$3.40 9-man SNG (non turbo) for Review

[tuuk2]

The last two weeks, my results have not been very positive, to say the least. I think I might be on one of those mythical downswings I heard so much about. It's sucking the confidence right out of me. I think I'm playing ok, at least according to SNGWiz, I'm making mostly the right push and fold decisions when I'm 10 or less BBs.

Problem lately is not getting any cards to play with. I have a problem when I can't get decent cards. I tend to fold and fold and fold, waiting for the goods. This game, I did get some decent cards, but I'm not sure I played them well, except for the AA.

Can someone please tell me if there was a different way to play this game? Should I have taken more chances early on? Any feedback would be appreciated. If I played it well and it's just variance, I can accept that. If I played like crap and deserved my results, I can accept that too. At least then I can fix the problem.

One last thing, I normally only play turbos, but when my results start to drop like this (something like 3 cashes out of the last 22 games played) I switch to the lower variance of regular play.

Edit: It was too long for this page, so I've linked to it instead.

http://www.flopturnriver.com/Online-...ment-5037.html

[GatorJH]

I took a quick glance and two things jumped out at me. First you were open limping midway through with mid PP's. When the blinds get past the first couple of levels you either need to raise or fold with them.

Secondly, you were definitely too passive in the later stages. I saw numerous opportunities where you could have raised, but did not.

I will try to get you the specifics later this afternoon or evening.

[tuuk2]

I took a quick glance and two things jumped out at me. First you were open limping midway through with mid PP's. When the blinds get past the first couple of levels you either need to raise or fold with them.

Secondly, you were definitely too passive in the later stages. I saw numerous opportunities where you could have raised, but did not.

I will try to get you the specifics later this afternoon or evening.

Whenever you have time, that would be great. I appreciate the help.

[taipan168]

I'll have a crack at this whilst you wait for Gator. Overall I think you played pretty well but the one leak you have is in the SB when either your stack or your opp's stack is <10x BB when you should be shoving preflop rather than completing the SB.

2. AA - I make it 100 to go the first time around, but that's just a minor point. Otherwise, thank god for the DONKS!

2 2 UTG (M = 60.67; F) (between 4 and 5) - I'd limp this and play for set value assuming that the table isn't super LAGG

5. J4o - fine, but you need a read that this guy isn't a calltard to do this otherwise you can burn a lot of chips with a rubbish hand

9. T2s - good. Don't be tempted to slowplay this because you won't like it if another comes out.

11. 84s - bet is fine, but you only need to bet enough to do the job since you're folding pretty quick if he C-R you, I would bet 120-150 here rather than full pot.

13. K8o - just put him AI preflop rather than letting him see a free flop. As played, if you're going to C-R, just put him AI on the flop rather than putting yourself at the risk of a misclick.

14. KQs - I think this is OK, I would probably make it 500 preflop to give yourself just a little more FE.

15. 66 - I agree with Gator on this one, 400 to go if you're going to play (which I would).

16. 66 - this time I think completing is OK because Button and BB also have deep stacks (meaning you have odds to play for set value). On the flop, I think the call is OK but I don't understand why you checked the turn - you have to bet something to try to build the pot. Even if you bet 300 or so that's better than checking.

J K CO (M = 15.18; f+F) (between 16 and 17) - I'd raise this from the CO, 400 to go

17. A6s - minor point but once blinds hit 50/100 I make it 2.5x not 3x, has the same effect and saves you some chips if you have to give up

18. A9s - just put him AI, you're not folding if he shoves over and if he just flat calls and you miss the flop you're pot committed anyway

19. K2s - I really don't like completing the SB here. Just put him all in preflop.

20. J7o - this time I would just check. There's a motto that I go by which is "don't f**k with a stack that can hurt you when it's the bubble and there's a small stack around".

21. J6o - just put him AI preflop. This is a leak to keep on letting him see free flops.

22. 52o - as per 21, 19, 18 etc. As played, why not bet the flop, you hit some piece of it and he's folded to your flop bets before.

24. A7o - I'd just fold this. What flop are you hoping to hit? Alternatively, if he's been minraising your BB a lot, I'd shove back (but this is a high variance play).

25. KK - you could try trapping by just flat calling here if opp is aggressive.

27. A8o - I'd just fold it preflop with the big stack limping UTG

28. A7s - this is played fine, sucks to burn all those chips though.

29. A6o - haven't run it in SNG Wiz but I suspect this isn't a good shove from UTG

30. 22 - SHOVE SHOVE SHOVE SHOVE SHOVE preflop!

K 4 BU (M = 5.08; f+F)
6 T SB (M = 2.16; f+F) (both between 31 and 32) - I'd shove both of these, and definitely the second one

[tuuk2]

Tai,

I have a real problem (read: leak) when it comes to Blind V Blind, especially when the blinds are getting high and I'm getting short stacked, but the BB blind has slightly more or slightly less chips.

When it's folded to me in the SB such as in hand 22, I am completely dumbfounded as to what to do. Should it be an automatic raise here unless the BB tends to always call or re-raise? Should I just fold it and give him the free chips? I would appreciate your guidance on this if you have the time to explain it in detail.

[taipan168]

When it's folded to me in the SB such as in hand 22, I am completely dumbfounded as to what to do. Should it be an automatic raise here unless the BB tends to always call or re-raise? Should I just fold it and give him the free chips? I would appreciate your guidance on this if you have the time to explain it in detail.

My general "rule" is that any time it's folded to you in the SB and either your stack or the BB's stack is 10x BB or less, you can shove any two cards. This is because you pick up the dead chips without a fight very often. Obviously if the BB calls very wide then you need to fold the very worst hands (like 52o). Since you have SNG Wiz, try it there - you'll be surprised how wide you can profitably shove.

If you're not shoving, the only other real choice is to fold.

[tuuk2]

Sounds good. Oftentimes I hesitate simply because they will call so light. For instance yesterday, I pushed against the BB and he called with with J-10 for all his chips. Luckily I actually had a real hand (A-J) that held up, but what I've noticed is that at the low buy-ins, a lot of the people think you're bluffing if you push from the SB and they'll call with crap.

[taipan168]

Sounds good. Oftentimes I hesitate simply because they will call so light. For instance yesterday, I pushed against the BB and he called with with J-10 for all his chips. Luckily I actually had a real hand (A-J) that held up, but what I've noticed is that at the low buy-ins, a lot of the people think you're bluffing if you push from the SB and they'll call with crap.

The thing is, JTo is still in the top 20-25% of hands, so the thing to focus on is that if JTo is the worst hand he will call with, he's folding 75-80% of the time and you take the blinds down uncontested. The other thing is that even if you push with crap like 83s and get called, unless he has a pocket pair 88+ (which is not very often) you're rarely worse than a 2:1 dog (or 3:1 if he has one of your cards).

The times I get berated the most is when I (correctly) shove from the SB into the BB and suck out!

[GatorJH]

Tuuk,
Sorry for not getting to this on Friday. I have not read Tai's input so there may be some differences between he and I in the below comments.

Hand 3 - I may have thrown out a 30 chip blocking bet on the river and then folded at a raise. You may have folded the best hand here.

Hand 5 - Fold pre-flop. This is too weak and the blinds are too small to worry about stealing here.

Hand 10 - Pre-flop call is marginal and flop call is bad unless you had a read on villain. Your line here doesn't make sense and may not work as you move up in levels.

8 9 - between hands 12 and 13. I may have stolen the blinds with this hand.

Hand 13 - Either raise pre-flop (preferred) or fold, but don't limp. Also, on the flop I prefer a lead rather than a c/raise and a check raise will rarely get called by worse hands than yours.

6 8 - another steal opportunity lost

Hand 14 - I would have raised pre-flop to $550.

Hand 15 - Raise or fold pre-flop

Hand 16 - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE lead out on the turn here. You have a well disguised hand and need to build the pot here. If caromilk was taking a stab at the pot he certainly won't bet again and if he has a hand he may still check behind, but may call a bet.

J K - (between 16 and 17) I would have definitely raised with this.

5 A - (between 18 and 19) in a 4 handed game I may have raised with this as well depending on how the table was playing

Hand 19 - Again, don't limp pre-flop, just shove

7 A - steal oppty
K T - steal oppty

Hand 21 - hopefully you know what I would say here

Hand 22 - See Hand 21 and Hand 16, and..... Also, I may have donk bet this flop.

Hand 24 - I may have shoved over this pre-flop raise but definitely wouldn't have flat called is raise.

Q 7 - (between 27 aned 28) potential steal oppty

Hand 30 - GRRRRRRRR

between 30 and 32 - run the hands you folded through SNGPT if you have it to see where you missed push oppty's.