Did i play this right?

What should i have done differently, and more importantly, why? Thanks.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button ($10.85)
SB ($25.05)
BB ($11.65)
UTG ($5.30)
UTG+1 ($1.25)
MP1 ($12.55)
MP2 ($11.80)
Hero ($2.60)
CO ($7.55)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A, J.
4 folds, Hero raises to $0.3, CO calls $0.30, 2 folds, BB calls $0.20.

Flop: ($0.95) Q, 2, 7 (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.5, CO calls $0.50, BB folds.

Turn: ($1.95) J (2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks.

River: ($1.95) T (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1.2, Hero calls $1.20.

Final Pot: $4.35

Hello and welcome to FTR!

First thing is, buy in for the full amount. This will enable you to make more money in the long run. You are very short stacked for this blind level, (i.e. you have 26BB)

Pre-Flop You open raise from MP with AJs. This, in and of itself isn't too bad, but many people including myself will tell you to limp or even FOLD this hand from this position, especially with your stack size.

Flop You missed the Q-high uncoordinated flop, and take a stab. Not a bad continuation bet, but considering your stack size, you are risking a LOT of your stack with A-high... CO calls your 1/2 PSB (Pot Sized Bet) and we go to the turn HU (Heads Up), His CC (Cold Call) could mean anything from Qx, 7x, 2x, to a middle PP (Pocket Pair), to nothing (as there are absolutely no draws on this board)

Turn You hit your J!! At this point you only have $1.80 left which is not even the size of the pot. You've been fairly aggressive up until this point; I don't like the stop of the aggression here. It's quite possible you are ahead here due to CO's CC, so I would push (Go All-In) on the turn. A check here shows weakness and unless you know the CO may bluff into you, I don't like it. At this point I would say you are well ahead of CO's Range of hands.

River Hmmm, a T hits which fills a few unlikely straight draws (AK, K9, 98) and you C/C (Check Call) a bet for 3/4's of your stack. I don't like calling away that much of a percentage of my stack with 2nd pair, but I don't see a better line on this river. That said, the way that CO played, I can't give him any credit for a good hand here, and a Call is likely +EV.

Summary Had you had a full stack at the beginning of this hand, I think that CO would've played this very differently against you. Also, if you are going to play with a short stack (and a full stack for that matter), you do NOT want to play so passively. A short-stacks advantage is FE (Fold-Equity) which is what you would've had if you would've pushed on the turn.

GL,
Chris

Does FT offer $2NL or $5NL?

If it does please consider playing these level with a 100bb buyin to teach yourself how to play poker.

If you have to shortstack 10NL you need to learn proper ratholing strategies, I will not link them b/c I hate it but I'm sure you could find it by googling it.

As played shove the turn.

$10NL is the smallest stakes that FullTilt offers...

Thanks for your help chris.

The reason I am so short stacked is because I am trying to build a decent bankroll from nothing. I started out winning 5 glorious $$$ in a freeroll and have built it up to around 15$....I only buy into cash games for 2.5$ as per what Chris Ferguson suggests for bankroll management when having a very limited bankroll.

Anyway, thanks for all your input

I would have bailed when you missed the flop, didn't get a 4-flush or open-ended, and only have one over.

I don't agree with limping or folding this hand preflop in MP. In fact, you may have wanted to shove preflop here, as it is almost the proper range (I generally want AQs or better for a preflop shove shortstacked).

If you're going to shortstack you really should read up on it.

Comments you'll find here will be based more on the fact that you bought in full.

I think I raise more PF with a short stack, like to .5 and shove most flops.

Fold preflop because your stack is not big enough to threaten the hammer of future bets and your hand is not good enough to withstand action with so many left to act.

Originally Posted by ChrisBCritter

Pre-Flop You open raise from MP with AJs. This, in and of itself isn't too bad, but many people including myself will tell you to limp or even FOLD this hand from this position

My God you are tight. With a full stack I raise from this position every time.

You really should move somewhere where you can afford 2NL. Id go to stars since 2NL is just as soft anywhere and you wont waste any good bonuses there.
As it went you only really have enough chips to play the flop and turn. If you want to play it raise more preflop (like 50c or something) and push the flop.

Originally Posted by Pelion

My God you are tight.

Somehow I feel dirty after this...

I think my limp or fold recommendation was based on the fact that our hero was critically shortstacked, or at least it was at the forefront of my mind when I was writing the post.

With a full stack, I also open raise this from >MP2.

Honestly, I think I play this about the same as you with no read on my opponent.

I don't like shoving the turn, as almost all the hands you beat are folding and none of the hands that beat you are folding.

The hands that he beats us with on the river are AK/TT/QT/QJ (in that order of likelihood). He could could just as easily have any pair, any A-x, or any two cards that he liked enough to call preflop. By checking the turn and the river, we induced a bluff from all of these hands, so we have to call.

I 100% make a note of what this player called with preflop and on the flop here, as well as if he checked behind on the turn with a scared QT or a trapping QJ.

FWIW, He ended up turning over KsQs for TPGK and a backdoor flush draw. Thanks for all your help people, you've really made me see things in a different light, which is positive