Updated on 07 Apr 26 by
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Tricky Spots (2)

by y0d4

In the second part of our "Tricky Spots" series you will again be presented ten hands from different stages of SnGs. These hands were all discussed in the hand evaluation board which is why the solution found there might differ from the standard strategy.

We will only discuss situations marked with a "?", all other decisions
are not of interest. They were made by Hero and are not to be discussed
in this quiz.

Today's topics: odds calls, pushing to prevent blinding out, blind battle and tricky post-flop spots.

Cheating (e.g. with SNG Wizard or another ICM calculator) will be
punished by several months of running under $EV and is therefore not
recommended.

For your personal post-analysis of these hands we strongly recommend using SNG Wizard and holdemresources.net.

Good luck!

For discussions and question, please refer to the forum: Discuss the quiz on the forum

Question 1:

PokerStars $6+0.50 NL Hold'em (4 handed)

Blinds: 200/400/25

Stacks
UTG (t2280)
Button (t1605)
SB (t4798)
Hero (t4817)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5cJs
1 fold, BU raises to t1580(all-in), 1 fold, Hero…?

Do you call this so far inconspicuous opponent?



Question 2:

FullTilt $11+1 NL Hold'em (5 handed)

Blinds:
120/240

Stacks
Hero (t1025)
BU (t3505)
SB (t5255)
BB (t3715)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Ks5d
Hero…?

 

You have a little more than four BB left at the bubble. Since you are multi-tabling, you don't have exact reads on any opponent. So this is about your play in an information vacuum.

What do you do?



Question 3:

FullTilt $11+1 NL Hold'em (5 handed)

Blinds:
100/200

Stacks
UTG (t2335)
CO (t600)
BU (t1325)
SB (t7110)
Hero (t2130)

Preflop: Hero is BB with TdTc
1 fold, CO raises to t600(all-in), BU raises to t1325(all-in), 1 fold, Hero…?

The shorty pushes from the CO and gets isolated by the BU with just under 7 BB.

How do you play TT in the big blind after SB moved out of the way? Reads: neither opponent appeared to be nitty, other than that nothing special happened.



Question 4:

FullTilt $11+1 NL Hold'em (9 handed)

Blinds:
80/160

Stacks
Hero (t2644)
BU (t2506)
SB (t2746)
BB (t5604)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 8d8s
Hero...?

You hold 88 UTG at the bubble and your stack is just above 16 BB.

You have noticed the BB restealing a lot and playing the bubble pretty aggressively as the chip leader.

He will certainly resteal around 30% here.

So, its pretty safe to assume that you will rarely pick up the blinds easily.

How do you play your snowmen?





Question 5:

FullTilt $11+1 NL Hold'em (7 handed)

Blinds:
80/160

Stacks
UTG (t1340)
Hero (t3760)
MP (t1240)
CO (t1105)
BU (t1455)
SB (t3800)
BB (t800)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 8s8d
1 fold, Hero raises to t400, 3 folds, SB calls 320, 1 fold

Flop: (t960) 6c5cJh
SB bets t320, Hero calls t320

Turn: (t1600) 9d
SB bets t900, Hero...(Stack: t3040) ?

You open-raised from early position with 88 and got one caller.

On the flop he donks into you while you decide to call your hand for showdown value and not raise/fold.

The turn brings a 9, how do you continue?




Question 6:

FullTilt $11+1 NL Hold'em (4 handed)

Blinds:
80/160

Stacks
CO (t6060)
BU (t3295)
SB (t1265) (Regular)
Hero (t2880)

Preflop: Hero is BB with KsTc
2 folds, SB raises to t1265(all-in), Hero... ?

You reached the bubble, the player in the small blind is a regular. Both opponent fold to him, he tosses his chips into the middle of the table.

What do you opt for?



Question 7:

FullTilt $6+0.5 NL Hold'em (8 handed)

Blinds:
30/60

Stacks
UTG (t1180)
MP1 (t1440)
Hero (t1440)
MP2 (t1435)
CO (t1860)
BU (t1255)
SB (t2150)
BB (t2740)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with JsJh
2 folds, Hero raises to t180, 4 folds, BB calls t120

Flop: (t390) 6h6sQh
BB checks, Hero bets t240, BB calls t240

Turn: (t870) 7s
BB checks, Hero(stack left: t1020)... ?

You raised JJ from MP and the BB decided to call you. The flop is paired with one overcard and a flush draw. Other than that, there are no draws. 

Your continuation bet gets called, the turn blanks with a 7 that has only improved 77. What is your action?



Question 8:

FullTilt $6+0.5 NL Hold'em (7 handed)

Blinds:
80/160

Stacks
UTG (t1100)
MP1 (t1480)
MP2 (t2725)
CO (t2605)
BU (t2625)
Hero (t1590)
BB (t1375) (seemed relatively tight)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 7s5h
5 folds, Hero... ?

You sit in the small blind with 75o, there are 6 opponents left at the table. Five of them fold and you have to decide whether to push or fold against the tight BB. What do you do?



Question 9:

FullTilt $6+0.5 NL Hold'em (Heads-up)

Blinds:
100/200

Stacks
Hero (t5290)
BB (t8210) (fishy opponent, seems to overplay hands - definitely aggressive and not a calling station)

Preflop: Hero is SB with AcQs
Hero raises to t400, BB calls

Flop: (t800) 2c3c3d
BB checks, Hero bets t450, BB raises to t900, Hero...?

Heads-up against a fishy opponent, pre-flop your minraise got called. On a relatively safe flop you fire your continuation bet and get minraised.

How do you react?




Question 10:

FullTilt $6+0.50 NL Hold'em (5 handed)

Blinds:
80/160

Stacks
UTG (t11720)
CO (t1760)
BU (t3195)
SB (t5015) (17/17, 64h (6-5 handed), steal from SB 50%(8) )
Hero (t1810)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9cAs
3 folds, SB raises to t330, Hero... ?

Your big blind gets raised by the small blind who appeared to be very steal-happy up to now. You have just over 11BB left including the one posted already.

Do you shove for fold equity, fold because you might soon find a better spot or call due to the nice odds?