Just an example of "picking your spot"

[chardrian]

A lot of posts on here are questions asking what the poster should have done. A lot of times the response is be patient, pick your spots. Well, here is an example of "picking your spot."

showme had previously stolen my blind the last orbit, and my read was that he was gonna continue to do so with any two cards since I had not put up any resistance.

Game #1337246887 - Tournament Turquoise - 100/200 No Limit Texas Hold'em -
2006/03/08-22:02:37.7 (CST)
Table "Turquoise 6" (MTT) -- Seat 6 is the button
Seat 1: maldini (4,760 in chips)
Seat 2: ecuqdogg93 (3,815 in chips)
Seat 3: schuttedog (3,455 in chips)
Seat 4: the foxx (4,435 in chips)
Seat 6: Ace Devil (8,944 in chips)
Seat 7: showmethemoney (6,922 in chips)
Seat 8: chardrian (4,895 in chips)
Seat 9: stud6106 (8,785 in chips)
Seat 10: mattbecker (2,655 in chips)
showmethemoney: Post Small Blind (100)
chardrian: Post Big Blind (200)
Dealing...
Dealt to chardrian [ Kd ]
Dealt to chardrian [ 4h ]
stud6106: Fold
mattbecker: Fold
maldini : Fold
ecuqdogg93: Fold
schuttedog: Fold
the foxx: Fold
Ace Devil: Fold
showmethemoney: Raise 350 to (450)
chardrian: Raise (700) to 900
showmethemoney: Call (450)
*** FLOP *** : [ 7c Jh 2s ] pot = 1800
showmethemoney: Bet (380)
chardrian: Raise (1,400)
showmethemoney: Fold
showmethemoney said, "nh"
chardrian: Winner -- doesn't show cards
chardrian said, "ty"
*** SUMMARY ***
Pot: 2,560 | Board: [ 7c Jh 2s ]
maldini didn't bet (folded)
ecuqdogg93 didn't bet (folded)
schuttedog didn't bet (folded)
the foxx didn't bet (folded)
Ace Devil didn't bet (folded)
showmethemoney lost 1,280 (folded)
chardrian bet 2,300, collected 3,580, net +1,280 [ Kd 4h ] (high card king)
stud6106 didn't bet (folded)
mattbecker didn't bet (folded)

I actually thought I had raised more preflop, and probably should have, but you get the point. I picked a spot based on a read that showme had crap, and then I exploited his weak bet on the flop.

[mcatdog]

Well. I busted out of the 55K tonight by trying this move against a chronic blind stealer. I also had a king with some garbage kicker, but he had pocket kings! It's +EV to resteal from this type of player, but just because he's raising with any two doesn't mean he didn't get dealt a monster this time.

[Rondavu]

Nice one chardrian. I think it's important for everyone to know that this is the difference between bubbling out and hitting the final table. Pick your spots and find your pots. I think it's great that you had K4 as well, to illustrate that it's ok to make moves with almost any 2 into demonstrated weak ranges. In short, always be looking for the person who's getting too involved, and seek isolation against them. Put pressure on them, because for all they know, this is the time AA caught up with their antics.

Incidentally, you probably have enough credit to do this at least one more time against villain before needing a real hand. At that time your real hand will be sure to have a lot of action.

In a tournament when people start moving chips around on your table, they've opened up a game of cat and mouse. By not getting involved and outplaying them in the right spots, you are actually making a series of small mistakes. We write this off as "My percieved preflop edge isn't big enough yet". Then we push QQ and run into AA. Tournaments are more than head butting premiums. They're about seeking value from overactive ranges, and stealing from tight ones. This means more than outkicking people and stealing blinds.

[allLiving]

Nice play, but I think you could have taken it down preflop if you didn't re-raise such a weak amount. I'd reraise to about 1200-1600. Nh postflop.

[chardrian]

I think you could have taken it down preflop if you didn't re-raise such a weak amount. I'd reraise to about 1200-1600.

I concur.

I actually thought I had raised more preflop, and probably should have, but you get the point.

[Habris]

Just out of curiousity for the beginner...what do you do if he raises again after the flop (or even pre-flop)? I find it difficult to let it go, not because he might have a great hand, but more because he might be still trying to bully his way out of it.

[Sprayed]

Just out of curiousity for the beginner...what do you do if he raises again after the flop (or even pre-flop)? I find it difficult to let it go, not because he might have a great hand, but more because he might be still trying to bully his way out of it.

I would drop it and say you win.

[chardrian]

I concur with sprayed.

Often a bully will call a preflop re-raise (for a vareity of reasons, spite, "pot committed", don't want to look weak, etc.) even if they were stealing. However when the bully raises the reraise yet again, it's time to admit that you made a good move at a bad time.