Jacki Burkhart
long winded rambler...
Silver Level
I know this is a vague question. I'm not looking for specific advice on a specific situation...but looking to just start a dialog and see what other tourney players are thinking about when they flop top pair.
For me, I think top pair is the hardest hand to play. An over pair is slightly easier but not by much, TPTK is a little easier than TPGK...but IMO, 2nd pair, bottom pair, underpair, draws and pure air are all WAAAAY easier to play.
I want to get better at playing top pair. Obviously, some top pairs are easier than others; like top pair of Kings is easier to play than top pair of 7s. Obviously, some boards are less scary than others. Obviously, position matters and your opponents matter. I know all that.
But in general...what are you trying to accomplish?
Lately, I think I should shift my focus with top pair hands to: take it down on the flop...and if I can't do that, then get to the river as cheaply as possible.
I feel like I lose too much and extract too little when I hold top pair. I feel like it's really a horrible tournament hand to have to play in the early levels, and yet it's the most common "value" hand that we're likely to play.
Later, when average M is 12 or so I'm happy to have top pair...but in the early levels I'm worried the whole time. Worried I'll fail to extract...Worried I'll get sucked out on.....Worried i'm already beat and betting into the best hand...
so....tell me what you're thinking about when you flop top pair early in a tournament.
For me, I think top pair is the hardest hand to play. An over pair is slightly easier but not by much, TPTK is a little easier than TPGK...but IMO, 2nd pair, bottom pair, underpair, draws and pure air are all WAAAAY easier to play.
I want to get better at playing top pair. Obviously, some top pairs are easier than others; like top pair of Kings is easier to play than top pair of 7s. Obviously, some boards are less scary than others. Obviously, position matters and your opponents matter. I know all that.
But in general...what are you trying to accomplish?
Lately, I think I should shift my focus with top pair hands to: take it down on the flop...and if I can't do that, then get to the river as cheaply as possible.
I feel like I lose too much and extract too little when I hold top pair. I feel like it's really a horrible tournament hand to have to play in the early levels, and yet it's the most common "value" hand that we're likely to play.
Later, when average M is 12 or so I'm happy to have top pair...but in the early levels I'm worried the whole time. Worried I'll fail to extract...Worried I'll get sucked out on.....Worried i'm already beat and betting into the best hand...
so....tell me what you're thinking about when you flop top pair early in a tournament.