Posted Sun Aug 13, 2006 3:22 pm GMT by Ryan231
Tournament started with 8 people, starting stack of 2500, blinds started at 25/50 and increased every 30 minutes. We are down to the last 3, top 2 gets paid and I'm with about 5500, other player is around 5000 and chipleader has 9500. When we went 3 handed I had about 2k in chips and just stole and stole the blinds, they are currently at 150-300 and I am getting dealt several low PPs. 1 situation button raised, SB called and I moved all-in (TT), folds around to me and I take pot. I get 44 on SB button folds and I move all-in on the BB, he folds. I get 99 from button raise to 900 and get all folds.
I end up losing a fairly large chunk when button folded and I had JTs in the SB, I raised to 700 and BB flat calls. Flop comes 3-J-Q rainbow and I bet 800 - BB moves all-in and I fold. Couple hands later I get 66 on the button and move all-in and get called by AJo and lose to a staight and I'm out in 3rd.
Now here is my question, how do you play low PPs when your put into the situation that if you raise and get called you have no idea how to play the flop unless you flop a set? I mean say I raise 2.5 or 3x BB with 66 and get called by BB (I'm on the button). Flop comes out and he checks, I bet and he calls, at this point if he bets again I'm mostly beat and I'm losing around 30-40% of my stack in this process. Is it a smart move just to move all-in on the blinds with these low-Mid PPs and if I get called just hope its a cointoss? I'm mostly thinking of 44-88, 9s and above I can usually play confidently and lower pairs I usually just pitch unless its cheap, sometimes I just limp from the button with these lower pairs and try to hit a set.
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Posted Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:39 am GMT by jeffreymb
Ryan,
It looks to me like the way you played the low pocket pairs in your tournament was pretty good. Obviously 3 handed, any PP is a good hand to raise with. The size of your chip stack relative to the blinds and the other players should determine if you go all in or not. If I were the short stack and on the button 3-handed, I am almost always pushing with any pocket pair, assuming the blinds are worth winning. When you get called by two over cards, you just hope that the opponent doesn't hit. I don't really mind taking a coin flip when I am the short stack for a chance to get back in the game. If I am getting called by an overpair, well there isn't much you can do about that. If ever in doubt, I prefer to go all in, especially later in a tournament when the blinds are larger. Earlier in a tournament from EP, I usually just limp with my low PP's and hope to hit a set. In LP I will consider raising, epecially if the players in the blinds are somewhat conservative.
Hope that helps,
Jeff
Posted Mon Aug 14, 2006 3:14 pm GMT by Jauron
| Ryan231 wrote: | | Now here is my question, how do you play low PPs when your put into the situation that if you raise and get called you have no idea how to play the flop unless you flop a set? |
If you don't feel comfortable playing flops with small pairs down to 3 handed you should be pushing. I'd suggest you work on that part of your game though so you are comfortable enough that you don't think fold or all-in is your only play.
Playing small pairs post flops can be tricky and really the best advice I can give is to know your oppenents. Know what types of hands they are likely to be calling with and what types of hands they are willing to go broke with. Outside of that, it's just getting more experience playing them in different situations.
Posted Mon Aug 14, 2006 3:28 pm GMT by Loonbat
I'm not sure there is anything wrong with the way you were playing the sm pps (in principle) but generally the goal shorthanded is to pick up the blinds and antes, until you have more of a monster hand that doesn't feel crippled when 3 overs flop. It sounds as if you were fairly aggressive and that few of your hands were seen to showdown. Your two opponents may have pegged you as a maniac and after awhile were willing to defend with any decent holdings.
And remember - mix up the raises. Play the hand you'd like to represent. Just because you have ducks doesn't mean they put you on a small pp. These small pairs with position can become big, even without hitting the set.
And even shorthanded I'll take a few hands off after several subsequent steals, just so I don't find my stack at jeopardy in a coinflip when someone decides to play sheriff.
Posted Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:41 am GMT by MrDarling
| Ryan231 wrote: | | ... I end up losing a fairly large chunk when button folded and I had JTs in the SB, I raised to 700 and BB flat calls. Flop comes 3-J-Q rainbow and I bet 800 - BB moves all-in and I fold. |
This is the price of stealing a lot of blinds. Players get fed up and are just waiting for any kind of a hand to punish you. I often punish stealers in the same way. Once they start stealing too often, and I feel like they attempt to steal from me , I'll do the exact same move. Sometime I get unlucky and they actually have a hand, but often they will fold.
Due to this, in this hand I seriously can't tell if he was just being fed up and had any kinds of live hand, or did he really have a hand.
For the rest, it seems like you play your pp cool. Though I like to mix my play. Often I'll just limp or flat call and hope for a set. I'll also lay down a small pp easy enough preflop if there was too much action before me.
Sure, most of the time you wont hit anything and will likely fold. But lets face it, unless you really push, you are likely to get called by any over-live-cards and still in chance to be out drawn. A set is one of the best paying hands for me.. Often you can slow play it and really make a pot.
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