Need help with short handed play

[Habris]

Since I started playing seriously about 3 or 4 weeks ago I’ve noticed consistent improvement in my play and I’ve been getting ITM about 70-75% of the time in the 5/.50 SnG’s taking a lot of 3rd and 2nd places. I seem to have hit a brick wall and find that I am having difficulty with short handed play espeically when the table tightens up and it gets down to 3-5 handed. My biggest problem is deciding when to loosen up and how to play average hands when there are fewer players and the blinds are in the 100-200-400 range. I notice I start to limp in with hands I’m not sure about and I start calling with hands that are probably better suited for pushing (I think). I’m still working on fully understanding pot odds and odds in general but I could use some help with general play. I don’t remember any specific reads but everyone is playing tight. Here are some HH’s. Feel free to rip me apart. Thanks in advance.

This is still early but it illustrates how I’m unsure of how to play 99.

*********** # 14 **************
PokerStars Game #3950243253: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
II (15/30) - 2006/02/12 - 16:10:06 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (1810 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (3160 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (1610 in chips)
Seat 5: allison23 (2670 in chips)
Seat 6: Big_mike469 (1210 in chips)
Seat 7: tubaplayer (455 in chips)
Seat 8: BANDIT24 (1370 in chips)
Seat 9: mvelez2 (1215 in chips)
tubaplayer: posts small blind 15
BANDIT24: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [9s 9c]
mvelez2: calls 30
Klopzi: folds
Habris: calls 30
durrtyD: folds
allison23: folds
Big_mike469: folds
tubaplayer: calls 15
BANDIT24: checks
*** FLOP *** [5h Jh 8d]
tubaplayer: checks
BANDIT24: bets 60
mvelez2: calls 60
Habris: folds
tubaplayer: folds
*** TURN *** [5h Jh 8d] [Jc]
BANDIT24: bets 60
mvelez2: folds
BANDIT24 collected 240 from pot
BANDIT24: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 240 | Rake 0
Board [5h Jh 8d Jc]
Seat 1: Klopzi folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Habris folded on the Flop
Seat 4: durrtyD folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: allison23 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Big_mike469 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: tubaplayer (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 8: BANDIT24 (big blind) collected (240)
Seat 9: mvelez2 folded on the Turn

Another example of me limping with mid PP.
*********** # 47 **************
PokerStars Game #3950466288: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
IV (50/100) - 2006/02/12 - 16:29:06 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (2805 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (2695 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (1155 in chips)
Seat 5: allison23 (3630 in chips)
Seat 6: Big_mike469 (3215 in chips)
durrtyD: posts small blind 50
allison23: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [8h 8c]
Big_mike469: calls 100
Klopzi: calls 100
Habris: calls 100
durrtyD: calls 50
allison23: checks
*** FLOP *** [7d Kd Ad]
durrtyD: checks
allison23: checks
Big_mike469: checks
Klopzi: checks
Habris: checks
*** TURN *** [7d Kd Ad] [2s]
durrtyD: checks
allison23: checks
Big_mike469: checks
Klopzi: checks
Habris: bets 100
durrtyD: folds
allison23: folds
Big_mike469: folds
Klopzi: folds
Habris collected 500 from pot
Habris: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 500 | Rake 0
Board [7d Kd Ad 2s]
Seat 1: Klopzi folded on the Turn
Seat 3: Habris (button) collected (500)
Seat 4: durrtyD (small blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 5: allison23 (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 6: Big_mike469 folded on the Turn

Too early to play K5o right?

*********** # 56 **************
PokerStars Game #3950523292: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
IV (50/100) - 2006/02/12 - 16:33:50 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (2855 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (3445 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (1205 in chips)
Seat 5: allison23 (3280 in chips)
Seat 6: Big_mike469 (2715 in chips)
Habris: posts small blind 50
durrtyD: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [5s Kh]
allison23: calls 100
Big_mike469: folds
Klopzi: folds
Habris: calls 50
durrtyD: raises 1105 to 1205 and is all-in
allison23: folds
Habris: folds
durrtyD collected 300 from pot
durrtyD: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 300 | Rake 0
Seat 1: Klopzi (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Habris (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: durrtyD (big blind) collected (300)
Seat 5: allison23 folded before Flop
Seat 6: Big_mike469 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Should I have pushed pre-flop here?

*********** # 68 **************
PokerStars Game #3950598599: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
V (75/150) - 2006/02/12 - 16:39:57 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (1970 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (3220 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (3710 in chips)
Seat 5: allison23 (3155 in chips)
Seat 6: Big_mike469 (1445 in chips)
allison23: posts small blind 75
Big_mike469: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [As 3h]
Klopzi: folds
Habris: folds
durrtyD: folds
allison23: folds
Big_mike469 collected 150 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 150 | Rake 0
Seat 1: Klopzi folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Habris folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: durrtyD (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: allison23 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: Big_mike469 (big blind) collected (150)

Trying to slow play since I had been limping in a lot previously

*********** # 78 **************
PokerStars Game #3950653833: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
V (75/150) - 2006/02/12 - 16:44:22 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (1445 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (1700 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (4910 in chips)
Seat 5: allison23 (2030 in chips)
Seat 6: Big_mike469 (3415 in chips)
allison23: posts small blind 75
Big_mike469: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [Kd Ah]
Klopzi: folds
Habris: calls 150
durrtyD: folds
allison23: calls 75
Big_mike469: checks
*** FLOP *** [4s 9c Ac]
allison23: checks
Big_mike469: checks
Habris: bets 300
allison23: folds
Big_mike469: calls 300
*** TURN *** [4s 9c Ac] [8h]
Big_mike469: checks
Habris: bets 1250 and is all-in
Big_mike469: folds
Habris collected 1050 from pot
Habris: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1050 | Rake 0
Board [4s 9c Ac 8h]
Seat 1: Klopzi folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Habris collected (1050)
Seat 4: durrtyD (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: allison23 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: Big_mike469 (big blind) folded on the Turn

Should I have pushed pre-flop instead?

*********** # 93 **************
PokerStars Game #3950719557: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
VI (100/200) - 2006/02/12 - 16:49:39 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (1420 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (2075 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (8450 in chips)
Seat 5: allison23 (1555 in chips)
Habris: posts small blind 100
durrtyD: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [Qs Ks]
allison23: folds
Klopzi: folds
Habris: calls 100
durrtyD: checks
*** FLOP *** [2d 8c 3c]
Habris: bets 1875 and is all-in
durrtyD: folds
Habris collected 400 from pot
Habris: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 400 | Rake 0
Board [2d 8c 3c]
Seat 1: Klopzi (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Habris (small blind) collected (400)
Seat 4: durrtyD (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: allison23 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Push pre-flop?

*********** # 94 **************
PokerStars Game #3950723509: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
VI (100/200) - 2006/02/12 - 16:49:58 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (1420 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (2275 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (8250 in chips)
Seat 5: allison23 (1555 in chips)
durrtyD: posts small blind 100
allison23: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [9s Ad]
Klopzi: folds
Habris: calls 200
durrtyD: folds
allison23: checks
*** FLOP *** [Kc Jc Ts]
allison23: bets 200
Habris: calls 200
*** TURN *** [Kc Jc Ts] [As]
allison23: checks
Habris: bets 400
allison23: folds
Habris collected 900 from pot
Habris: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 900 | Rake 0
Board [Kc Jc Ts As]
Seat 1: Klopzi folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Habris (button) collected (900)
Seat 4: durrtyD (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: allison23 (big blind) folded on the Turn

Another push pre-flop?

*********** # 98 **************
PokerStars Game #3950746609: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
VI (100/200) - 2006/02/12 - 16:51:50 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (2640 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (2775 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (7030 in chips)
Seat 5: allison23 (1055 in chips)
durrtyD: posts small blind 100
allison23: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [Ad 8c]
Klopzi: folds
Habris: calls 200
durrtyD: calls 100
allison23: raises 855 to 1055 and is all-in
Habris: folds
durrtyD: folds
allison23 collected 600 from pot
allison23: shows [Qs Qh] (a pair of Queens)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 600 | Rake 0
Seat 1: Klopzi folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Habris (button) folded before Flop
Seat 4: durrtyD (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: allison23 (big blind) collected (600)

Limping to try and build pot. Good call on the push?.

*********** # 107 **************
PokerStars Game #3950790115: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
VI (100/200) - 2006/02/12 - 16:55:24 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (2040 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (3975 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (6630 in chips)
Seat 5: allison23 (855 in chips)
allison23: posts small blind 100
Klopzi: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [Tc Ts]
Habris: calls 200
durrtyD: folds
allison23: raises 655 to 855 and is all-in
Klopzi: folds
Habris: calls 655
*** FLOP *** [Qd 2c 2h]
*** TURN *** [Qd 2c 2h] [4h]
*** RIVER *** [Qd 2c 2h 4h] [Qc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
allison23: shows [7d 7s] (two pair, Queens and Sevens)
Habris: shows [Tc Ts] (two pair, Queens and Tens)
allison23 is sitting out
Habris collected 1910 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1910 | Rake 0
Board [Qd 2c 2h 4h Qc]
Seat 1: Klopzi (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: Habris showed [Tc Ts] and won (1910) with two pair, Queens and Tens
Seat 4: durrtyD (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: allison23 (small blind) showed [7d 7s] and lost with two pair,
Queens and Sevens

No clue here.

*********** # 114 **************
PokerStars Game #3950819813: Tournament #19629668, Hold'em No Limit - Level
VI (100/200) - 2006/02/12 - 16:57:50 (ET)
Table '19629668 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Klopzi (3380 in chips)
Seat 3: Habris (5530 in chips)
Seat 4: durrtyD (4590 in chips)
Habris: posts small blind 100
durrtyD: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [Kh Qc]
Klopzi: raises 300 to 500
Habris: raises 300 to 800
durrtyD: calls 600
Klopzi: folds
*** FLOP *** [2h 9s 6h]
Habris: checks
durrtyD: bets 1000
Habris: calls 1000
*** TURN *** [2h 9s 6h] [4s]
Habris: checks
durrtyD: bets 1000
Habris: folds
durrtyD collected 4100 from pot
durrtyD: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4100 | Rake 0
Board [2h 9s 6h 4s]
Seat 1: Klopzi (button) folded before Flop
Seat 3: Habris (small blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 4: durrtyD (big blind) collected (4100)

Too risky to call here or OK?

*********** # 56 **************
PokerStars Game #3951738408: Tournament #19634669, Hold'em No Limit - Level
V (75/150) - 2006/02/12 - 18:13:23 (ET)
Table '19634669 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: Habris (3523 in chips)
Seat 2: ship77 (1102 in chips)
Seat 3: allout999 (5015 in chips)
Seat 4: LonnieCarter (3860 in chips)
LonnieCarter: posts small blind 75
Habris: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [7h 7s]
ship77: calls 150
allout999: folds
LonnieCarter: folds
Habris: raises 300 to 450
ship77: raises 652 to 1102 and is all-in
Habris: calls 652
*** FLOP *** [Th Ts Js]
*** TURN *** [Th Ts Js] [Qd]
*** RIVER *** [Th Ts Js Qd] [4h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Habris: shows [7h 7s] (two pair, Tens and Sevens)
ship77: shows [Ah 4s] (two pair, Tens and Fours)
Habris collected 2279 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2279 | Rake 0
Board [Th Ts Js Qd 4h]
Seat 1: Habris (big blind) showed [7h 7s] and won (2279) with two pair, Tens
and Sevens
Seat 2: ship77 showed [Ah 4s] and lost with two pair, Tens and Fours
Seat 3: allout999 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: LonnieCarter (small blind) folded before Flop

???

*********** # 58 **************
PokerStars Game #3951751547: Tournament #19634669, Hold'em No Limit - Level
V (75/150) - 2006/02/12 - 18:14:26 (ET)
Table '19634669 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Habris (4625 in chips)
Seat 3: allout999 (5090 in chips)
Seat 4: LonnieCarter (3785 in chips)
allout999: posts small blind 75
LonnieCarter: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Habris [6s Ah]
Habris: calls 150
allout999: calls 75
LonnieCarter: checks
*** FLOP *** [3s Kc 8c]
allout999: checks
LonnieCarter: checks
Habris: checks
*** TURN *** [3s Kc 8c] [5s]
allout999: checks
LonnieCarter: checks
Habris: checks
*** RIVER *** [3s Kc 8c 5s] [Ad]
allout999: checks
LonnieCarter: bets 450
Habris: calls 450
allout999: folds
*** SHOW DOWN ***
LonnieCarter: shows [Ac Js] (a pair of Aces)
Habris: mucks hand
LonnieCarter collected 1350 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1350 | Rake 0
Board [3s Kc 8c 5s Ad]
Seat 1: Habris (button) mucked [6s Ah]
Seat 3: allout999 (small blind) folded on the River
Seat 4: LonnieCarter (big blind) showed [Ac Js] and won (1350) with a pair
of Aces

[swiggidy]

#14 - fine early
#47 - I don't like the min-bet. Be careful bluffing into 5 people. If you get a call or raise don't put anymore in the pot
#56 - Stop completing SB with crap hands. Good fold
#68 - Push? you have +20BB. A 3x raise isn't bad here (if people have been folding to those), to set yourself up later. I like the fold too.
#78 - Stop open limping then. There is no need to open limp at $5. If no one calls your 3x raise then they aren't putting any money in on the flop. Push the flop.
#93 - Yes, push
#94 - Yes, push (don't limp)
#98 - You're up to 13BB here, two options, fold or 3x raise. Damn re-raised 400 to see a 1600 pot. Crying call.
#107 - Limping to build the pot? That doesn't work. Raise 3x, call the push and take back your chips you lost on hand #98
#114 - Tricky. Don't min-raise, either raise to 1500 or fold (depending on how active the other two are). Push any flop with a K or Q.

#56 - If ship is pushing a lot call, otherwise I could fold here. You don't need to gambool with 20% of your stack. You could be in a race here.
#58 - Don't open limp. Ax is very good 3 handed. 3x raise, c-bet flop if checked to you, consider folding if not, fold to pre-flop re-raise.

Welcome to FTR. If I ever, EVER, see you posting hands where you open limp I'm driving to Rochester and punching you in the face. Read the stickies.

My style at the $5 is folding almost everything until to blinds are 100. If I'm >15BB, open 3xBB with good hands (A8+, 2 paint, 77+). If I'm 10-15BB, pushing great hands (AK, JJ+). If I'm 6-10BB pushing, good hands. If <6 BB pushing anything if it's folded to me in MP/LP. If someone raised before you, push over top of them with great hands, fold otherwise. This is amazingly effective. If you are patient you can easily place ITM.

[GatorJH]

Here are my thoughts on your hands

#1 - Typically this early in the tourney I play 9's for set value, so your fold on the flop is not a bad play. However, a couple of other things to consider are that no one has shown any strength so far, there is only 1 card on the flop that is an over card to your 9's and you are the chip leader. It also wouldn't have been a bad play to lead out on the flop with a bet of 90 - 120 chips to try and take it down. If you get any resistance you can still lay it down.

#2 - Later in the tournament, the blinds have increased dramatically, and there are fewer people in the tournament all lead to the fact that you can no longer play mid pocket pairs for set value. You either need to come out with a raise to try and steal the blinds or fold. In early position with 8's I would lead more toward the fold than a raise. I wouldn't push here because you still have an M of almost 18 so you aren't desperate to make a move on what will most likely be a coin flip at best.
As for the bet on the turn, that is not a bad amount as it appears that you are begging for a call when, in fact, you really don't want one. I hope that was the intent with that amount.
#3 - K5 is much too weak to play against an all-in and to make a move with. I can see the limp from the SB, but it is a clear fold after that.

#4 - Not a bad fold. If the kicker were a tad higher, or if they were suited you could make a case for a push here, but not unsuited with a 3.

#5 - First, you don't slow play when you have been limping in alot as you already have a tight image. Second, the blinds are too big and your M is WAY too small (less than 8) to be slow playing anything. This is a push pre-flop.

#6 - Push Pre-flop

#7 - Either push or fold pre-flop. If you have been very active lately you may want to sit this one out. If you have been tight - push it.

#8 - Same as #7 push or fold

#9 - I would have pushed preflop. There aren't enough people in the game to "build the pot"

#10 - Your M is up now, he has already told you that he has a hand (with the preflop raise) and you are out of position. KQ is a pretty strong hand in a 3 handed game so it is not necessarily a bad to call his pre-flop raise or even re-raise if he is an aggressive player who could be playing a wide range of hands. However, you can't re-raise (which suggests a big hand) pre-flop, then check on the flop unless you check/raise (which again suggests a big hand). I probably would have called his raise pre-flop and fold to any substantial bet on the flop. You are the chip leader so don't waste chips going up against someone who already says he has a hand when you don't.

#11 - this was a nice play as you were up against the short stack who may be making a move with a wide range of hands.

#12 - Any A is a good starting hand against two opponents and is worth making an attempt at a blind steal. When the blinds get this large you need to stop limping into hands and get into the mode of either raise or fold.

[mcatdog]

I agree with most of what swiggidy said except that when I'm trying to steal the blinds, I pay more attention to who the players are that I'm stealing from, than I pay to what my actual hand is. I'll steal with 10-4 offsuit if everyone behind me is a rock, but I'll fold a hand like A8 if one of the blinds is a clown who plays 70% of his hands.

At this point in your poker playing, I think you would do well to never ever ever open limp. Limping behind a few other limpers if you have a pocket pair, is fine.

[bluey]

I didnt read them all but what I did see was limping. At later stages of tournies I dont limp, unless there is a weird circumstance.

[Habris]

Very cool...thanks for connecting the dots. Things are quickly becoming clear.