$3 NLHE Rebuy: Big decision in Mid-MTT!

[cjatud2012]

$3 NL HE Rebuy: Big decision in Mid-MTT!

Blinds: 200/400, Ante: 50, avg. stack = apx 15000. 1385 players at start, apx. 360 players left, 225 players until ITM

This is on full tilt poker in the $10k rebuy. I had switched tables about 10 hands before this.

*** HOLE CARDS ***

CO: 17,495
Button: 2,680
SB (HERO): 10,719
BB: 23,186
UTG: 2,331
MP1: 10,851
MP2: 14,855
MP3: 86,633
CO + 1: 9,455

HERO dealt As 5s
UTG folds
MP1 folds
MP2 calls 400
MP3 folds
CO + 1 calls 400
CO folds
Button folds
SB (HERO) calls 200
BB checks

The pot is $1850 when it gets to me, so I call with 9-to-1 odds.

*** FLOP *** [9s Kh Ac]

HERO checks
BB checks
MP2 bets 1,200
CO + 1calls 1,200
HERO calls 1,200
BB folds


Pot is now $5650.

I figure MP2 could have anything here, but CO + 1 has at least an ace. It can't be a strong ace, since he didn't raise pre-flop. If he has a weak ace like me, even his hole cards are A6 or A7, I can still work a chop if another high card comes on the board, or if the 9 or the K pairs. I can win, too, if I hit a five for the three outer. I'm not afraid of the BB coming over the top, so I call.

*** TURN *** [9s Kh Ac] 2s

HERO bets 2,650
MP2 folds
CO + 1 raises to 7,805, and is all in

Pot is now $16105.

Here, I gain a flush draw in addition to my weak ace. Since neither player showed substantial strength to this point. So I attempt a semi-bluff, and was re-raised. Again, I figure he has an ace, probably stronger than mine. He could have two pair, also, but if he has AK, he likely would have raised pre-flop, and, for some players, the same could be said of A9, from late position. A2 probably would have been folded pre-flop. So with my 9 outs for a flush, my assumed 3 outs for aces and fives, the potential for a chop with a 9 (or possibly a K, or another high card), my odds of at least chopping are better than the 3-to-1 pot odds I'm getting. I suppose I could get away from the hand here with a stack of about 6500, which is around an M of 6 and enough to play for a little. But I decide to call.


Do others agree with this play in a mid-MTT, before the money? Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[PattyR]

i dont like the call preflop even given those odds..but hell you made it...i agree with the call and shove on the turn...ur probably about a 4 to 1 dog...but ur kinda shortstacked and your not trying to get ITM your trying to get deep...

 

[bubbasbestbabe]

I'd call that pf any time of the day. $200 to call a $1850 pot?, no problem. But I also would have raised it on the SB. A raise would narrow your opponents down and give you some more info. Your flop play is weak. If you had raised PF you could have lead out repping the AK. Check calling screams of weakness. Raise to take down the pot. You would not be in this position if you were a bit more aggressive in your playing.

 

[cjatud2012]

i dont like the call preflop even given those odds..but hell you made it...i agree with the call and shove on the turn...ur probably about a 4 to 1 dog...but ur kinda shortstacked and your not trying to get ITM your trying to get deep...

Yeah, it would have been tough to run deep after that if I folded. IMO it's better to take a risk in that spot than fold to the bubble. Normally I don't think twice about folding Ax, even if suited, but I thought it was worth the risk here.

I'd call that pf any time of the day. $200 to call a $1850 pot?, no problem. But I also would have raised it on the SB. A raise would narrow your opponents down and give you some more info. Your flop play is weak. If you had raised PF you could have lead out repping the AK. Check calling screams of weakness. Raise to take down the pot. You would not be in this position if you were a bit more aggressive in your playing.

I like the sound of raising to define my opponents cards, but how much of a raise would be appropriate, since it's risking about 20-25% of my stack, and some players will call up to 5x BB there? It'd be worth it though if a PFR won me the pot, or at least allowed me to get away more cheaply post-flop.

 

[tpb221]

Guess I'm in the middle. I have no problem pf, for a small investment IF you hit you'll get a nice return. The flop though is the classic problem with Ax, hit the ace but kicker problem. I'm leading out here or folding.

 

[cjatud2012]

Guess I'm in the middle. I have no problem pf, for a small investment IF you hit you'll get a nice return. The flop though is the classic problem with Ax, hit the ace but kicker problem. I'm leading out here or folding.

Betting the flop, to me, does sound better then raising the flop. A nice probe approach is a less expensive way of doing the same thing than a risky raise pre-flop. I might take down the pot, or be able to get away cheaply after that. Thanks for that suggestion!

 

[Sysvr4]

i dont like the call preflop even given those odds..but hell you made it...i agree with the call and shove on the turn...ur probably about a 4 to 1 dog...but ur kinda shortstacked and your not trying to get ITM your trying to get deep...

Surely you jest. I was actually reading this history wondering why OP felt the need to point out his PF call was because of current pot odds as it seemed the most obvious PF call since they stopped playing 5 card stud.

 

[Sysvr4]

The pivotal street on this hand is the flop, not PF. I'm thinking real hard about folding this flop in a 5 way unraised pot with a weak ace fairly close to the money.

You don't play hands like this from the SB in unraised pots hoping to make top pair. You play them hoping to make the nuts or a draw to them.

 

[cjatud2012]

The pivotal street on this hand is the flop, not PF. I'm thinking real hard about folding this flop in a 5 way unraised pot with a weak ace fairly close to the money.

You don't play hands like this from the SB in unraised pots hoping to make top pair. You play them hoping to make the nuts or a draw to them.

Well I was hoping to make a spade flush/ draw when I called. I know that a pair of aces with a five kicker is no monster, or even a good hand, lol. But that's the way the hand played out, and I probably should have just probe bet the flop and folded to a raise.

PS: The villain (CO + 1) had AJ, which I can post now since it's been a few days.