1-table 9-handed stacks ~even. Top 3 paid. 10$+1$. First couple of hands, no REAL reads on the opponents, except that they're pretty LAG.
(i'm hav0cNZ)
I think by pot odds it was +EV to call on the flop assuming my overcard was live. Of course, in reality it wasn't... but is it an OK call anyway?
I don't like raising AJs very much, but because it is suited and your position is OK it isn't a big mistake.
The reason why I don't like it is very simple, you will have a real problem to lay down your hand on the board A47, but a good opponent won't raise you preflop with AQ or AK.
As you said, you have a lot of outs.
9 flush
3 straight
2 trips
3 aces
Lets discount 3 and you are left with 14 outs, there is no way you can fold this in a pot this size, even when we would see a turn, the pot is huge and we can't fold anymore. So when there is no way to fold the hand anyway, we try to get the money in as long as we are favourite to win this hand and we have to push over the raise in front of us. This has an other positive effect, when we hit the nuts, villain has all its money in the pot and can't decide to fold.
Yeah, clear call i would say. 17 outs - 3 outs (with three callers after a reaise in early position it's quite possible that s.b has Ak) leaves you at 14 outs, which is about a breakeven chance. Pot odds are 1.5 : 1 for the winning hand.
BTW: What do you guys think to the all-in with KQ? I mean in his position Ak, KJ, AQ could be possible hands he could face. I think i rather would have thought between calling/folding than calling/raising all-in?Ok, this hand is actually too good to fold, but wasn't an all in bet a bit risky, especially after facing a raise after the flop??
There is no way for the player with KQ to call here, when he doesn't think he has the best hand, he should fold right away. When he thinks his TP with an OESD is the best hand than he should get his money in to value bet and protect his hand.
After the action I would have folded here with KQo, but I am not a regular on these limits. IMHO KQo is a fold preflop, because the hand sucks.
at this limit i would've flatcalled 3.5xBB raise preflop with KQo. Only on the button/CO though.
Think the guy was a bit tilty though.
Unam, can you make a little starting hand chart for early tourney/SnG-play? I'm a cashgame player so I didn't notice AJ preflop raise was a mistake and I would open-raise it in SnG/tourney's as well...
As I said above, raising here isn't wrong, but at some tables it is a little bit (too) loose.
A SHC will be released with the new SNG section, which PS.com will release very soon, 2 or 3 weeks would be my guess. And the research they invested in this chart is way better, then anything I could make in this time.
In general early weak tight to nitty is the right way, because an early bust out costs more than what we gain with an early double up.
http://www.pokerstrategy.com/strategy/sng/119/2/#h1_2
Here is explained how to play your hands in the early levels, but it isn't a chart.
And I can really recommend you to visit the SNG coachings, and ask them when ever you are not sure about their play. And you may post your hands here, and I will tell you what I think about your play.
