Monday, January 5, 2009
I'm Not Off to a Good Start
Boy, did I get stupid in Sunday's 10:00 tournament. I didn't play any hands at all for 20 minutes. Then, in the big blind I find A-Q off suit. The blinds are at 25-50 and three people limped in, so I made it 200 to go. Naturally, they all called me. This is probably because they all thought I had 7-2 or something. Oh, well. The flop was Q-6-3 rainbow. I felt pretty comfortable about my hand. As I was first to act, I went ahead and bet 300. One guy called me and the other two folded. The turn was a 2. I still wasn't concerned and bet out 600. The remaining player raised to 1500. Now, I didn't immediately get stupid. I thought about it for awhile, but I honestly couldn't put him on a straight. I just couldn't do it. He called 200 cold before the flop. How could he possibly have a 4-5? I thought at worst he had the same hand I did. He was in the middle of the table and not in the blinds, so why would he play something like 6-3, Q-6 or Q-3 or 4-5 with a 200 raise? I was totally convinced I had the best hand or at worst a tie. So then I got stupid and went all-in. He called immediately with his 4-5 of hearts and that was the end of my tournament. I couldn't believe it. I was actually stunned. It was the only hand that I had played and boy, did I play it badly. I feel better getting it off my chest, but I still feel extremely stupid. I tried to put him on a hand, but I just didn't see him calling 200 before the flop with a 4-5. Wow.
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3 comments:
Lynne, I think the mistake you made here was not making the 4/5 pay on the flop. You got an awesome flop, but you still need to protect it more. Suited connectors early in a tournament are very strong hands as they are the ones most likely to bust big pairs. They go way down in value later with big stacks. I liked your original bet, about pot sized, but the flop bet was too small. There is $800 in the pot, and a $300 bet gives his 4/5 almost 4 to one on his money ($1100 in pot with your bet). He has 8 outs, maybe more if there is one heart on the flop for runners, so a little better that 5/1 to hit his card...but factoring 2 cards to come more like 3 to 1. So, he was getting pretty good odds. The key, I think is giving him incorrect odds. I think given the great flop for you I would have bet more as you are still vulnerable to a king on the turn, any small pair that hopes for a set, or something like that. I think 500 or 600 might have done the trick. I don't know the stack sizes, but given his reraise to your bet, I think either a fold or call would be o.k. I would put him on either a q with worse kicker or he hit a set. Sometimes s**t just happens. Keep the faith.
hi lynne,
a comment on the "M" you mentioned on my blog. Yes, you do want lots of times the small plus big blind, the more the better. What the 3 times refers to is a must act short stack position. He says that most of the time we will be in the 7-10 times range, which is o.k. The 3-7 range is a danger zone, but not immediately.
lynne,
i borrowed the book myself, and have returned it. sorry. see you around the first of february.
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