New player looking to improve, some tournaments for review?

[CowbellGuy]

Hey all,

I am a long time reader, first time poster (lurker I guess). Great board, great site, it has really gotten me interested in poker.

So far, I have had a good deal of success at Full Tilts micro level tournaments (mainly $2). I started playing with only $5 in my account (transfered from a friend) and after one week of play have a bankroll of $90.

I know I need to build my bankroll more to move up to the $5 games, but before I do I know there are significant holes in my game. The players at $2 tournaments are, well, "loose" at best (that is being charitable), so I am wondering if my success is inflated because of that. I have just downloaded SNG Wiz, and look forward to analyzing all my tournaments from this point forward. I was hoping to post a hand history or two (condensed and formated, of course) for review. Thanks for any help you could provide

[Zee Devee]

Great. Post it. Welcome.

[CowbellGuy]

http://www.flopturnriver.com/Online-...ment-1161.html

[bigspenda73]

you PF raising sizes need work big time, sometimes it was 4xbb other times it was less than 2.5.

Also, I would have just started pushing from the SB later once the BB obv wasn't going to give up PF meaning you had to play a pot OOP against a calling station.

[CowbellGuy]

you PF raising sizes need work big time, sometimes it was 4xbb other times it was less than 2.5.

Also, I would have just started pushing from the SB later once the BB obv wasn't going to give up PF meaning you had to play a pot OOP against a calling station.

Thanks for the reply. I try to raise bigger in the beginning of the tournament as 30 chips is nothing and less later on. What do you recommend specifically?

[Zee Devee]

3x BB is standard; +1BB per limper.

Later on, probably once blinds hit 80/160 I would start open raising 2.5xBB

Specific comments (If I don't comment on it its fine):

Hand 2: fold preflop. A limp wouldn't be too horrible here if you are confident about your board reading and abilities on later streets, but I would fold this.

Hand 3: Bet that flop, especially with the 2 hearts out there. Don't give free cards. Bet the turn. You're lucky no one else had an ace otherwise your 2pr would have been counterfitted on the river with the queens showing.

Hand 8: Bet 1/2 to 2/3 pot on flop and turn. This way you save yourself if your TPGK isn't good. Plus the only hand that calls your bets beats you.

Hand 16: Fold preflop.

Hand 17: Usually I would say don't minraise. But here I think it is decent.

Hand 19: 1/2 to 2/3 the pot will do just fine here.

Hand 20: Ditto.

Hand 21: I don't like this. Either push or fold the flop, depending on how aggro opp is.

Hand 22: Stay consistant. Every other time you have a hand you potted it. Now you bet 1/2 pot and opp knows you are bluffing. Another reason to usually bet 1/2- 2/3 the pot both if you have it or if you are c-betting.

Hand 30: Push pf.

Hand 31: I don't like the push here, the A scares me. Most opps at lower levels call flop bets with A high.

Overall I think you played decent. Just tweak with your betting on the flop and later streets mostly.

[CowbellGuy]

This was my most recent tournament:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/Online-...ment-1164.html

[taipan168]

This was my most recent tournament:

http://www.flopturnriver.com/Online-...ment-1164.html

Well done on the win! General comments:
- Your preflop hand selection was quite good, but you need to be more aggressive. Lean in favour of open RAISING hands rather than open limping. The only hands you should be open limping are pocket pairs 22-TT when blinds are small to play for set value. If a bunch of players limp in and you have a good hand, RAISE it.
- SLOWPLAY LESS. Particularly at low buyins, players are generally calling stations so build a big pot with your big hands by betting! If you bet and they fold you probably wouldn't have won any more chips anyway.
- Be careful with preflop overbets - there's just no need to take this risk. The AJo (7) and J7s (29) hands had a really bad risk/return profile.

1. KK - your preflop raise is WAY too small. I would raise it to about 450-500 here with the limper, minraiser and cold caller. You don't want to see a 4-way flop with KK then see the ace flop. As played your flop bet is too small as well. There are about 1000 chips in the pot, against three opps on a drawy board you want to bet more - I would shove it right here and now since a bigger bet leaves you pot committed on the turn even if another falls.

2. A4o - I just fold it preflop from out of position. A4o can have really bad reverse implied odds if your postflop play isn't good. If you want to call, make sure you're playing for 2 pair or better on the flop.

3. KJo - raise it if you want to play it since you're first in. Make it 180 to go. That way a) you might just steal the blinds without a fight b) if you miss the flop you can make a c-bet and win the pot that way.

4. ATo - again, raise it preflop if you want to play it. Folding wouldn't be bad either.

6. A9o - raise it if you want to play it. Every time you open limp and should open raise I am going to say DITTO. Raising or folding are both fine IMO.

7. AJo - no need to push here, that's a bad overbet. If pperry or vincent wake up with a big hand, you're going to look silly. Raise to 300 here.

11. 32o - if you have seen opp limp and fold to raises, I'd put him all in here. He won't call without a huge hand.

12. 88 - your raise is little more than a minraise. I'd make it 300 at least to go.

13. AJs - you very likely have the best hand preflop. Raise it up - make it 480-600 to go.

18. J9s - I'd raise opp back preflop. You're letting the SB limp in with far too many hands. If he calls, well you have position postflop.

19. AJo - why just limp here? I'd raise it - make it 800 to go. On the flop, I think your play is OK but if you'd raised it preflop you wouldn't be in this spot.

20. A7o - with your stack size at only 11-12x BB, I'd let this go from UTG. As played, I would shove all-in on the flop with your open ended straight draw and overcard. I don't like flat calling here - give yourself another chance to win by raising this - and any other raise other than all-in will commit you so just shove it.

J A SB (M = 8.77; r+f+F) - hmm, this raise comes from the short stack, unless I've got the player order wrong I'd re-shove here.

23. 88 - good.

24. 96s - just fold it, with blinds this big it's not worth getting involved even getting 5:1 on the call. Basically you're looking for a spot to shove here, don't bleed away chips preflop with crap hands like this.

25. Q4s - don't slowplay this on the flop! I would BET the flop for about 600 or so, why give a free card if any of them are on the flush draw? The best way to win a big pot with a big hand is to BET to build a big pot in the first place!

26. K2s - just put opp all in on the flop. Why call here and let him see another card? Put him to a tough decision on the flop, if you win it right here that isn't a bad outcome either.

28. Q8o - BET the flop and BET the turn! You dudded yourself here, you could have won a much bigger pot by building one on the flop and the turn.

29. J7s - no need to shove this with almost 20x BB stacks. Raise it to 720 and see what opp does. You should have been out right here if you hadn't sucked out.