This is how you should not play SNGs

America's Cardroom - $1.50 Regular 6-Max - Level 4 (50/100) - No Limit Holdem
BTN (t403)
SB (t4,175)
Hero (BB) (t4,422)
SB posts the small blind of t50
Hero posts the big blind of t100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero [Jh][Jc]
BTN folds, SB raises to t200, Hero raises to t600, SB calls t400

POT: t1,200
*** FLOP *** [9s][5h][Js]
SB bets t200, Hero raises to t858, SB calls t658

POT: t2,916
*** TURN *** [9s][5h][Js] [9h]
SB checks, Hero checks

POT: t2,916
*** TURN *** [9s][5h][Js] [9h] [Qs]
SB bets t1,000, Hero raises to t2,964 and is all-in, SB calls t1,717 and is all-in

Hero shows [Jh][Jc] and won t8,350
SB shows [Kh][10d] and lost t4,175


I just played this hand in a 6-max, and I would like to hold it up as the worst example of ICM suicide I've ever seen. Notice that this is the bubble, and BTN has 4bb, while me and SB both have massive stacks. We're both virtually guaranteed to cash as long we don't do something really dumb, and he goes and chases a gutshot on a paired board and calls off his entire stack when it hits. If this was someone here, I'm sorry for making fun of you, but seriously guys, never do anything like this.

:O! I learned it from this post! thanks! (Now I need more tighter than before... I think I should even fold AA on preflop when bubble reaches...)

omote23 said:

:O! I learned it from this post! thanks! (Now I need more tighter than before... I think I should even fold AA on preflop when bubble reaches...)

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Really? I suppose if your only goal is to cash then maybe. But who wants that? I want to win. I will never fold it. Have I been bitten by my strategy? Sure. But I'm up as a whole from it I can assure you.

Or ICM Nirvana (If you're the button.) Love that feeling.

It's nothing new, standard situation to flat-calling preflop and pot control postflop when we have a short stack in the game...

SB had no reason to chase an inside straight, especially given the time in the tourney. Should have folded after the raise on the flop....maybe even after the preflop raise.

The SB plays really dumb!
He should just folded pré-flop... or if he wanna see flop, folded in the turn.... just check, and fold the raise.
He pplay like a big fish!

I always play cautiously early on,and what you suggest

he is just a fish,i don't think he is from our forum

Hard to defend this play at all.

Well, not every knows about or follows ICM. Just saying.

However, as an example for members on this site, it's a good one.

I do like that turn checkback

At least you knew your hand was best. Trips against a straight would have sucked.

razva_raz94 said:

he is just a fish,i don't think he is from our forum

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I wouldn't be too surprised. Maybe even someone in this thread after looking at some of the replies.

'nh'

And for sure, that is about the stupidest play possible on the bubble of a SnG in that situation. You gotta love it.

Sometimes I wonder "WTF are they thinking? .... are they thinking?"

well, you have to live and learn, and to learn how to fold, fold, fold, to be able to move on.
In this case, I would move all in after re-raise, but that's just me.....

from the SB's point of view...

he could've been trying to steal your BB preflop.... when you raised he called hoping to outplay u on the flop or hit something... or thought maybe u were just defending

he could've been raising the flop hoping you'd fold (fold equity?), but if u call hopefully hit his K or Q and get some chips... continuing with his preflop "representing"

you raised him, signifying at least AJ.... maybe trips. or, with your preflop raise, an overpair... he called (when here i wouldve folded; 800+ is 20% of my stack for a draw on the bubble.... actually, not sure i'd play k10 oop...)

when the turn came the 2nd 9 and you checked is the beauty part of the whole hand.... your check tells him that you likely don't have 9's or full house.... so probably AJ... or QQ+

when the river completes my straight i bet hoping you call with AJ or a 3rd 9.... when you shove, i crap my pants... but it's too late and i feel committed

the check on the turn was the beauty play, imo... if you would've raised again, he (hopefully) would've folded... the check shows a little weakness and illicts the raise from him on the river...

i'm still a relatively new player, so my opinion might mean bupkis.. i'm trying to get more into thinking what they might be thinking and i like this sample hand for that reason....

i play like that hahaha

Imho sometimes people take these situations too seriously...i could give the op merit if it were a $20+ buy in ..maybe even 10$...but on a $1.50. Honestly that's so minuscule thatis the guys wife might've been givingme him shit and he wanted to just end it quick or win it quick...i mean shit, at that buy in a tv show or movie might've been coming on he wanted to see...

I think in the bubble if you have a big stack, just chill, take a deep breathe and play with very good hands but not risking it all to keep moving

Jguar said:

Imho sometimes people take these situations too seriously...

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Do you mind clarifying your point? How has this been taken too seriously?

it is clear that a player in the small blind played stupid. the maximum you can not call your raise pre-flop and then had to give up their arms

I play those SnG's once in a while when I see them in the lobby, they're pretty soft. I've been picking off a lot of bluffs that were so obviously bluffs, it's a lot of fun when they flip over something like 42o that they were trying to push you around with and couldn't put their foot on the brake when you wouldn't fold.

vwls said:

Do you mind clarifying your point? How has this been taken too seriously?

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I guess you completely neglected the rest of my post....Ummm??

Jguar said:

I guess you completely neglected the rest of my post....Ummm??

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I did read the rest. I usually only quote selectively, if at all, in order to keep things concise. In the rest of your statement, you provided examples of why the player may not have been taking the situation seriously, but you didn't clarify why you think that "people take these situations too seriously", in general. Regardless of why another player makes a particular decision, why shouldn't other players take it seriously, and how do you define "taking it seriously"? If I know that an opponent is capable of making decisions as described, then I will take it seriously and make adjustments in how I play against that player.

The fact of the matter is that you were all criticizing the players moves in a 1.50 buy in. Aka taking the situation seriously. I then stated a few examples..which would be the "reasons" why the situation could be being taken too seriously. Fact of the matter is there are thousands of reasons why a player might need to quickly end such an unimportant game, but people are acting like the guy was playing for something which he staked a decent amount of cash into and thus should have been playing to the top of his abilities. This thread is criticizing how a player was playing, therefor idk what point you are trying to make...because I will reiterate..the seriousness of which you are taking a players "strategies" in a "1.50" buyin are kind of "ridiculous"...and btw you are still taking the ENTIRE situation too serious IMHO.