A bloody awful MTTer asks for advice on a hand

[biondino]

You are shortish (but not critically so - M of about 8) stacked in a 300-handed MTT with half or so of the players still in. You get 88 on the cut-off and min-raise. The flop is 642 rainbow, and the 2 other players check to you (the button folded pre-flop).

What's your play?

[ZenOffsuit]

Bet the pot

[STIdrivr]

you shouldnt min raise with 88

[Andy Holt]

Push.

[arkana]

You are shortish (but not critically so - M of about 8) stacked in a 300-handed MTT with half or so of the players still in. You get 88 on the cut-off and min-raise. The flop is 642 rainbow, and the 2 other players check to you (the button folded pre-flop).

What's your play?

Don't minraise preflop, either limp or raise at least 2.5BB
On the flop bet 1/2 - pot

[biondino]

The minraise was a ploy to unsettle the button (very aggressive up to now, always raising or minraising after limpers), but I agree, it's not a good play as such. I included it as it's what I did and does at least indicate some kind of pre-flop hand.

[arkana]

The minraise was a ploy to unsettle the button (very aggressive up to now, always raising or minraising after limpers), but I agree, it's not a good play as such. I included it as it's what I did and does at least indicate some kind of pre-flop hand.

I don't think its a good play since you don't have a big enough stack to scare people and they might just take a cheap flop and see if they can bust the shorty. With a M of 10 - 6 there is no margin of error, you want to win every pot you play. Represent strength and make them pay to see the flop.

[Pingviini]

What is the current blind level? Dont min-raise but make it about 3X. If the blinds still call I would bet closer to the size of the pot. If they still call I would try to get a cheap showdown.

[biondino]

I think the blinds were 50/100 at this point. FWIW, I pushed on the flop and was folded to. My worry was that if I made a smaller bet and was called, any card 9 or above (and even a couple below given the straight opportunities) would scare or confuse me - at least this way I was getting all my chips in when I was pretty sure I was ahead.

[arkana]

I think the blinds were 50/100 at this point. FWIW, I pushed on the flop and was folded to. My worry was that if I made a smaller bet and was called, any card 9 or above (and even a couple below given the straight opportunities) would scare or confuse me - at least this way I was getting all my chips in when I was pretty sure I was ahead.

No you are pushing the turn on that hand if you get called (you will probably have 1/2 the pot left at most) but this way AK might just come along for the ride. By pushing on the flop you are making it harder for them to make a mistake.

[biondino]

Yes, I am. My reasoning is sound but scared - hence this thread! As I am yet to make the money in any MTT, and indeed have only had maybe 2 decent showings ever, I need all the advice I can get

[chardrian]

Push preflop.

You didn't and now lucked out and hit a beautiful flop - leaving you and the pot with about the same amount of chips - just push no sense it getting tricky here by betting anything else.

[Chicago_Kid]

Push preflop.

You didn't and now lucked out and hit a beautiful flop - leaving you and the pot with about the same amount of chips - just push no sense it getting tricky here by betting anything else.

Given the min raise, I push on that flop for sure. A pot sized bet on the flop is at least half your stack, so you might as well push, b/c you'll be pretty committed on the turn if an overcard hits, so win it now. If overcards call they pay the max to suckout on you. But they prob. won't 'cause your min raise might look like a big pair.