New to Forum, some tourney hands

[xGinNJuicex]

Hey everyone. I am new to this forum but have been playing poker for about 2 years. I used to post on another forum but didn't care for it. I'm hoping to find this one to be more informative.

I am very recently (2 sessions) coming off of a 5 or 6 month break from poker. I was on a horrid losing streak after a solid year, and I was very frustrated and making poor decisions. I have played two $5 SNGs (usually play $5 or $10 SNGs) and haven't cashed but played fairly well and I have been able to recognize many of my mistakes. I made a horrible play in SNG number 2 to go out on the bubble. I decided a good way to introduce myself would be to post a few hands and get some feedback. Here's four hands from SNG #2, not including my awful play on the bubble since I know what I did wrong. I'm particularly interested in hearing what people have to say about the first hand, I never play big draws well. Thanks and I'm looking forward to participating on this board.


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Starting hand #887510254
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NEW HAND
KyStormBowler posts the small blind $15.00
SpanktheMonk posts the big blind $30.00
DEALING POCKETS
beeejn calls $30.00
SoCal_B_420 folds
videoking calls $30.00
JsBullets folds
xGinNJuicex calls $30.00 7d8d
skiboy1 folds
Darkfours calls $30.00
KyStormBowler calls $15.00
SpanktheMonk checks
DEALING FLOP (Qd,5d,6s)
KyStormBowler checks
SpanktheMonk checks
beeejn bets $30.00
videoking folds
xGinNJuicex calls $30.00
Darkfours calls $30.00
KyStormBowler folds
SpanktheMonk calls $30.00
DEALING TURN (Qh)
SpanktheMonk checks
beeejn bets $30.00
xGinNJuicex calls $30.00
Darkfours folds
SpanktheMonk folds
DEALING RIVER (Th)
beeejn bets $30.00
xGinNJuicex folds
$30.00 is not called, return back to beeejn
beeejn mucks
Hand 887510254:
beeejn wins($360.00)

arting hand #887530993
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NEW HAND
skiboy1 posts the small blind $25.00
KyStormBowler posts the big blind $50.00
DEALING POCKETS
SpanktheMonk, it's your turn. You have 10 seconds to act
SpanktheMonk, it's your turn. You have 5 seconds to act
SpanktheMonk folds
beeejn folds
SoCal_B_420 calls $50.00
videoking folds
JsBullets folds
xGinNJuicex raises $100.00 to $150.00 Ad2h
skiboy1 folds
KyStormBowler folds
SoCal_B_420 calls $100.00
DEALING FLOP (Ac,5h,3s)
SoCal_B_420 checks
xGinNJuicex bets $190.00
SoCal_B_420, it's your turn. You have 10 seconds to act
SoCal_B_420 raises $350.00 to $540.00
xGinNJuicex, it's your turn. You have 10 seconds to act
xGinNJuicex, it's your turn. You have 5 seconds to act
xGinNJuicex folds
$350.00 is not called, return back to SoCal_B_420
SoCal_B_420 mucks

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NEW HAND
videoking posts the small blind $50.00
xGinNJuicex posts the big blind $100.00
DEALING POCKETS
skiboy1 folds
KyStormBowler calls $100.00
beeejn folds
SoCal_B_420 folds
videoking folds
xGinNJuicex checks 3c4d
DEALING FLOP (Th,6s,5d)
xGinNJuicex bets $180.00
KyStormBowler calls $180.00
DEALING TURN (3s)
xGinNJuicex bets $300.00
KyStormBowler calls $300.00
DEALING RIVER (Ac)
xGinNJuicex checks
KyStormBowler bets $300.00
xGinNJuicex folds


Starting hand #887594442
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NEW HAND
skiboy1 posts the small blind $100.00
KyStormBowler posts the big blind $200.00
DEALING POCKETS
SoCal_B_420 folds
videoking goes all in $5,020.00
xGinNJuicex, it's your turn. You have 10 seconds to act
xGinNJuicex, it's your turn. You have 5 seconds to act
xGinNJuicex folds AsQs
skiboy1 folds
KyStormBowler folds
$4820.00 is not called, return back to videoking
videoking mucks
Hand 887594442:
videoking wins($500.00)

 

[skoldpadda]

Stack sizes?

 

[xGinNJuicex]

Stack sizes?

my fault, bodog doesn't display that info for some reason.

before the action...
hand 1: about 1800

hand 2: about 2300

hand 3: about 3000

hand 4: about 3000

Most players at the table were pretty solid. Villian in the 4th hand had played a lot of hands early but hadn't played many hands for a good period of time when he made that bet.

 

[alan1983]

hand 1: id raise the flop. You have straight + flush draw = Youre 60% favourite. But calling here is ok too i think, trying to get other players in, and avoiding trouble early. Could go both ways on this one.

hand 2: I usually fold A2, but if youre going to play it, you should raise to pick up the blinds and avoid a flop if possible. A2 plays very poorly postflop. 3XBB preflop with a limper already in is way too weak. Push them out or fold it.

Hand 3: id probably get into same trouble, these are hands that often happen to me and that leave me wondering how i lost so many chips on it while id entered the pot checking my bb.

Hand 4: Was this 4 handed? AQs is pretty strong 4-handed, and ranges are generally looser at that point no matter how tight a player was.

So if your stack was low compared to others, i might call here with AQs. But if youre sitting comfortably and dont feel like youre in a hurry for a move, folding is fine too.

 

[xGinNJuicex]

hand 1: id raise the flop. You have straight + flush draw = Youre 60% favourite. But calling here is ok too i think, trying to get other players in, and avoiding trouble early. Could go both ways on this one.

hand 2: I usually fold A2, but if youre going to play it, you should raise to pick up the blinds and avoid a flop if possible. A2 plays very poorly postflop. 3XBB preflop with a limper already in is way too weak. Push them out or fold it.

Hand 3: id probably get into same trouble, these are hands that often happen to me and that leave me wondering how i lost so many chips on it while id entered the pot checking my bb.

Hand 4: Was this 4 handed? AQs is pretty strong 4-handed, and ranges are generally looser at that point no matter how tight a player was.

So if your stack was low compared to others, i might call here with AQs. But if youre sitting comfortably and dont feel like youre in a hurry for a move, folding is fine too.

for hand 2, i did raise preflop on the button. you're saying raise 4-6xBB??

hand 4 was a tough decision. i was one or two out of the money (i believe we were 4 or 5 handed) at that point and villian hadn't played a hand in a good while. he was the chip leader and i wasn't sure why he pushed his entire stack without any action in front of him. what kind of hand does this usually indicate?? to me, this type of move indicated a strong enough hand that he's willing to show down with against any smaller stack, or a moderate hand that he doesn't want to play post flop. at this point i was 2nd in chips and didn't want to call off my whole stack if he had a monster. i ended up going out on the bubble anyway though.

 

[alan1983]

Yes with A2 id have raised much more. Its really a nightmare to play postflop.

Only good flop youll get is hitting two pairs. You got a low flop with top pair (aces) and a gutshot straight draw, and you had to fold.

Why? cause any ace has you outkickered, and all the low ones who youd normally hope to be splitting with, have hit two pairs.

Youre better off playing 87 and JT than A2.

So if youre playing A2, raise to push them out, not to play a hand postflop, button or not.

Folding isnt bad either, btw. Just because its an ace on the button doesnt mean you have 2 play it. I learnt that the hard way.



As for hand 4, idont know the sngs u usually play at, but pushing allin is pretty standard and very common near the bubble when blinds get high.

He doesnt have 2 have a total monster to do that, in fact sometimes its the total opposite.

Near bubble, shortstacks want to increase their stacks to survive and big stacks want to bully. 4-handed, aggressive players will push any ace or pair or sometimes any two face cards, depending on their stacks.

If he has AT here, does he really want to just raise and play it postflop? Hed much rather push and use his big stack to pick up an uncontested pot. Similarly with low pocket pairs. Youre only 4 handed so these have a big chance of being the best hands.

Now he was 1st in chips and hadnt been very active, and u were 2nd, so it was a good fold by you i think. Even if he has a low pair, your flipping, and its not worth taking that chance.

But if he had folded and action was up to you, you should play AQ very strongly at that point.


Pushing allin even with not so very strong hands should become one of your tools.

Why did you bubble out? Did you blind away or lost a big hand?

You have to get aggressive near bubble and start stealing to keep your stack healthy.

 

[xGinNJuicex]

But if he had folded and action was up to you, you should play AQ very strongly at that point.

And I would have... I really don't mind my fold. Thanks for the advice on what players here could be holding.

Why did you bubble out? Did you blind away or lost a big hand?

I made a boneheaded play that was basically the opposite of my logic when I folded the aforementioned hand with AQ. I was running third in chips with four left, and everyone folded to me in the SB. I had A3os and I made a raise and was called, and the flop came A 8 4 with 2 spades. I took into account that the BB in this case had been relatively loose, was running 2nd in chips, and can call in that spot with just about anything. I bet 2/3 pot and was called. Turn was a non-spade 6. One of my biggest leaks is mental, where I become convinced I have the best hand despite counter evidence. I pushed, and he called with A6. Dumb dumb play on my part. Not necessarily PF or on the flop, but I shouldn't have pushed the turn after he called the flop. The worst part about it was that the 4th place player during that hand had an M of about 3, so he would've been gone and I should have saved my money for a much much better spot.