blonde poker forum

I'm not used to playing live poker but I've started playing on Thursdays at the Western Club and this hand last night is bugging me now on whether or not I should have called.

Situation :  Blinds 1500/3000.  I have approx 12k.  There are 12 people left out of 65 runners, final table (and money) starts officially on 9 but everyone has agreed to a 10th spot for the entry money back.  This is my 3rd time playing.  The other times I have come 11th (FT with 10 people) and 13th (FT with 9 people) and I could do with making it to the final table this time.

I have pocket 9's and am in the BB with 9k left (after the 3k blind).  Action folds to button who raises all in for approx 15k, has me covered anyway.  Previously in the night he's done this and shown pocket 4's but he's also not really got involved in that many pots and usually has a semi decent hand.  Hands I'd have put him on are any pocket pair or ATish, maybe two picture cards.  He's not been loose and overly aggressive during the tournament and I'd consider him to be a pretty solid player.

I ended up folding the 9's as I didn't want to ruin my chance of getting to the final table on a potential race.  He did show the hand but I'd just like to know if you'd have called or not. 

yes every single time. You only have 9k back, you don't fold pocket 9's IMO.

 ;iagree; ;all-in;

insta call

Got to call, you have his range crushed here.

Yep, the money's going in - you are far too short to worry about an overpair here.  His range is as wide as yours.

How did you finish in the end?  Did you cash?  If not, don't worry about it.  You're doing something right to get that deep, but maybe you need to loosen up a little in the middle stages so that you aren't reaching the bubble impossibly short-stacked.  Could this be a problem?

bugger :D


I made 6th in the end and got £65 for my trouble (website shows I should have got £78 but I guess that's my fault for not checking!)

I do need to loosen up in the middle stages, it's a big problem for me.  I'm constantly finding myself in a critical position towards the end and only end up pushing when it's too late.  I just can't seem to get loose though.  Last night I had decent hands in the first session and made the first break on over 9k - average at this point was about 5.5k but the second session I just can't get my money in.

The middle stages of a tournament are a problem for me.  Weirdly (or perhaps not that wierd) I don't have as much problem doing it online, it just seems to be live.  Better dig my Harrington books out again!

He showed pocket 7's which made me feel even worse.

My money is in there too....

Passing here is like setting fire to bank notes.


P.S. I would have been all in UTG.