OK, I have to ask about it, so here it is

[Graham C]

Thanks again to blonde and Virgin, I had a great time and am hooked on live poker now, I just have to be getting more of this in.  Sod the internet, it's full of donkeys at my level, live is such a buzz.  The best feeling in the world (pokerwise) has to be scraping in all those chips after a massive all in or calling for a huge pot, you can't get that on the internet.  I'm very grateful for the opportunity

GUKPT Blackpool, 2nd day, down to last 50 runners.   

It's fair to say that since moving to this table a couple of hours ago, I've had nothing really to work with except two hands that I passed.  Once in the BB I held  and passed to a raise from Leo Kam who has been raising pretty constantly whenever he gets the chance.  I also passed AQ from mid position after another raise from Kevin Steward who was a pretty nice chip Daddy at the table.  Reason for passing? The amount they raised both times would have meant them having to call my all in for what it was going to cost them in chips.  I'd rather have not risked the tournament on being a possible marginal favourite.   I was hopeful for a better opportunity where I could be a massive favourite or at least get my chippies in first.

First question is was it incorrect to pass in both situations?   My thinking was that I was easily behind and whilst my hand was ok to raise had I been given the chance, it wasn't a great calling hand.

Bit later, I have just doubled up to around 40k after getting lucky with pocket 7's against pocket 8's when I hit trips.  I'm now sitting on around 43k.  Blinds are 2k/4k with a 300 ante.  Average is around 75-80k here so I am still very short stacked.

Main question, which you may well know the outcome, but regardless of that, should I have played it different?

I'm in the small blind with  .  UTG limps as does the next person.  Fold fold, caller (Kevin Steward - the key person here), fold to me and I complete the blinds.

This morning, I'm thinking perhaps this is the perfect opportunity to make a squeeze play move.  I've been very tight at the table.  The only hand I've shown down I think was the 7's incident where I got lucky but at least I didn't get lucky with some obscure hand.  Would pushing here been a good move?

Big blind checks, flop comes  (suits may not be correct, doesn't matter but there was a diamond flush draw out there)

Out of position, what should I have done?  I bet 15k into the pot, folds to Kevin Steward who moves all in.  Thoughts on this?

My main agony on going out on this hand is that all tournament, I'd been careful on where and when I'd put my chips in.  I'd considered every move before making it and hadn't made a rash call at all, not once in two days play.  I have to say, I've never concentrated so much.

Anyway, I instacalled.  I didn't even pause for thought - this is what's bugging me a lot.  I just assumed I was ahead so I called and the rest as they say is history.

So, in summary

Should I have shoved earlier against the raises with AQ and AJ?

Should I have pushed against the limpers in the final hand

Lack of thinking aside, was there getting away from the last hand once Kevin's moved all in?

[boldie]

First of all..WP mate, very well done indeed.

Second..I can pas the AJ easily. The AQ..well that depends on how short you were..if you needed a double up I would have got them in with it and hope to get a double up.

The exit hand..bad luck really. once you bet out you can't fold..you can't check call a there are a million draws out there and he's always going call a check raise all in. I might have check raised but there's no doubt that the chips go in the middle here for me.

[AlexMartin]

Hi Silo. Havent read ur hand updates so ill give independant view based on info on this thread. The AQ hand im willing to gamble with, cracking chance you have him well dominated and you need chips in these things. He has chips and doesnt need a real hand to open the betting. Pass the AJ.

The 67 hand, im probably check raising all-in on that board. And no im not passing. I think you played everything fine. ITs different if you have 80k.

[kinboshi]

Instacall that last hand, just like you did.  You got what you wanted with that flop, you aren't going anywhere now!

[Graham C]

OK thanks,

Would pushing from the small blind preflop have been better with the last hand?  I did consider it but didn't have the balls  

[AlexMartin]

OK thanks,

Would pushing from the small blind preflop have been better with the last hand?  I did consider it but didn't have the balls  

no. Give urself a 1/2 chance.

[NumptyITB]

Shove AJ and Shove AQ, shoving with the 67 is not the worst play, but dangerous - depends on previous limpfests round the table?

Otherwise see a flop, when that hits I open shove... Not only do you protect your vulnerable two pair, but you disguise your hand too, making it look like a FD/Straight draw.

Anyway, ul m8, what did the guy have on the 567 flop?

[NumptyITB]

Shove AJ and Shove AQ, shoving with the 67 is not the worst play, but dangerous - depends on previous limpfests round the table?

Otherwise see a flop, when that hits I open shove... Not only do you protect your vulnerable two pair, but you disguise your hand too, making it look like a FD/Straight draw.

Anyway, ul m8, what did the guy have on the 567 flop?

Rookie btw!

[byronkincaid]

Why pass AJ?

Once in the BB I held    and passed to a raise from Leo Kam who has been raising pretty constantly whenever he gets the chance.

   equity    win    tie          pots won    pots tied   
Hand 0:    63.112%     61.38%    01.74%         617949940     17478856.00   { AsJs }
Hand 1:    36.888%     35.15%    01.74%         353927100     17478856.00   { 33+, A2s+, K2s+, Q2s+, J4s+, T6s+, 96s+, 86s+, 76s, 65s, A2o+, K5o+, Q7o+, J7o+, T7o+, 98o } (top 50%)

[boldie]

Why pass AJ?

Once in the BB I held    and passed to a raise from Leo Kam who has been raising pretty constantly whenever he gets the chance.

   equity    win    tie          pots won    pots tied   
Hand 0:    63.112%     61.38%    01.74%         617949940     17478856.00   { AsJs }
Hand 1:    36.888%     35.15%    01.74%         353927100     17478856.00   { 33+, A2s+, K2s+, Q2s+, J4s+, T6s+, 96s+, 86s+, 76s, 65s, A2o+, K5o+, Q7o+, J7o+, T7o+, 98o } (top 50%)

lol Byron..a rather longwinded way of saying your 60-40 against most hands?

[JungleCat03]

I think the As is a shove against a player like Leo...

He is super aggressive and you had noticed he had raised liberally so his range here is pretty wide. You close the action too, meaning you can't run into another hand, you have half average and around 10 BBs(I think at least, not 100% sure of the chips at this stage), all things that point toward this being a good spot to double up in.

You get a small subsiduary benefit of showing you defend sometimes from the BB, and any extra walks/ fewer steal attempts you get on your blinds at this stage are very valuable...

Assuming you had around 10-15 BBs, I would shove the A-Q too most likely, unless I had some extra information that Kevin was likely to have a very strong hand here. I don't know how he plays so can't comment...

Exit hand you play fine...I may just shove, cr allin is possible but as winning the pot adds so much to your stack and you can never pass on future streets really given the size the pot will be compared to your stack, and the connecting flop i shove and charge the max for draws, without risking what could be a dangerous free card by trying to CR.

[Graham C]

Thanks for the input.  On the whole I don't think I made any massive errors by the looks of it, just the passing of the AQ and AJ but at least that didn't actually put me in a worse position than I was in already, just opportunities missed.

I sort of felt that passing the AQ was a bad move, especially as I'd passed the AJ already and it's not like I was being blessed with hands, plus I was in bad shape, but I wanted get get in first, that's why I passed.   I know that Leo could have had anything, he was constantly betting when first in.  Perhaps nerves and the pressure of my first major tourney got to me.  I've only played live a handful of times before so to play at this level is a massive step up.

The guy that put me all in had pocket 6's unfortunately.

I'm glad that pushing preflop would have been bad as it goes, I've never made a move like that with rubbish before so I wondered if it was worth it but thankfully I at least made the correct decision there.

[NumptyITB]

I think the As is a shove against a player like Leo...

He is super aggressive and you had noticed he had raised liberally so his range here is pretty wide. You close the action too, meaning you can't run into another hand, you have half average and around 10 BBs(I think at least, not 100% sure of the chips at this stage), all things that point toward this being a good spot to double up in.

You get a small subsiduary benefit of showing you defend sometimes from the BB, and any extra walks/ fewer steal attempts you get on your blinds at this stage are very valuable...

Assuming you had around 10-15 BBs, I would shove the A-Q too most likely, unless I had some extra information that Kevin was likely to have a very strong hand here. I don't know how he plays so can't comment...

Exit hand you play fine...I may just shove, cr allin is possible but as winning the pot adds so much to your stack and you can never pass on future streets really given the size the pot will be compared to your stack, and the connecting flop i shove and charge the max for draws, without risking what could be a dangerous free card by trying to CR.

Copy Cat

(Rookie!)

[UpTheMariners]

the same leo that called to big bets to try and hit his gutshot leo?

[Rossibaby]

pass the AJ,even if you hit your ace on the flop it may mean trouble.you would raise and where would a re-raise leave you but to fold to AK AQ.AJ is a hand that flatters to deceive,a great hand for loosing chips!

The AQ,well a much nicer proposition alright,but if you didn't think it was the right time,trust your judgement,im sure on another occasion you would try the double up with the very same hand.

the final hand....in tournament play? it's a toughy alright but the right call was made in my estimation.your connecters worked a treat and thats all you can ask for.its hard to imagine that flop would improve him above you at all apart from the flush draw,2 over cards was always the likely outcome

it is natural to be tight in early stages of a tourny,some of the pros would fold AA to an all-in raise pre-flop because anything can happen.maybe a few blind steals on CO,btn with average enough hands is the way to go to get some chips...and when you do get your AK,AQ,AA,KK,QQ,JJ,1010 even as far down as 8's you may find one of the blinds calling you out of frustration.careful not to oversize the bet when trying for the blinds though incase you walk into a monster.if its a good hand your holding perhaps twice the blind to tempt the big blind with a lesser hand than yours....holding something like K7 suited or A5 make it 3 times

just me 2 cents