your opinion

[Mad_Mike989]

This was the last hand I played in the PS 100k tourney today. I put it up to see if my reasoning for going all in was justified or out of frustration.

pokerstars Game #13609648091: Tournament #68180211, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/12/02 - 16:51:10 (ET)
Table '68180211 1089' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: ChunkySexGod (465 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: 8m12 (34325 in chips)
Seat 3: leschek89 (5025 in chips)
Seat 4: MadMike724 (5025 in chips)
Seat 5: teddles2323 (310 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 6: roadbomber (16135 in chips)
Seat 7: ScottBrewr99 (14890 in chips)
Seat 8: altenita (1080 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: Arharley (5270 in chips)
ChunkySexGod: posts the ante 25
8m12: posts the ante 25
leschek89: posts the ante 25
MadMike724: posts the ante 25
teddles2323: posts the ante 25
roadbomber: posts the ante 25
ScottBrewr99: posts the ante 25
altenita: posts the ante 25
Arharley: posts the ante 25
roadbomber: posts small blind 200
ScottBrewr99: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to MadMike724 [Ac Jh]
altenita: folds
Arharley: folds
ChunkySexGod: folds
8m12: folds
leschek89: folds
MadMike724: raises 800 to 1200
teddles2323: folds
roadbomber: calls 1000
ScottBrewr99: folds
*** FLOP *** [7h Ah 2d]
8m12 said, "lucky"
roadbomber: checks
MadMike724: bets 3800 and is all-in
roadbomber: calls 3800
*** TURN *** [7h Ah 2d] [5d]
*** RIVER *** [7h Ah 2d 5d] [Qc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
roadbomber: shows [Ad Qs] (two pair, Aces and Queens)
MadMike724: shows [Ac Jh] (a pair of Aces)
MadMike724 is sitting out
roadbomber collected 10625 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 10625 | Rake 0
Board [7h Ah 2d 5d Qc]
Seat 1: ChunkySexGod folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: 8m12 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: leschek89 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: MadMike724 showed [Ac Jh] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 5: teddles2323 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: roadbomber (small blind) showed [Ad Qs] and won (10625) with two pair, Aces and Queens
Seat 7: ScottBrewr99 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: altenita folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Arharley folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I had a small stack and the blinds were threatening me. So I took a chance to double up with top pair. So what do ya think?

 

[ChuckTs]

This is absolutely standard. There is a case for just pushing preflop, but there's nothing wrong with your play here, just a little bit of a cooler.

 

[blankoblanco]

you had like 12 BBs and made TPGK, standard to felt it. like chuck said, you can do this, or you can shove pre. i vary between the two (often opponent dependent and/or image dependent)

 

[spore]

I don't like the play personally. At a full table I almost never raise preflop with an AJo unless I'm shortstacked and push all-in or as a semi-bluff steal attempt. So, as a semi-bluff steal attempt the preflop raise was okay. But the flop play is what concerns me.

Okay, let me ask you this.. what are you trying to accomplish on the flop? The all-in bet is either because you want to take down the pot right there, or you think you have the best hand and he has a hand that can call but not beat yours.

1) If it's a semi-bluff, it's definitely a bad play. You're risking all of your chips when being up a big Ace is a definite possibility, or possibly an King-rag suited that hit two-pair or a flush-draw. Almost no reason to bet this flop unless you think you have the best hand, or you have a REALLY good read on your opponent

2) You think you have the best hand? Think again, AJ is not particularly powerful at a full table. Here are some hands that would beat you that are fairly likely for SB to hold here: AK/AQ, any suited king or ace, pocket 7's. If I'd not seen the outcome I would've leaned toward a suited king or ace that hit two-pair or a flushdraw. And even if it was a suited king that hit a flush-draw, I still don't wanna play for all my chips against that many outs.

IMHO, I would have limped pre-flop, and hope for something better than top pair. Top-pair with a striaght draw or flush draw would be a good hand to push with on the flop, and obviously 2-pair/trips. You have enough chips that you can limp in a few more times before it's time to push. But personally, I would be playing tight as a drum in your position and hope to push preflop with AK/JJ/QQ/KK/AA or trap when you hit with a suited connector or something.

 

[Tygran]

You played it fine.

one off the button with a dwindling (12 BB, not counting antes) stack and getting late? As has already been said I'm either making the play you did or I'm shoving it right here... either way probably same result in this case but you need to double up to make it much farther anyway. This is about as good a spot as you are likely to see.

 

[jaketrevvor]

2) You think you have the best hand? Think again, AJ is not particularly powerful at a full table.

AJ is a very strong hand folded to you on the CO. Although there is obviously statistically some degree of bunching factor of big cards in the 3 plyrs to act if it's folded round, he is pretty muchly playing it 4-handed - he would have to be mental to not play it

Here are some hands that would beat you that are fairly likely for SB to hold here: AK/AQ, any suited king or ace, pocket 7's.

umm... this doesn't beat you... In fact, here are some just as likely hands we do have beat - ANY pockets that haven't flopped a set, ANY ace that isn't paired with a K,Q, 7 or 2, ANY two other face cards.

If I'd not seen the outcome I would've leaned toward a suited king or ace that hit two-pair or a flushdraw. And even if it was a suited king that hit a flush-draw, I still don't wanna play for all my chips against that many outs.

It's called protecting his hand - that is leterally the whole point of the all-in bet, at just over the pot size opponent is very nearly not getting odds on calling with a fd.

IMHO, I would have limped pre-flop

PLEASE tell me this some sort of malicious joke - you'd open-limp pf on the CO with a high ace!?!?!!? This is ramblings of a madman in any situation and especially with a dwindling chip stack where we need to steal

and hope for something better than top pair.

You are definately not getting the right odds to hope for this - if you're going to fold when an ace comes then fold pf

Top-pair with a striaght draw or flush draw would be a good hand to push with on the flop, and obviously 2-pair/trips.

Ridiculous long shot - and even if it did materialise a lot of the time he would have the deck fairly crippled anyways and wouldn't get a call ie CRAPPY implied odds.

You have enough chips that you can limp in a few more times before it's time to push. But personally, I would be playing tight as a drum in your position and hope to push preflop with AK/JJ/QQ/KK/AA or trap when you hit with a suited connector or something.

Contradictory? Why would you be in there with suited connectors?

Above.

 

[royalburrito24]

I don't like the play personally. At a full table I almost never raise preflop with an AJo unless I'm shortstacked and push all-in or as a semi-bluff steal attempt. So, as a semi-bluff steal attempt the preflop raise was okay. But the flop play is what concerns me.

1) he IS shortstacked


2) how would you have played it differently on the flop? He has no reason to believe he is outkicked, because generally you will get a re raise from AK or AQ.

 

[Emperor IX]

Nicely analyzed Jake.

 

[Tygran]

Was gonna reply to that post but Jake covered it too well already.

nice job

 

[Tobmeister]

Nicely done Jake, before i was gunna ask you about 'hand bunching' on skype but you left: i was wondering how much of a factor this is, and whether or not i should take this into account when deciding on my Pre-Flop antics

Toby

 

[jaketrevvor]

Nicely done Jake, before i was gunna ask you about 'hand bunching' on skype but you left: i was wondering how much of a factor this is, and whether or not i should take this into account when deciding on my Pre-Flop antics

Toby

Short-answer: No.

The variance is not great enough to justify thinking about it as you will inevitably just end up out-thinking yourself pf, and the hands that you open-raise with do on some level have this bunching taken into to consideration anyways - I wouldn't lose any sleep if I were you.