$33 NLHE MTT: 1st Post, Shoving marginal hands deep in MTTs

[Dr Champ]

Hi,

This is my first post, I have been playing online about 18 months and have had mixed results. I havent posted hands before and would like to improve my play. I consider myself to be an average low stakes MTT player. My roll sits at about $2000 at the moment. I have read a lot of tournament strategy books, Harringtons 3, Gus Hansens, David Sklansky on Tournament Poker and more recently Jon Turner, Eric Rizen’s and Apesstyles “How to win Poker tournaments one hand at a time Volume 1 and 2”. The latter has helped me to turn up my aggression deeper in large field tournaments. This leads me to a couple of hands where I have made a few questionable moves. I would appreciate your thoughts.

This is a $10 rebuy, $70k guaranteed, with just under 3000 runners. I was in the money and in a comfortable position 109th with 322 remaining. I had recently been moved to a new table and hadn’t played any hands. In the 8 hands previous to me making this move the LP had played 3 out of 8 hands and hadn’t shown down any. I decided to shove approx 20xbb from the button over his 2x raise hoping for a fold and hoping to increase my stack by approx. 20%. I was called by the SB and and got a bit of abuse from the table. The LP told me he folded KJ. Should I be shoving a tighter range? Eg. 88+, AJs+. I think shoving the A10os from the big blind is ok but from the button I am unsure?

pokerstars - $10+$1|1250/2500 NL (9 max) - Holdem - 9 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3: http://www.pokertracker.com

MP: 52,275.00
MP+1: 31,428.00
LP: 41,520.00
CO: 19,994.00
Hero (BTN): 49,287.00
SB: 33,066.00
BB: 29,904.00
UTG: 48,604.00
UTG+1: 61,870.00

MP posts ante 250.00, MP+1 posts ante 250.00, LP posts ante 250.00, CO posts ante 250.00, Hero posts ante 250.00, SB posts ante 250.00, BB posts ante 250.00, UTG posts ante 250.00, UTG+1 posts ante 250.00, SB posts SB 1,250.00, BB posts BB 2,500.00

Pre Flop: (6000.00) Hero has Ac Ts

fold, fold, fold, fold, LP raises to 5,000.00, fold, Hero raises to 49,037.00 and is all-in, SB calls 31,566.00 and is all-in, fold, fold

Flop: (75382.00, 2 players) 4d 7s Kc

Turn: (75382.00, 2 players) 8c

River: (75382.00, 2 players) 5d


This hand is from a $33, 10k guaranteed, approx 500 entries. This hand I convinced myself to call the utg 4bet with AJos after 3betting him from the big blind. His stats were showing VPIP = 23% and PFR of 20%. Can’t say I was happy calling for approx. 25bb. Should I flat call here or 3bet out of position? I think folding preflop is too weak for his stats and I think 3betting this stack size puts your opponent to the test for his tournament a lot of the time and will get weak opposition to fold. Also, when I have gone deep in tournaments it seems to be when I win one of these marginal spots at approx. 25xbb range.

PokerStars - $30+$3|150/300 NL (9 max) - Holdem - 8 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3: http://www.pokertracker.com

UTG+1: 7,310.00
MP: 8,081.00
MP+1: 4,806.00
CO: 4,919.00
BTN: 3,630.00
SB: 4,063.00
Hero (BB): 11,555.00
UTG: 4,060.00

UTG+1 posts ante 25.00, MP posts ante 25.00, MP+1 posts ante 25.00, CO posts ante 25.00, BTN posts ante 25.00, SB posts ante 25.00, Hero posts ante 25.00, UTG posts ante 25.00, SB posts SB 150.00, Hero posts BB 300.00

Pre Flop: (650.00) Hero has Jh Ad

fold, UTG+1 raises to 600.00, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 1,800.00, UTG+1 raises to 7,285.00 and is all-in, Hero calls 5,485.00

Flop: (14920.00, 2 players) Td Js 9h

Turn: (14920.00, 2 players) 6d

River: (14920.00, 2 players) 2c


This hand was from another $33 10k guaranteed tournament with a 500 player cap entry. I was in 1st position before this hand with approx. 20 remaining. In the hands previous to this I had 3bet the MP raiser twice and folded to a 4bet from him. I folded KQ off suit and AJ off suit. Probably should have flat called the AJos? More to the point of the hand below, Once the board pairs should I just try to get to a showdown rather than pushing the action when I am this deep in a tourney?

PokerStars - $30+$3|1250/2500 NL (9 max) - Holdem - 7 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3: http://www.pokertracker.com

Hero (BB): 98,040.00
UTG: 48,618.00
UTG+1: 103,206.00
MP: 90,312.00
CO: 230,278.00
BTN: 68,895.00
SB: 97,956.00

Hero posts ante 250.00, UTG posts ante 250.00, UTG+1 posts ante 250.00, MP posts ante 250.00, CO posts ante 250.00, BTN posts ante 250.00, SB posts ante 250.00, SB posts SB 1,250.00, Hero posts BB 2,500.00

Pre Flop: (5500.00) Hero has Qc Kc

fold, fold, MP raises to 5,000.00, fold, fold, fold, Hero calls 2,500.00

Flop: (13000.00, 2 players) 5c 3c 5d
Hero checks, MP checks

Turn: (13000.00, 2 players) Tc
Hero bets 6,240.00, MP raises to 15,000.00, Hero raises to 35,640.00, MP raises to 85,062.00 and is all-in, Hero calls 49,422.00

River: (183124.00, 2 players) 7c

I will post the results after discussion.
Cheers, Brendan

 

[baudib1]

Hand 1 looks really close, from the blinds, I'd for sure reraise pre. Problem with the hand is the blinds; you will get shoved on a lot if you reraise smaller than all-in, so shoving > 3-betting smaller, but it depends really on how light they're calling.

Hand 2 looks really meh to me. If I were to 3-bet I'd make it smaller. As played obviously call it off.

Hand 3 probably 3-bet pre, calling might be better though. As played, I'm not sure what the question is really, just get it in. How can you be in first with the third-biggest stack at your table?

 

[Dr Champ]

Hand 2, I had a feeling he was raising light from previous action. The larger 3bet was to discourage a 4bet shove - but obviously commiting myself to calling. I guess you are 3betting less here to get away from the hand.
Hand 3, my mistake, I was in 1st a bit before this but slipped back after CO doubled up and I folded to 4bets twice. My problem with hand 3 is how often is he turning up with a full house or A high flush. He 5 bets on a very uncordinated board, surely not with an overpair, maybe a lower flush. 6,4 straight is unlikely.

 

[WiZZiM]

Hand 1 seems ok, can't really ever be a great spot though. Probably closer than it seems.

Hand 2 is borderline bad, i don't think i'd be generally 3betting here often, unless you have some sort of solid read, think it's best to just fold it. However as mentioned, if you are going to 3bet, make it smaller so you can fold to his 4bet shove. I'm not sure how often players will be raising light in EP, if it's just a suspicion it's probably best to just let him take the blinds and get on with the next hand.

Hand 3 with a hand like KQs i prefer just defending and playing from the blinds and playing it postflop. However if you feel you play OOP badly, probably go with a 3bet.

 

[Pascal-lf]

1st hand seems more than fine

hand 2 call or fold, his range is fairly strong off that stack and you never have good equity if he shoves, plus given PSB he can peel trap tons of stuff to the 3bet expecting u to stack off post so you never really know where you stand.

hand 3 seems fine, if i think he's raising light flatting turn and then check/shoving any river seems better than the small turn 3bet

 

[Dr Champ]

Results:
Interestingly the two hands I lost seemed to play ok according to the comments and the hand I won was played bad. I did go with a read I had in hand 2 and was hoping for a fold preflop. Thanks for the comments.
Hand 1:
PokerStars - $10+$1|1250/2500 NL (9 max) - Holdem - 9 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3: http://www.pokertracker.com
MP: 52,275.00
MP+1: 31,428.00
LP: 41,520.00
CO: 19,994.00
Hero (BTN): 49,287.00
SB: 33,066.00
BB: 29,904.00
UTG: 48,604.00
UTG+1: 61,870.00
MP posts ante 250.00, MP+1 posts ante 250.00, LP posts ante 250.00, CO posts ante 250.00, Hero posts ante 250.00, SB posts ante 250.00, BB posts ante 250.00, UTG posts ante 250.00, UTG+1 posts ante 250.00, SB posts SB 1,250.00, BB posts BB 2,500.00
Pre Flop: (6000.00) Hero has Ac Ts
fold, fold, fold, fold, LP raises to 5,000.00, fold, Hero raises to 49,037.00 and is all-in, SB calls 31,566.00 and is all-in, fold, fold
Flop: (75382.00, 2 players) 4d 7s Kc
Turn: (75382.00, 2 players) 8c
River: (75382.00, 2 players) 5d
SB shows As Qh (High Card, Ace) (PreFlop 74%, Flop 86%, Turn 93%)
Hero shows Ac Ts (High Card, Ace) (PreFlop 26%, Flop 14%, Turn 7%)
SB wins 75,382.00

Hand 2:
PokerStars - $30+$3|150/300 NL (9 max) - Holdem - 8 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3: http://www.pokertracker.com
UTG+1: 7,310.00
MP: 8,081.00
MP+1: 4,806.00
CO: 4,919.00
BTN: 3,630.00
SB: 4,063.00
Hero (BB): 11,555.00
UTG: 4,060.00
UTG+1 posts ante 25.00, MP posts ante 25.00, MP+1 posts ante 25.00, CO posts ante 25.00, BTN posts ante 25.00, SB posts ante 25.00, Hero posts ante 25.00, UTG posts ante 25.00, SB posts SB 150.00, Hero posts BB 300.00
Pre Flop: (650.00) Hero has Jh Ad
fold, UTG+1 raises to 600.00, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 1,800.00, UTG+1 raises to 7,285.00 and is all-in, Hero calls 5,485.00
Flop: (14920.00, 2 players) Td Js 9h
Turn: (14920.00, 2 players) 6d
River: (14920.00, 2 players) 2c
Hero shows Jh Ad (One Pair, Jacks) (PreFlop 46%, Flop 90%, Turn 95%)
UTG+1 shows 5s 5c (One Pair, Fives) (PreFlop 54%, Flop 10%, Turn 5%)
Hero wins 14,920.00
Hand 3:
PokerStars - $30+$3|1250/2500 NL (9 max) - Holdem - 7 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3: http://www.pokertracker.com
Hero (BB): 98,040.00
UTG: 48,618.00
UTG+1: 103,206.00
MP: 90,312.00
CO: 230,278.00
BTN: 68,895.00
SB: 97,956.00
Hero posts ante 250.00, UTG posts ante 250.00, UTG+1 posts ante 250.00, MP posts ante 250.00, CO posts ante 250.00, BTN posts ante 250.00, SB posts ante 250.00, SB posts SB 1,250.00, Hero posts BB 2,500.00
Pre Flop: (5500.00) Hero has Qc Kc
fold, fold, MP raises to 5,000.00, fold, fold, fold, Hero calls 2,500.00
Flop: (13000.00, 2 players) 5c 3c 5d
Hero checks, MP checks
Turn: (13000.00, 2 players) Tc
Hero bets 6,240.00, MP raises to 15,000.00, Hero raises to 35,640.00, MP raises to 85,062.00 and is all-in, Hero calls 49,422.00
River: (183124.00, 2 players) 7c
Hero shows Qc Kc (Flush, King High) (PreFlop 51%, Flop 2%, Turn 0%)
MP shows 3h 3d (Full House, Threes full of Fives) (PreFlop 49%, Flop 98%, Turn 100%)
MP wins 183,124.00