I'm going over my play style, and how the range of hands I can put my opponents on and I suppose maybe change my own also. In the second one I don't think there's much I can do but just want some others thoughts!


888Poker, Hold'em No Limit - 800/1,600 (200 ante) - 9 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG: 18,730 (12 bb)
UTG+1: 81,697 (51 bb)
MP: 44,190 (28 bb)
MP+1 (Hero): 49,400 (31 bb)
LP: 129,416 (81 bb)
CO: 84,748 (53 bb)
BU: 62,919 (39 bb)
SB: 18,490 (12 bb)
BB: 151,407 (95 bb)

Pre-Flop: (4,200) Hero is MP+1 with A♥ K♦
1 fold, UTG+1 calls 1,600, 1 fold, Hero raises to 4,000, 5 players fold, UTG+1 calls 2,400

Flop: (12,200) 8♣ 9♣ K♥ (2 players)
UTG+1 bets 77,497 (all-in), Hero calls 45,200 (all-in)


888Poker, Hold'em No Limit - 1,000/2,000 (250 ante) - 8 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG: 123,492 (62 bb)
UTG+1: 9,935 (5 bb)
MP (Hero): 47,350 (24 bb)
MP+1: 225,284 (113 bb)
CO: 136,633 (68 bb)
BU: 86,771 (43 bb)
SB: 46,500 (23 bb)
BB: 115,032 (58 bb)

Pre-Flop: (5,000) Hero is MP with K♦ T♠
2 players fold, Hero raises to 5,000, 4 players fold, BB calls 3,000

Flop: (13,000) T♦ 8♠ 4♣ (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets 8,000, BB raises to 20,000, Hero raises to 42,100 (all-in)

The iso sizing preflop is too small - should be going 3.5 - 4x here so 5600 minimum - that being said nothing we can do once the flop comes out and villan shoves. If we fold top pr top kicker under 30bb effective we are over folding and allowing villans to run us over. Snap call if the bankroll supports us losing this tournament -- if not, and we are shot taking then cashing this tournament means alot to us and we should be folding marginal hands (single pairs) and preserving our remaining 25bb+ to find a better spot.

Hello,



In both of these I'd assume my opponent has a set or over pair. Both are coolers but I would try to make a fold my 10s and I don't think many players would be able to fold the AK hand. Both hands have merit for calling.

1. You overestimate your hand. Fold is a good choose here
2. This is dispersion, villain has more luck then you. Nothing to do here.

Folding on the flop in either of these hands would be absolutely crazy, and you are never going to win tournaments that way. The second hand illustrate why. People raise or donk bet top pair with a worse kicker, second pair, third pair, draws. Sometimes they have the nuts, but far from always. With an SPR of 3-4 as in these hands, top pair good kicker is 100% an automatic stack-off, unless the board puts out a 1-liner to a straight or flush or something.

Preflop is where, you can find some improvements. In hand 1 you need to isolate to at least 4BB. This also create an even lower SPR, and if he still call OOP with K9o and hit this perfect flop, then more power to him! But maybe he would actually have folded, which is a great outcome. In the second hand KTo from MP is probably a slightly losing open. Its close, but folding would certainly not be a mistake.

Conclusion
Work on your preflop strategy and dont worry about postflop coolers (hand 1) or suck-outs (hand 2).

Hand 1:
Villian has more chips. Your 3bet shows premium hands, from his point of view he lost only vs KK and may be 99, 88.
Just check his range.

Thank you for the feedback, I think we (definitely me) have a certain way we analyze and critique ourselves and need to hear others opinions and thoughts to learn.

I'm not going to try and defend my plays or thought process at the time I know the way I played it and why, but its always good to realize that there was another line to take.. so again thanks.

Hello,

#1 iso is too small, must be minimum 5600, flop is fine, as explained by others above.

#2 marginal open, not crazy, but i would open KJo+, flop is fine, same principle as #1

Originally Posted by Jon Poker

The iso sizing preflop is too small - should be going 3.5 - 4x here so 5600 minimum - that being said nothing we can do once the flop comes out and villan shoves. If we fold top pr top kicker under 30bb effective we are over folding and allowing villans to run us over. Snap call if the bankroll supports us losing this tournament -- if not, and we are shot taking then cashing this tournament means alot to us and we should be folding marginal hands (single pairs) and preserving our remaining 25bb+ to find a better spot.

Definitely agree that we should raise bigger pre and happily snap call flop. Although your last comment about preserving your stack depending on how big this buyin is for us, is the wrong mindset imo. If you care about this you have absolutely no business being in this tournament imo (BRM wise).

As played though, fine call for sure (yes we run into some 98s, K8/K9s or 88 or 99, but just as many spews with a 4x donk jam).

Second hand: Preflop a bit too big imo (2.5x at a 25bb stack, I'd go anywhere between 2x-2.2x). Flop size is quite big on this texture (also what are we gonna do on the turn, overbet jam?), but if we reckon V would call any Tx or 8x vs this size, it can be a good exploit. As played it's fine to get it in, but can also leave it up to V to spew it off on the turn.