blonde poker forum

I am wondering if I could ever get away from this. It is getting to the business end of a STT with five of us left. My opponent here is very loose and could of flat called UTG with almost any two cards. I am comfortable chip wise and starting to play more aggressively so I can steal a lot of pots. My bubble play has been improving a lot recently and I have been getting good results from becoming hyper aggressive at this stage in a tournament. I also find winning a big pot with the aggression at this stage gives me a psychological edge over my opponents when I start to push a lot on the bubble as they are less inclined to call me and don't bet when it is my big blind.

Table "STT 3537823 - 1" Seat 4 is the button.
Seat 3: (1724 in chips)
Seat 4: (1160 in chips)
Seat 7: Hero (1750 in chips)
Seat 9: (2815 in chips)
Seat 10: (2551 in chips)
Hero: posts small blind 25
Seat 10: posts big blind 50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Hero [6h 2c]
Seat 10: calls 50
Seat 3: folds
Seat 4: folds
Hero: calls 25
Seat 7: checks
----- FLOP ----- [2s 6d Jd]
Hero: bets 150
Seat 7: folds
Seat 10: raises to 300
Hero: raises to 1700 and is all-in
Seat 10: calls 1400
----- TURN ----- [2s 6d Jd][6s]
----- RIVER ----- [2s 6d Jd 6s][Js]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Hero: shows [6h 2c] (A Full House, Sixes full of Jacks)
Seat 10: shows [Jh 2h] (A Full House, Jacks full of Sixes)
Seat 10 collects 3550 from Main pot

My question is - At this stage of the tournament and playing the way I am at this time is there any getting away from this ? Is it just one of those things - that's poker! Or is there something inherently wrong with my play not respecting the re-raise on the flop ? At the time I put him on a jack with a medium kicker or the nut flush draw.

With hindsight I should of just called the raise on the flop and pushed when I made the boat on the turn but I am wanting to be very aggressive and that play just doesn't fit into how I want to play out the rest of the tournament.

dn

you could always fold 6-2 o/s preflop and then you wouldnt go broke.

Yes some will say "its only 25 to call" but at the end of the day how many times do you call the 25's and the 50's, miss the flop and fold.

All those saved bets add up when it comes to the latter stages of the tournament.

Yep indeed, great point.

I go through stages where i point blank WILL NOT call from the blinds with junk no matter how much the value is - because as Matt says - you will miss more times than hit.

But deep stacked I like to call from the SB and BB neally with ANY 2 cards - but then again I am betting out on practically any flop - except for a low flop where I will look to check raise.

Fold here for me every time

Preflop you mean?

;iagree;
Fold preflop.  Since I've been playing cash (I know this is a stt but the principle is the same) I've been looking at what I'm calling with and getting in return from the small blind and the bottom line is that it's costing me a fortune.  Sure it's a cheap flop but it's still going to miss me.  The only hands that are profitable in the small blind are those that you'd play normally from anywhere.

But yes, once the pair of jacks appears,  you've lost.

LOL of course

My god, im glad you realised that one Graham! We'd have never noticed!  :D :P

I think your move in is only going to be called if you're beat there (unless someone really can't laydown an overpair). Does anyone else agree?

See, I'm on the ball and have been learning :D

Lol, this hand analysis board has taught you a few things i see!

Depends what the level of the STT is - many people at lower levels would probably still call with nothing but top pair or a flush draw there. Heck even some of the ones at higher levels would!!  :D

Yep i know they do in the ones i play, even 2nd pair would be good to them.. and thats $50 sng's!

Due to the size of the stacks, I don't think there's much you can do here.

I'd be interested in others' views on this, but as a side point I wonder whether you might be looking to get super aggressive a little bit too early... You say you're getting to the business end of the STT, but you've still got 35 bbs left, and no-one's in any trouble here. I think I'd just be playing normal poker at this stage, hoping someone else does something daft and goes out so that you can really start to up the pace of your play with just four left when everyone's thinking about making the money.

I understand what you are saying but I am looking to *start* becoming more aggressive here when it comes five handed as people are already tightening up. I think it is right to become more aggressive at this stage. I am looking to gain some credibility for my pushes aswell so that when we go four handed my opponents are even more reluctant to call my raises when I am stealing the blinds. This looks like a perfect opportunity but looking back on this hand I could never convince myself this guy has limped with J2 or J6. As I have a 2 it seems unlikely he has 22 but I think he would of raised with 66 or JJ. I just think I have been unlucky but I take on board the comments regarding playing the small blind but with my stack and pot odds of 5-1 and two opponents I think I am always taking a flop in that spot even with 62o.

dn

How does loosening your raising requirements early get you more respect later?

I'm not loosening my raising requirements. I am pushing with two pair on the flop. I know I am being called here but I think I am ahead. If I am ahead and I win the hand then it gives more credibility to future pushes. In earlier stages of the game I would not be sticking all my chips in this spot.

dn

I think i would have played the hand pretty much the same way. You have bottom two pair in a sit and go. I think your getting called alot of the time by people holding jacks you might even get some clown calling you with 10 10.

I think its all down to personal prefrence really whether you call or not from the SB. However if you plan to take these pots down you have to be observant to what is going on and confident that when you do fire at the pot you take it down rather than having to show your six high.

'hyper-aggression' does not include loosening your rasing requirements?

From your initial post I get the impression that your opening up a lttle bit too early.

Most of your pushes later will be pre-flop, I don't see how betting your hand here gives you any more credibility. Slow playing bottom 2 pair is a weak play and rarely the best option.

I'm folding this most times preflop. If I do call, then I go bust too.

Interesting,
let's assume that you have won the hand and your 62 went to showdown.

Are you going to get a respect for limping with 62?
don't think so.

You say somewhere that perhaps if you would flat call on flop and bet turn you could perhaps win the hand.

This guy limped with J2s, so i doubt it he would fold to your bet on the turn anyway, so yes you would go broke anyway.