SNG Bubble

[Chevren]

Stacks: - BB with 2720 - UTG with 5005 - BTN with 4365 - SB with 1410

Blinds: 100/200
Site: pokerstars
* - Dealt to BB:3♣ T♣
Preflop:
* - UTG calls [200] Hero: checks
* - 2 players folded.
* - Total folds this street: 2
* - Potsize: 500
Flop: 7♥ 5♠ 10♠ Hero: checks
* - UTG: checks
* - Potsize: 500
Turn: 7♣ Hero bets [400]
**- 2 players fold.
* - UTG calls [400]
* - Potsize: 1300
River: 2♦ Hero: checks
* - UTG bets [600]

Poker Hand Converter By Cardschat.com Poker Forum


Villan has been semi aggressive semi passive so far this is a pretty typical hand post flop from him.

He was raising when he was entering pots the majority of the time, he had limped 4 or 5 times in the past few blind levels but hadnt shown down the hands, so I am not positive what to think but am leaning towards low pocket pairs playing for a set.

I think the check on the flop may be a little weak but I had top pair crap kicker and it was typical for villan to check down a few streets on these raggy flops so I could get a free look at the turn alot.

Other than that though what do you guys think about the rest of the hand and what is my river line?

 

[Cheetah]

I don't mind the check on the flop because you are OOP. If you get called, what do you do the next 2 streets?

I would have bet less on the turn to keep the pot size small. Even checking is an option where the idea is to use your top pair as bluff catcher and if you are behind, to not build a big pot.

On the river, you are behind trips and top pair better kicker, but he may have taken your turn bet followed by river check as a bluff. If he had big ace or QK, he could be betting the same way. He should not put you on trip 7 because you checked the river after turn bet. Because you checked the flop, he may not believe you have a T. Basically, there are many hands that he can have consistant with this play that you can beat.

So I think a call is appropriate. If you lose, you will have to try to sneak in the money. But having only 600 more chips if you fold is not a very significant advantage over the short stack.

In no case should this be re-raised. I think that's obvious.

 

[keegrepus]

I'm thinking A7, KT, QT (maybe even JT or T9, all of which have you crushed) or A5 here. Could also be any suited connectors that include a 10 or a 7 and there is a slight possibility that he was on a flush draw and took your river check as a sign of weakness to bet.

I agree with the no raise comment definitely. However, I am a firm believer of raise or fold, so I think I am leaning toward the fold here. There are just too may hands out there that can beat you.

I believe that it is better to leave yourself with a small, but playable stack at this point in the tourney. Otherwise, you leave yourself with a stack that the BB is probably going to insta-call.

IMHO

So, how'd it actually play out? What'd you do and what happened?

 

[r3l3ntl355]

I would fold. I don't think there's any hands worse than T3 that you will get to showdown with.

 

[pantin007]

im putting him on Ax thinking he can steal flop
i think u have to call plus u are getting more than 3 to 1 odds to make the call and even if he has u beat u will not be the short stack u would have about 1500 chips which is an M of 5 and is bad but not that bad

 

[switch0723]

I call here and expect to win against 2 overcards or a pp less than 10's. Calling here then if you lose, pushing any two next bb.

 

[r3l3ntl355]

We're going to lose most of our stack on the bubble with one pair and a shit kicker?

 

[Chevren]

I did call, I think that alot of the time this is a missed draw/ overs that saw weakness and decided to stab so after a long think I decided to call.

I figured at least half the time the tens are good and the other half it is some sort of a trap with a monster maybe a set of 5s turned full house maybe a passively played overpair. I think any decent T is making a bet on that flop so I wasnt worried much about being out-kicked.

He turned over KK to take the pot. I was left with enough chips to finish 2nd in the SNG.

 

[Cheetah]

Just for the record, villain played his KK badly, especially on the flop.

Pre-flop, limping is questionable but if the table played very tight, there is some justification.

The flop has flush draws and str8 draws. To trap with overpair on this flop is not a good play.

 

[pantin007]

lol i could never put him on KK he played it so weird
anyway i still believe he made right call

 

[allndave]

slow playing KK can be very dangerous ,but he gambled and without without putting many chips at risk he milked the max out of a very good player.

 

[jeffred1111]

This is a weird spot and it explains why chipleaders should opt to make the bubble last as long as they can: they have the power of making you question decisions and try to laydown hands that you shouldn't. No, in this hand, UTG is not thinking on that level: he plays his KK poorly and bleeds value everywhere, but that's not the point.

I'm betting this flop a lot (or raising preflop). With 2700 chips, I'm not looking to play big pots against a guy who could bust me when there's a very small stack to my right.

If he calls, I'm probably going to surrender depending on turn card.

You encounter these spots a lot and you have to exercise caution: chips are very valuable at this point and crappy holdings (TPNK) are a good way to lose them. Being agressive preflop and on the flop actually has you win more pots (and save chips) than trying to use WA/WB, keeping the pot small due to the blinds being so high.

 

[Cheetah]

This is a weird spot and it explains why chipleaders should opt to make the bubble last as long as they can: they have the power of making you question decisions and try to laydown hands that you shouldn't. No, in this hand, UTG is not thinking on that level: he plays his KK poorly and bleeds value everywhere, but that's not the point.

I'm betting this flop a lot (or raising preflop). With 2700 chips, I'm not looking to play big pots against a guy who could bust me when there's a very small stack to my right.

If he calls, I'm probably going to surrender depending on turn card.

You encounter these spots a lot and you have to exercise caution: chips are very valuable at this point and crappy holdings (TPNK) are a good way to lose them. Being agressive preflop and on the flop actually has you win more pots (and save chips) than trying to use WA/WB, keeping the pot small due to the blinds being so high.

With a small stack, if you are aggressive pre-flop AND on the flop, you are committed to the pot. So you have to be right EVERY time you do that with a small stack. One mistake and you are out.

 

[jeffred1111]

With a small stack, if you are aggressive pre-flop AND on the flop, you are committed to the pot. So you have to be right EVERY time you do that with a small stack. One mistake and you are out.

quite frankly, with a small stack, I'm not looking to play poker EVER on the bubble and probably three handed too: I want to take it uncontested preflop or on the flop with a c-bet. Knowing when and how to c-bet is crucial though.

And as with everything in poker, you don't have to be right every time, just a majority of the time, to show a profit.