2 Hand Histories...Help Please

[copa]

Ok we had a 21 person tourney today. I have about 70 chips at the end and am above average stack size with 8 people total left. Blinds are at 3/6. Two hand histories I would like help with.

1st: Table of 4 people, I am in last position. Hole carde AJc. I raise to 14. Sb goes all in for 16 more. BB folds. I call 16 or so and he shows KK. I go on to lose. This was for about half my stack.

2nd: I am bb. 2 fold and Sb limps in. I have about 40 in chips. Blinds same. I hold 9 2o. Flop comes A9A. 2 hearts. I bet 4 chips. SB calls. Next card was a Qh. SB bets 10 and I call. I was pretty sure he didnt have flush. River is another A. He bets 15. I call. I lose to quad As. He went in with A5s. I lost pretty much my whole stack.


Thanks for the help. By the way, I was 2 people away from ITM. Sorry I dont have the computer generated hand history but this was a live game.

[quile]

I'm a complete newb, but this is how i see it:

For both, how much was in the pot when you bet?

1st: This all happened pre-flop? I don't consider AJs a very powerfull hand until I see whats on the flop. I would have bet, but not 14. Maybe 6 to see who calls or who raises. If someone doubled my raise pre-flop, I have to really wonder if this guys has a strong pair. If I didn't have a pair to back up his raise, I wouldn't call. On a second note. It seems like you were just trying to steal the pot betting 14 from late possition. He probably tagged you and had a strong hand to back it up in case he was wrong. On the other hand, calling may have been a good thing by showing him you really did think you had a strong enough hand to call so everyone else doesn't label you as trying to steal the blind. But then again, if you folded, you can just turn your cards over so everyone can see you actually had something.

2nd: First off, SB cold calls you after the flop. You have to wonder what he has. It's early in the hand and he doesnt want to scare you off with a raise. When the Q turns and he bet 10, I would start wondering right them he has another Q or better.(unless i know him as a bluffer) Since you only had 9's. You should have folded.

In either case, you have to take into account the past plays these players have made and judge if they are for real or just loose/aggressive. Folding is a win-win situation if you are that uncertain of what your opponent has. Now, if you are not questioning at all what your opponent may have to beat you and just assume you have the stronger hand even after they raise you, that that is a huge hole in your game. You can't lose if someone doesn't take ALL your chips.

[aokrongly]

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