$2.25 NL HE MTT: Couple interesting spots on which I would really appreciate some feedback

[tzuriel]

Game

Hold'em

Game Format

No Limit

Table Format

MTT

Buy-in

2.25

Game Options

1. Bounty

Currency

$

This MTT is a Day 1 PKO that plays through level 18 and if you survive, you move on to Day 2. Day 2 plays thru levels 19-44 and then Day 3 plays thru to a winner. I was in some amazing spots and I will be entering Day 2 with 256bb where the blinds are 800/1600. Here was a hand after I was an overwhelming chip leader in the CO with a raise from a short stack in UTG2. I am probably being results oriented but would appreciate your insight.
The HUD messed up these positions a little. We are 7 handed and the RFI was from the UTG2 player. The LJ folded and then I folded 8To. Is that too tight with this large stack or am I just focused on the runout?

NL Holdem $2.27+$0.23 (1400.00BB)
UTG_1 (41.2BBs) [VPIP: 22.5% | PFR: 17.5% | AGG: 38.9% | Hands: 40]
UTG (42.5BBs)
HERO (287.6BBs)
CO (48.2BBs)
BTN (10.5BBs)
SB (54.7BBs) [VPIP: 40% | PFR: 0% | AGG: 0% | Hands: 25]
BB (20.4BBs)

Dealt to Hero: T♦ 8♣

UTG_1 Raises To 2.6BBs, UTG Folds, HERO Folds, CO Folds, BTN Folds, SB Calls 2BBs, BB Folds

Flop (6.9BBs): J♠ 8♥ K♣
SB Checks, UTG_1 Bets 2.5BBs (Rem. Stack: 36BBs), SB Calls 2.5BBs (Rem. Stack: 49.6BBs)

Turn (11.9BBs): J♠ 8♥ K♣ Q♦
SB Checks, UTG_1 Checks

River (11.9BBs): J♠ 8♥ K♣ Q♦ A♦
SB Checks, UTG_1 Checks

Spoiler

UTG_1 shows: 5♠ 5♣
SB shows: K♥ Q♣

SB wins: 11.9BBs

============================
This hand might be a little more interesting. I have a lead at this table but there are several other big stacks and a couple really active and aggressive players.

7 handed, there is a small raise in front of me from UTG from a guy with maniac stats who has been really active. I think a 3bet is okay here. However, I get called by the other maniac and the original raiser. Not really what I expected so maybe they have something or maybe they have nefarious plans for the rest of this hand.

I completely whiff on this flop so I am really planning to check fold here, unfortunately. What else can I do? However, it checks around and I hit a 9 on the turn. I would have expected someone with a J or a better pair to bet that flop so I go big on the turn, again hoping for a fold. Well the opposite happened, of course! The maniac shoves 73bb. So this is obviously a J or nothing. I don't think I can call here with just a 9. I have a decent stack still and I am certain there will be other spots to get my money in much better against these guys. (Spoiler: I got one of the maniac's entire stack and pretty good bounty a few hands later! The other punted off 80bb with 84o to someone else.)

Was that correct? Thanks for reading thru this whole thing. Your feedback is appreciated! Wish me luck for Day 2!

NL Holdem $2.27+$0.23 (1000.00BB)
SB (93.4BBs)
BB (24.9BBs)
UTG_1 (114.4BBs) [VPIP: 52.7% | PFR: 22% | AGG: 24.5% | Hands: 92]
HERO (106.9BBs)
MP (15.3BBs)
CO (80BBs) [VPIP: 71.9% | PFR: 18.8% | AGG: 41.2% | Hands: 32]
BTN (35.4BBs)

Dealt to Hero: 9♦ K♥

UTG_1 Raises To 2.2BBs, HERO Raises To 6.3BBs, MP Folds, CO Calls 6.2BBs, BTN Folds, SB Folds, BB Folds, UTG_1 Calls 4.1BBs

Hero SPR on Flop: [3.51 effective]
Flop (21BBs): J♥ 4♦ J♠
UTG_1 Checks, HERO Checks, CO Checks

Turn (21BBs): J♥ 4♦ J♠ 9♥
UTG_1 Checks, HERO Bets 15.7BBs (Rem. Stack: 84.9BBs), CO Raises To 73.7BBs (allin), UTG_1 Folds, HERO Folds

Spoiler

CO wins: 52.4BBs

 

[fundiver199]

Hand 1 T8o

As you already said yourself, we dont play a hand backwards and regret a good decision to fold, just because we would have gotten lucky and hit something. If this was the final table, you could open up your range a lot and apply ICM-pressure. But this early in the tournament you should not play any different, just because you have a big stack. Maybe you can stack off a bit more liberally, since you are basically playing in chip EV, but starting hand selection dont change much because of that.

Hand 2 K9o

Preflop
K9o is not a standard open from LJ, and when someone else have already entered the pot, then you should play a bit tighther not looser. I understand, that you want to get involved with someone, who seem to be very bad, but this hand is simply not strong enough to play from such an early position, where you still have 5 other players left to act behind you. Even with K9s this would be pretty far out to lunch, and as an offsuit hand K9 is just really bad. If you flop a K, you have big kicker issues, and if you flop a 9, its almost never going to be top pair, and certainly not, when you get to the river.

Flop
I agree with checking and just giving up against these two maniacs. Even if they just have A high or a better K high, you are behind, and maniacs typically dont like to fold.

Turn
Given the action I think, its very likely, you now have the best hand, and I would also bet it for value and protection. But I think, you are betting far to large. A bet half the size, you made, should be enough to fold out some random overcards. Getting jammed on sucks. It is fairly common for people to raise a delayed C-bet on a paired board as a bluff, because they think, you definitely dont have trips after checking the flop. But its also possible, he slowplayed a J on the flop, given how dry this board is. And then when you bet big on the turn, he think, he has you, exactly where he wants, and he moves all-in.

You are presumably doing a lot of checking on this kind of board, so 9X is not the best hand, you can have. And therefore its ok to fold and live to fight another day. But with QQ or better I most likely make this call. They are still bluff catchers, but they are higher in your range, and there is always the off chance, he is overplaying a hand like TT. In which case its obviously better to call with something, that actually beat him.

 

[tzuriel]

Thanks. I needed that reminder! This Day 2 will be the 2nd largest field I have ever played in with 2234 runners. But it's the largest prize pool I've ever played in with a 100k GTD prize pool.

I am currently the chip leader for Day 2 but there are several Day 1 flights yet to take place between now and Sunday afternoon. But I will have 256bb to start level 19 which is pretty good. Just need to focus and play my A game. 🙂

 

[fundiver199]

I am currently the chip leader for Day 2 but there are several Day 1 flights yet to take place between now and Sunday afternoon. But I will have 256bb to start level 19 which is pretty good. Just need to focus and play my A game. 🙂

That is a pretty awesome situation, where you should be able to make it pretty far into the tournament, unless you run into a series of coolers or bad beats. Best of luck

 

[eetenor]

This MTT is a Day 1 PKO that plays through level 18 and if you survive, you move on to Day 2. Day 2 plays thru levels 19-44 and then Day 3 plays thru to a winner. I was in some amazing spots and I will be entering Day 2 with 256bb where the blinds are 800/1600. Here was a hand after I was an overwhelming chip leader in the CO with a raise from a short stack in UTG2. I am probably being results oriented but would appreciate your insight.
The HUD messed up these positions a little. We are 7 handed and the RFI was from the UTG2 player. The LJ folded and then I folded 8To. Is that too tight with this large stack or am I just focused on the runout?

NL Holdem $2.27+$0.23 (1400.00BB)
UTG_1 (41.2BBs) [VPIP: 22.5% | PFR: 17.5% | AGG: 38.9% | Hands: 40]
UTG (42.5BBs)
HERO (287.6BBs)
CO (48.2BBs)
BTN (10.5BBs)
SB (54.7BBs) [VPIP: 40% | PFR: 0% | AGG: 0% | Hands: 25]
BB (20.4BBs)

Dealt to Hero: T♦ 8♣

UTG_1 Raises To 2.6BBs, UTG Folds, HERO Folds, CO Folds, BTN Folds, SB Calls 2BBs, BB Folds

Flop (6.9BBs): J♠ 8♥ K♣
SB Checks, UTG_1 Bets 2.5BBs (Rem. Stack: 36BBs), SB Calls 2.5BBs (Rem. Stack: 49.6BBs)

Turn (11.9BBs): J♠ 8♥ K♣ Q♦
SB Checks, UTG_1 Checks

River (11.9BBs): J♠ 8♥ K♣ Q♦ A♦
SB Checks, UTG_1 Checks

Spoiler

UTG_1 shows: 5♠ 5♣
SB shows: K♥ Q♣

SB wins: 11.9BBs

============================
This hand might be a little more interesting. I have a lead at this table but there are several other big stacks and a couple really active and aggressive players.

7 handed, there is a small raise in front of me from UTG from a guy with maniac stats who has been really active. I think a 3bet is okay here. However, I get called by the other maniac and the original raiser. Not really what I expected so maybe they have something or maybe they have nefarious plans for the rest of this hand.

I completely whiff on this flop so I am really planning to check fold here, unfortunately. What else can I do? However, it checks around and I hit a 9 on the turn. I would have expected someone with a J or a better pair to bet that flop so I go big on the turn, again hoping for a fold. Well the opposite happened, of course! The maniac shoves 73bb. So this is obviously a J or nothing. I don't think I can call here with just a 9. I have a decent stack still and I am certain there will be other spots to get my money in much better against these guys. (Spoiler: I got one of the maniac's entire stack and pretty good bounty a few hands later! The other punted off 80bb with 84o to someone else.)

Was that correct? Thanks for reading thru this whole thing. Your feedback is appreciated! Wish me luck for Day 2!

NL Holdem $2.27+$0.23 (1000.00BB)
SB (93.4BBs)
BB (24.9BBs)
UTG_1 (114.4BBs) [VPIP: 52.7% | PFR: 22% | AGG: 24.5% | Hands: 92]
HERO (106.9BBs)
MP (15.3BBs)
CO (80BBs) [VPIP: 71.9% | PFR: 18.8% | AGG: 41.2% | Hands: 32]
BTN (35.4BBs)

Dealt to Hero: 9♦ K♥

UTG_1 Raises To 2.2BBs, HERO Raises To 6.3BBs, MP Folds, CO Calls 6.2BBs, BTN Folds, SB Folds, BB Folds, UTG_1 Calls 4.1BBs

Hero SPR on Flop: [3.51 effective]
Flop (21BBs): J♥ 4♦ J♠
UTG_1 Checks, HERO Checks, CO Checks

Turn (21BBs): J♥ 4♦ J♠ 9♥
UTG_1 Checks, HERO Bets 15.7BBs (Rem. Stack: 84.9BBs), CO Raises To 73.7BBs (allin), UTG_1 Folds, HERO Folds

Spoiler

CO wins: 52.4BBs

Hand 1 - It is best to not go down this thought pathway- this is never a call- nor a raise in this spot with this hand

Hand 2 - Why would a J bet? What hand is it targeting for value? Why would it need protection? Why would it not want to hide in the bushes- You state J or better would bet- why would those hands not slow play? On this board is it not an easy fold for you to a single bet on flop 3 way. If yes then why expect a J or better to bet? Would not your V think you would check AA for pot control? Yes a GTO bot knows to bet a J expecting you to call but you are playing a maniac who wants to trap you.

As played - K9off is not a raise 100bb deep vs UTG range- fold preflop-- If you always fold weak Kx off in this spot you will print money.
-Flop checking is good -see above-
turn -we want to bet why? See above-When we bet it is always bluff and value what value hands bet this size on this board targeting what V ranges? In exploit talk what calls us that we are ahead of for this size
When we use large sizing it is -polarized- that means we have nuts and nothing- we do not have the nuts -we do not have nothing- so if we were to bet we would never use this sizing with this type of hand. That is GTO- however non GTO we are in the same spot- with a maniac behind us the maniac can now shove any two cards and we can never call with a weak 2 pair- this is that spot where we bet 25%- we get value from under pairs and draws and we do not risk very much of our stack- Why 25% and not 75% - stack depth and maniac- maniac is maniac we do not change their choices with bet sizing

We also want to remember what this spot is exactly- it is a 3 bet 3 way pot with what should be two incredibly tight ranges and one wider range 80 bb effective- In this spot with a 9 why not just check again and decide?

Great job getting to day 2 hope you RUN WELL & BINK

 

[tzuriel]

Thank you for the analysis and the wishes for good luck!