comments on TPTK hand

[hitorque]

The bad guy raised me twice...I'm thinking that either I played this hand way too passive or I just figured he had KK or AA. Early in tournament, no clear read. Comments appreciated.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP1 (t1420)
MP2 (t1570)
Hero (t1450)
CO (t1400)
Button (t1400)
SB (t1385)
BB (t1875)
UTG (t1500)
UTG+1 (t1500)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with J, A.
2 folds, MP1 raises to t40, MP2 calls t40, Hero calls t40, 1 fold, Button raises to t60, 2 folds, MP1 calls t20, MP2 calls t20, Hero calls t20.

Flop: (t270) 6, 8, J (4 players)
MP1 checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets t100, Button raises to t200, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t570

[GatorJH]

I would have folded pre-flop. I am not going to play AJ against a raise (even a donkish minraise) this early in a tourney from mid position. This hand illustrates why perfectly. Are your Jacks good here or does villian have A's thru Q's? Replace that J on the board with an A and now you have to wonder if your Jack kicker is high enough.

On the flop, your bet of 100 into a 270 pot is too small with TPTK. You needed to lead out here with something in the 200-240 range, THEN if button raises you can know for sure that you are beat.

Here he could have two overs plus a flush draw, a J with a weaker kicker, a set or he could be a complete donk who is slowplaying a monster hand. Either way your smallish bet accomplished nothing but to sweeten the pot for him.

Edit: Forgot to add that I fold here as well. Not because I am sure we are behind, but because I have no freakin clue where we are in the hand and don't want to risk too many more of my chips to find out.

[gingerwizard]

First I fold preflop. Happy to open with AJ from there but it's not a hand to call with.

As played, I like the fold. He reraised (although by the worst amount possible) preflop and that looks like a pot sweetner. You are very possibly behind, but the important thing is that you will not know where you are on the turn. You'll have to check, and he'll fire again, and unless the turn was a jack you're folding prob folding. Sure AK, AQ hearts may be semi bluffing, but that just gives 9 scare cards on the turn in a hand in which, IMO, you are completely lost in. Calling is throwing 100 chips into the dark and doesnt achieve a clearer position in the hand.

Alternative is to reraise, say 500 and see where you are. Because it's early i like the fold more.

[Fortune 500]

First I fold preflop. Happy to open with AJ from there but it's not a hand to call with.

This says it all. When I was first learning the game, I got stacked playing this hand just like this a lot of times.

I'll almost NEVER call with AJ. If I'm not in control of the betting, it's just too tricky to navigate postflop, and very easy to find yourself dominated.

I'll raise it first in the pot a lot from a lot of positions, and I'll maybe call with it if the sun moon and stars align right, and I have a weak opp, a read, position, and the right stack.

[hitorque]

thanks you guys are great

[Da GOAT]

meh i might not even open raise here sometimes with it. blinds are too small to bother with and opp's are generally quite loose anyway and will float you without them knowing it. if table is quite tight raise is goot