What was the correct course of action?

I'm still rather new to multi-table poker tournaments, but slowly learning the bad beats to becomming a good player. I'm at the point now I can make it to the final 50 of 500+ tourneys, but I'm having difficulties making the final table.

Last night for example I had a mad rush mid way through the tourney and secured first place for about 30m - 45minutes, my first mistakes was a hand I had pocket 9's.

The blinds where around 300/600 and I was on the button, when it came my turn to post, the table only had one caller, I raised the pot to 1200, the blinds folded and the one caller called my 1200.

Flop came 6, 8, 2 (rainbow), caller bets 600, I raise to 1200 caller calls.

Turn comes another 6, caller goes all - in...

What should have I done to avoid this? I lost with my 9's to trip 6

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At this point I had still hung on to 10th position with 45 left in tourney, then I butted heads with the chip leader. He had 30k, I had 18k.

I was on the big blind, and chip leader had called (600/1200) and everyone else folded to the blinds where with my Ah Kc I raised to 2400, chip leader called.

flop comes 6h 6c 5h, In my infinite wisdom, and not wanting to show weakness, I raised the pot 3k, WELL! I suppose sensing I was buying the pot he raised to 6k. with over 1/3 of my chips commited to the pot, I tried one final move on the pot, and that was to all-in. Chip leader calls and shows his pocket 8's.. I drew one more heart, but no A or K so I lost and was out of the tourney.

What should have I done to avoid this with someone that has more chips than me. Seems every time I have a good hand against someone with more chips than me I end up either short stacked or out of the tourney.

i'll disclaim that i've never played an MTT, but have played a lot SNG's

Part 1

with your 9's, i would have bet the flop harder. not knowing what his other card was or his stack size, it's hard for me to say whether he would have folded. but on the flop, you had the best of it, yet a vulnerable hand, especially to overcards. since he minimum bet the flop (600), i would have come over the top with at least 2400 with the goal of ending the hand there.

Part 2

this one's tough - even though it's weak, with the board paired, i would have checked my AK and folded to a bet. i, like a lot of people, am really developing a love/hate relationship with AK betting as you did, at least respect his reraise, and fold.

i've really tried to get myself away from the idea of "pot committed" - either i think i can win the hand (either with my cards or bluff/aggression), or get out. i'd rather have the "chip and a chair" chance to come back than throw the rest of my chips in just because i've already bet so much.

my 2 chips.

also forgot - welcome to the board!

Thanks, I can't recall what his other card was, Once I saw the 3rd 6 I went on tilt mode for a couple of hands.

I do remember it was suited, and he did not flop 2 pair, just the 6's.

As for the AK, The only reason I went after it was because I had a note on him that he will re-raise a flop bet even with only 2 over pair.

I was playing very tight and aggressive that tourney, with a flop percentage just under 30, and a showdown percentage of over 75%. I have a feeling this is why he called the all-in, knowing I didn't have a pair and only 2 over cards from my PFR.

I agree with the pot committed part. I'm starting to learn, if you feel like you're a real dog and you're put all in, fold, no matter how many chips you have in (especially on the river). Better to wait for when you have a real chance to get back in the game, instead of pray for a 6 outer (2 over cards, assuming they don't have two pair or a set already) or something.

Hand 1: I agree, bet the flop more. But then again, I got knocked out of a tournament earlier in this situation (I went all in with an overpair, as an average size stack against a huge stack and a small stack in the blinds with low cards on the flop, and after they min bet). Small stack folded, big stack called even though he knew I had him, and caught 2 pair on the river. BUT if you play it more conservatively like you did, its an easy fold on the turn I think. No reason to risk it then.

Hand 2: Here's your big problem on this hand, in MTTs. That's a good bet against a small stack. Don't bluff the big stack like that. You can call put a small stack all in and maybe only risk 1/4th of your chips if they do call. With the big stack, you're risking your tournament on a bluff, and they're much more likely to call you than a small stack, because they won't go out if they lose the hand. Be concious of stack sizes.

Originally Posted by KewlKatt

I was playing very tight and aggressive that tourney, with a flop percentage just under 30, and a showdown percentage of over 75%. I have a feeling this is why he called the all-in, knowing I didn't have a pair and only 2 over cards from my PFR.

i don't know how it translates from SNG to MTT, but my flop % is ~20%.

are you seeing more hands than you really should be?

like i said - i wouldn't know what a good %flops seen for an MTT would be...

Not really, It is usually lower than that, As I mentioned I was on a tear for a good hour seeing AA twice, KK 3 times, QQ a few times and more Ace face suited and pocket pairs than I can count.

Oh, and I forgot, the chip leader came in after my mad rush, I had fizzeled to the point I was only seeing the flop less than 10% after he got to the table.

KK

Originally Posted by KewlKatt

...I was on a tear for a good hour seeing AA twice, KK 3 times, QQ a few times and more Ace face suited and pocket pairs than I can count.

shut-up, SHUT-UP, SHUT-UP!!!

i try to offer some help, yet you taunt and torment me.

My 2 cents:

Seeing as you were the chip leader and with the blinds being 600 I think your raise was way too small. 99 is a decent hand but not a great hand. I would raise big to let everyone know that I think I have the best hand and that they are going to have to pay to see the flop with me. I'm talking at least 2000 raise if the blinds are 600. Even 2000 is low....maybe 2500-3200. I am perfectly happy stealing the blinds with 99 because yes it is a good hand but it is so easily beaten if you are called because you just know any callers are going to have overcards most of the time.

Bottom line is that if you had raised bigger any sane person with a low pocket pair would have folded because small pocket pairs are worthless without help and if the cost of seeing the flop is too high then its an easy laydown. Now if you raised the nines big and you had a caller or a reraise then thats a signal that you could be in trouble. In that case I would either fold to a big reraise or if he just calls then play very cautiously after the flop maybe putting out a decent sized test bet and planning to fold if he calls or reraises.

Yeah, a min raise wasn't good, as very few people online fold to a min raise after calling outside of a blind. You should bet 3x BB.

But, I don't suggest raising more than that. With AK, you have to be willing to lay it down if you miss the flop and your opponent shows strength.

Thanks for all your feedback,

I'll give it a try and see if I can get to that elusive final table.

KK

Originally Posted by KewlKatt

The blinds where around 300/600 and I was on the button, when it came my turn to post, the table only had one caller, I raised the pot to 1200, the blinds folded and the one caller called my 1200.

Raise more. You want your 9s to be heads up to the flop OR to get a shorter stack to go all-in with you.

Fnord, he had AK. It was the other guy that had 99.

Originally Posted by KewlKatt

...I was on a tear for a good hour seeing AA twice, KK 3 times, QQ a few times and more Ace face suited and pocket pairs than I can count.

I had this happen to me today and got to see the turn and river bring the cards of death almost every single time

Feeling really demoralised. I'm starting to think that bad beats are supposed to happen all the time and I just havn't realised and I'm a loseing player :'(