Betting Patterns

Sure you could play better by folding the QJos in early position.

Hey Meseany

Welcome to PokerStrategy.com

I really can't comment on that hand. I'm a cash game player so my advice might not be correct.

We have hand evaluation forums where you can post hands and coaches will evaluate the hands. You can ask a bunch of questions about the hand as well.

Link to the hand evaluation forum.

If it was a cash game you would be betting to small, but then again betting might not be the best option. Maybe a check is better.

Best regards

RasTweet

Originally posted by RasTweet
Hey Meseany

Welcome to PokerStrategy.com

I really can't comment on that hand. I'm a cash game player so my advice might not be correct.

We have hand evaluation forums where you can post hands and coaches will evaluate the hands. You can ask a bunch of questions about the hand as well.

Link to the hand evaluation forum.

If it was a cash game you would be betting to small, but then again betting might not be the best option. Maybe a check is better.

Best regards

RasTweet

I agree if the stakes are higher and it's say 10 handed - but with low stakes and say 6 handed then it's worth a look or even a raise if there are only a few players to follow which is the case in 6 handed.

Hi, Meseany...
Most tournaments are Full-Ring.
In this case, QJ from EP is a bit weak to open, and limping is rarely a good idea.

But, having limped it, then what?

Betting so small on the flop means that villain has good odds to call with any piece of the flop or even a decent draw.

at PokerStrategy.com we advocate a "Tight Aggressive" style:
In other words, play good hands, and play them aggressively.

I'm not an expert -- especially when it comes to tournaments, but QJo is a fold anywhere earlier than the cutoff.

Have a look at the articles in the strategy section and you'll see what I mean.

If those seem too simple to you, check out our offers and choose your path to higher status, at which time a wealth of poker knowledge becomes available to you.

Best of luck,
--VS

Hey VS - I do like your style and I agree but here's my issue.

With blinds as low as 15/30 and stacks starting at 3,000 are you suggesting to either fold or go in with say 90 (x3) early to middle position.

I do agree that raising pre flop does make all future moves a lot easier since the weaker hands should be flushed out and you can place a continue bet or chk raise (bluff) more convincingly.

I'm totally lost re your reference to higher status and offers? Looks like a plan though so I'd love to know more.

Thank you,
Sean

I'm totally lost re your reference to higher status and offers? Looks like a plan though so I'd love to know more.

Thank you,
Sean

Check out these links:
http://www.pokerstrategy.com/rewards/
http://www.pokerstrategy.com/status-points/
http://www.pokerstrategy.com/free-poker/

Follow some of the sub-links on those pages and it should all become clear.

If not, just fire back w/ some questions.

With blinds as low as 15/30 and stacks starting at 3,000 are you suggesting to either fold or go in with say 90 (x3) early to middle position.

Well, I never limp. I suppose limping has its place -- I just have no idea where it is.

The trouble is that if you limp from early position you are screaming, "I have a weakish speculative hand".
Perceptive players after you -- and that is a lot of 'em in full ring tournaments" can then easily represent a strong hand by raising 4x or more in CO and BTN and then if you call you are playing out-of-position with a weak hand and you have to give up on the flop unless you hit strongly.

So yeah, if you are going to take a hand for a ride, show some muscle and raise from EP -- but please have something better than QJo to raise with.

Have a look at this article to get an idea of some opening hands.
http://www.pokerstrategy.com/strategy/bss/1535/1/

The article more-or-less holds for SnGs and MTTs early when you have like 100 BB.

But consider the following:
Chips you LOSE are worth more than chips you gain.

HUH?

The reason is that as your stack decreases, you have less ability to get players to fold by shoving, and you also gain less if you do double up.

See the full explanation here:
http://www.pokerstrategy.com/strategy/sng/2274/1/

Best o' Luck!
--VS