stay, in other case fold.
 
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