Four straight suckouts - Did I play them correctly?

[GatorJH]

After four big suckouts in a row over two tournaments ($5+1 SNG on Empire Poker) I naturally start to wonder if I am playing correctly or if the bad beat bug simply kept hitting me.

Naturally, the best way to find that out is to post the hands here, so don't hold anything back guys and gals. Let me know if you would have played these any differently. I have put in a couple of initial notes so you can see why I made particular calls.

Hand 1 - Krusanger had been playing just about every hand and would stay in with bottom pair, etc.

Seat 5: Zuko75 ( $800 )
Seat 6: tander52 ( $490 )
Seat 3: pokerhorse5 ( $740 )
Seat 4: GatorJerryH ( $770 )
Seat 8: snapcheck ( $1259 )
Seat 1: Stallion888 ( $785 )
Seat 10: lurius ( $755 )
Seat 7: dansed541 ( $830 )
Seat 9: schoettd ( $1255 )
Seat 2: krusanger ( $316 )
Trny:15060618 Level:1
Blinds(10/15)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to GatorJerryH [ Kd Td ]
pokerhorse5 calls [15].
GatorJerryH raises [60].
Zuko75 folds.
tander52 folds.
dansed541 folds.
snapcheck folds.
schoettd folds.
lurius calls [60].
Stallion888 folds.
krusanger calls [45].
pokerhorse5 calls [45].
** Dealing Flop ** [ Tc, 5c, 7c ]
krusanger checks.
pokerhorse5 checks.
GatorJerryH bets [175].
lurius folds.
krusanger calls [175].
pokerhorse5 folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ 4h ]
krusanger is all-In [81]
GatorJerryH calls [81].
** Dealing River ** [ 6c ]
krusanger shows [ 8d, Ac ] a flush, ace high.
GatorJerryH shows [ Kd, Td ] a pair of tens.
krusanger wins 762 chips from the main pot with a flush, ace high.
Game #2577662402 starts.

Hand 2 - I made my post flop bet for two reasons - Krusanger always bet with a made hand and dansed541 had played VERY tight prior to this so I was confident that, at best, he was on a flush draw.

Seat 5: Zuko75 ( $770 )
Seat 6: tander52 ( $415 )
Seat 4: GatorJerryH ( $424 )
Seat 8: snapcheck ( $1214 )
Seat 1: Stallion888 ( $850 )
Seat 10: lurius ( $520 )
Seat 7: dansed541 ( $1565 )
Seat 9: schoettd ( $1255 )
Seat 2: krusanger ( $987 )
Trny:15060618 Level:2
Blinds(15/30)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to GatorJerryH [ Qd Ac ]
lurius folds.
Stallion888 folds.
krusanger calls [30].
GatorJerryH raises [120].
Zuko75 folds.
tander52 folds.
dansed541 calls [120].
snapcheck folds.
schoettd folds.
krusanger calls [90].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 8h, 2d, 2h ]
krusanger checks.
GatorJerryH is all-In [304]
dansed541 calls [304].
krusanger folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ 7h ]
** Dealing River ** [ 9s ]
GatorJerryH shows [ Qd, Ac ] a pair of twos.
dansed541 shows [ Qh, Jh ] a flush, queen high.
dansed541 wins 1013 chips from the main pot with a flush, queen high.
GatorJerryH finished in ninth place.

Hand 3 - Should I have raised more on the flop?
Seat 1: AJ_in_TEXAS ( $800 )
Seat 2: MirceaHdRom ( $785 )
Seat 4: guydoo1 ( $800 )
Seat 5: JamesM0113 ( $800 )
Seat 7: Hocekwon ( $755 )
Seat 10: alexisej ( $800 )
Seat 3: GatorJerryH ( $800 )
Seat 6: BerniceQ ( $785 )
Seat 9: leggba ( $875 )
Seat 8: Mitzmouse ( $800 )
Trny:15060773 Level:1
Blinds(10/15)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to GatorJerryH [ Ac 6c ]
leggba folds.
alexisej folds.
AJ_in_TEXAS calls [15].
MirceaHdRom calls [15].
GatorJerryH calls [15].
guydoo1 folds.
JamesM0113 calls [15].
BerniceQ folds.
Hocekwon calls [5].
Mitzmouse checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ Jh, 6s, As ]
Hocekwon checks.
Mitzmouse bets [15].
AJ_in_TEXAS calls [15].
MirceaHdRom calls [15].
GatorJerryH raises [145].
JamesM0113 folds.
Hocekwon folds.
Mitzmouse calls [130].
AJ_in_TEXAS calls [130].
MirceaHdRom folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ Qd ]
Mitzmouse checks.
AJ_in_TEXAS checks.
GatorJerryH bets [200].
Mitzmouse folds.
AJ_in_TEXAS calls [200].
** Dealing River ** [ 7c ]
AJ_in_TEXAS checks.
GatorJerryH checks.
AJ_in_TEXAS shows [ Qh, Ah ] two pairs, aces and queens.
GatorJerryH shows [ Ac, 6c ] two pairs, aces and sixes.
AJ_in_TEXAS wins 940 chips from the main pot with two pairs, aces and queens.

Hand 4 - JamesM0113 was an aggressive player so I knew I could trap him. I didn't go all in on purpose after the turn to show a weak hand, knowing he would raise me all-in. Was that a wrong move?

Seat 1: AJ_in_TEXAS ( $265 )
Seat 2: MirceaHdRom ( $2580 )
Seat 4: guydoo1 ( $1230 )
Seat 5: JamesM0113 ( $1205 )
Seat 7: Hocekwon ( $1235 )
Seat 3: GatorJerryH ( $385 )
Seat 6: BerniceQ ( $415 )
Seat 8: Mitzmouse ( $685 )
Trny:15060773 Level:2
Blinds(15/30)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to GatorJerryH [ 2c 5d ]
guydoo1 folds.
JamesM0113 calls [30].
BerniceQ folds.
Hocekwon folds.
Mitzmouse folds.
AJ_in_TEXAS folds.
MirceaHdRom calls [15].
GatorJerryH checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ 5s, 5c, Jh ]
MirceaHdRom checks.
GatorJerryH checks.
JamesM0113 bets [90].
MirceaHdRom folds.
GatorJerryH calls [90].
** Dealing Turn ** [ Ts ]
GatorJerryH bets [150].
JamesM0113 raises [300].
GatorJerryH is all-In [115]
** Dealing River ** [ Js ]
JamesM0113 shows [ Ah, Jd ] a full house, Jacks full of fives.
GatorJerryH shows [ 2c, 5d ] a full house, Fives full of jacks.
JamesM0113 wins 35 chips from side pot #1 with a full house, Jacks full of fives.
JamesM0113 wins 800 chips from the main pot with a full house, Jacks full of fives.
GatorJerryH finished in eighth place.


[/b]

[drmcboy]

Hand 1 - fold pre flop. After the flop it plays itself
Hand 2 - the way you played it is fine, but you're getting called by any PP or flush draw here.
Hand 3 - I'd have probably pushed the turn.
Hand 4 - Standard, although I don't get your bet on the turn. Betting more than half your stack doesn't look weak. Either check or push.

[rubixstreub]

Hand 1: Fold preflop. Way too early in the tournament to be playing K10 from UTG+1. I might limp with this hand on the button, but that’s about it. I’d also fold to his all-in.

Hand 2: Don’t mind the push, you were hurting at this point, nor do I mind him calling the shortstack with two overcards and a flush draw.

Hand 3: Too bad. Your bet is fine, he probably would have called just about anything shy of an all-in and you’re lucky you didn’t lose more on the river.

Hand 4: I think this line is fine, he had TPTK, and was only worried about a 5. Even if you went all in on the flop he probably would have called seeing how you were the shortstack.

I think your bigger problem is why you seem to be shortstacked so much when the blinds are still 15/30. You need to seriously tightening up so people don’t see you as a target to be taken out. All-in’s from a shortstacks look desperate and are asking to be called.

*edit, just noticed this was party with 800 starting chips...

[Aces]

General comments:

You seem to get short-stacked fairly early in these SNGs. Maybe playing this loose works for you, but I would tighten up some PF in the first 3-4 rounds.

Hand 1 - KTs is not a great hand to be raising with in EP. If you have to just call, or fold.

Hand 2 - sounds like a good read. However he had the odds to call that if he thought even one of his overs + flush draw were good. Your flop push pretty much screams two overs.

Hand 3 - Could've also folded PF. Flop bet was fine. I'm worried getting two callers though, probably at least one of them has an A. Hate to see a Q on the turn as it could help anyone with A-face. Luckily he checks the river and you rightly just check.

Hand 4 - played fine. He hits one of his 3 outs - STBY.

[PokerPatNEU]

Hand 1: Don't raise this pre flop UTG+1...maybe heads up, but never ever with so many to act after you. i don't think is bad by you after the flop, but not terrible by the villain either, depending on how your table image has been so far in the tourney. He has the nut flush draw + an over card. On the turn he picks up 4 more outs from the gutshot, and thinks maybe he has folding equity if he goes all in...If he had more chips, it would be a better play. You are obviously calling here with TPGK...You are a favorite, true. But with his short stack i think i might just have pushed the flop here if i was him.

Hand 2: Eh...you're play looks a little too much like an attempt to take down the pot with overs. With a low paired board on the flop, and your raise pre flop, its not a bad call by villain either i don't think (depending on your table image again). Again, you're the favorite. But he has a draw + overs, and you don't have many chips left, he can afford to gamble here.

Hand 3: This isn't really a suckout...Villain is dumb for not betting his two pair on the turn and river, but who wouldn't make that call on the flop with TPGK? Nice check by you on the river to avoid the trap. Tough luck for you here, it's poker.

Hand 4: Lucky catch by him, but not played badly. You should have pushed the flop in my opinion, with your small stack. It isn't hard to get all your chips in here if your opp is holding anything from Jx to medium pairs to even over cards...And if he doesnt have at least that, you arent going to be able to trap anyway.

[GatorJH]

good points on the first hand - I have been slowly loosening up my starting requirements as I get better playing after the flop - Guess I got too loose.

I think your bigger problem is why you seem to be shortstacked so much when the blinds are still 15/30. You need to seriously tightening up so people don’t see you as a target to be taken out. All-in’s from a shortstacks look desperate and are asking to be called.

That actually doesn't happen often. I usually finish ITM over 40% of the time (even with the 3-12 slump I am in right now). However, I also know that the only way to improve is to get input from others and be totally honest about my play.

On a side note - I have noticed that whenever I start reading a book (HOH vol I right now), my ITM % goes down for a little bit, then heads back up. I am not sure if it is because I am overanalyzing at first due to what I learn in the book or what. Does this happen to anyone else?

[GatorJH]

After reading the comments I have realized that I moved away from the "tight is right" philosophy in early play and was playing too loosely.

Looking back, based on position and the fact that hands 1 and 3 were in the early rounds, playing (and subsequently losing) both of them put me in the bad position of not being able to control the betting later.

Thanks for all of the input.

[Tenny]

My 2 cents. I don't play SNG's at Party or Empire anymore 800 chips to start with is not enough. I play at Stars and UB where you get 1500 chips.

[JeffreyGB]

If you're going to experiment with looser requirements for starting hands, that's fine. But, you need position and an unraised pot to do it. Playing mediocre hands out of position is a recipe for disaster, because:
a) you lack the information to make the best play you can
b) you forfeit a lot of the bluffing potential you could have for taking down pots that everyone misses