A few questionable hands.. @ PokerStars $6.50 turbos

[ranDMC]

Hey all,

The last time I posted was last summer when I actually had time to play (college life is busy). So hi again, I'm glad to see that some of the same regulars are still here keeping the FTR community going.

was I wrong to push here? the guy that minraised had pretty sporadic/crazy betting but he would frequently be seen pushing out of position


PokerStars Game #29405041376: Tournament #172064302, $6.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2009/06/15 17:03:28 ET
Table '172064302 1' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: PLAYA ONE (1105 in chips)
Seat 2: crazymaniac3 (1960 in chips)
Seat 3: PLF111 (1550 in chips)
Seat 5: mackerel (1575 in chips)
Seat 6: HERO (835 in chips)
Seat 7: Jiigsaw (1820 in chips)
Seat 8: tamariz7 (3210 in chips)
Seat 9: Usmania888 (1445 in chips)
Jiigsaw: posts small blind 100
tamariz7: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [Ah 9c]
Usmania888: folds
PLAYA ONE: folds
crazymaniac3: folds
PLF111: folds
mackerel: raises 200 to 400
HERO: raises 435 to 835 and is all-in

was I wrong to fold here?

PokerStars Game #29405207504: Tournament #172064685, $6.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2009/06/15 17:07:36 ET
Table '172064685 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 2: stephe14 (2014 in chips)
Seat 3: sätti (1977 in chips)
Seat 5: PLF111 (1793 in chips)
Seat 6: crazymaniac3 (3161 in chips)
Seat 7: tamariz7 (945 in chips)
Seat 8: HERO (3610 in chips)
stephe14: posts small blind 100
sätti: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [5d Qc]
PLF111: folds
crazymaniac3: folds
tamariz7: raises 745 to 945 and is all-in
HERO: folds

bad call here? i was trying to use my instincts here but maybe it was a -$EV play. really iffy in my mind, can anyone give me some insight?

PokerStars Game #29407026444: Tournament #172079311, $6.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2009/06/15 17:53:27 ET
Table '172079311 1' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: popopoker123 (852 in chips)
Seat 2: Scott3710 (872 in chips)
Seat 4: bossie11 (1001 in chips)
Seat 5: BOLSANSLI (1830 in chips)
Seat 6: dong70 (1485 in chips)
Seat 7: basket80 (1665 in chips)
Seat 8: 3kidswhoplay (815 in chips)
Seat 9: HERO (4980 in chips)
3kidswhoplay: posts small blind 75
HERO: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [5h 6c]
popopoker123: raises 702 to 852 and is all-in
Scott3710: folds
bossie11: folds
BOLSANSLI: folds
dong70: folds
basket80: folds
3kidswhoplay: folds
HERO: calls 702

{Results edited out by taipan168}

[DaGrinch]

I don't anything wrong here.

Game #1 you are short stack on the button. The ace is irrelevant. With 4 BB left you just about have to shove.

Game #2 is a no brainer. Why risk handing out free chips? You had nothing invested in the hand so folding is correct.

Game #3 you are heads up with baby connectors. I'd classify this as a bit on the loose side but even against a big pair you are getting semi-OK odds. I would probably fold here and look to recoup the lost BB by bullying later.

Looks like your lay off sure didn't hurt your skills based on those stack sizes.

[ranDMC]

For the first hand I was a little thrown off by the minraise, does it make a difference at all if there's a minraise in front as opposed to not being raised at all?

And would this situation be different if I were forced to call an AI from the opponent?

[taipan168]

Don't post results, I edited them out.

Hand 1 (A9o) - I think this one is close and is read dependent on opp. If they have been (min)raising a lot then I think it's fine, if not I'd fold it particularly since you have zero fold equity.

Hand 2 (Q5o) - is an instafold particularly because you close the action. It would even be an iffy call if you were in the BB and the SB shoved.

Hand 3 (65o) - like Hand 2, I fold this. You're behind his range (even if he shoving ATC which he may not because he was UTG) and blinds aren't yet big enough for you to be priced in to call (remember you need a bit better than 2:1 against whatever he has for this to be a good call)

[linaker]

For the first hand I was a little thrown off by the minraise, does it make a difference at all if there's a minraise in front as opposed to not being raised at all?

And would this situation be different if I were forced to call an AI from the opponent?

In the first hand, you were, in effect, calling an AI rather than pushing, because of your low chip stack. After you went AI, the pot was 1535 and he needed 435 to call, so he was getting 3.5 to 1. To fold correctly with those odds, he has to be certain you have an overpair, so he's going to call. You did not have enough chips to push him out of the pot.

If he had limped and you had gone AI, he would have been getting 2.1 to 1. Now, he should fold if you have an overpair or a hand that dominates his. He is also only just getting the right odds if he has 2 cards smaller than yours (eg 65 to your AK). So in this case, some players might fold some of their more marginal hands.

If he had gone AI ahead of you, then with 835 chips, the effective pot would be 1135, so you would have been getting 1.4 - 1. With those odds, you should call with A9o if you think your chance of winning is better than 1.4 - 1 or 42.4% ie if you think he is pushing more than 15% of his hands.

So yes it makes a difference whether you have an AI, raise or limp in front. If you call an AI, your only way to win is to beat the opponent. Facing a raise or a limp, going AI gives you two ways to win: the opponent folds or you have the best hand a showdown. Generally, the bigger the stacks in relation to the pot, the more fold equity you have.