3 table $20+2 Final table hand

[CroMagnon]

There are several very good players at this final table. The villian is not one of them. A losing player by sharkscope with only a few hundred games.

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t100/t200
(Ante: t25)
8 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t3270
UTG+1: t3255
MP1: t3130
MP2: t8530
CO: t3775
Hero: t10245
SB: t5000
BB: t3295

Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is Button with
UTG raises to t800, 4 folds, [color=#cc0000]Hero ???

What do you do in this situation?

Thanks,
Cro

[Cript]

I don't think calling is an option because of his stack size.

We're also probably about 60/40 given his range.

I don't think our stack is that much different if we win the hand and are up to 13k. Our stack is very different, however; if we lose the hand and drop to 7k.

I think I fold here...

[chrisjp]

[jmbreslin]

Regardless of sharkscope stats I'd need some info on his play to make a decision here. What has his preflop play been like prior to this? A UTG raise at a full table with his stack could potentially be very concerning. Hard to put him on a range without that info. Against a LAG I'd probably reraise and put him all in; against a nitty player, I'm probably folding. If he's a weak postflop player you could make an argument for flatting and seeing what he does on the flop, but then you run the risk of the blinds playing along or pulling a squeeze.

[chrisjp]

breslin is right of course. If the UTG is a nit, then a fold is warranted here, even with your stack. I mean if his range is AA-JJ, AK it's a fold. I hate being a 2-1 dog.

[CroMagnon]

I had to go back to review and this was the first hand I'd seen him play. So I based my play on his sharkscope stats and the 4x raise. I figured a premium hand would raise less to invite more action. I considered a fold, but felt that was too weak. Hey I have pocket T's after all, and I put him all in. He turned over QJd and I felt pretty good about my decision, but he caught a J on the flop.

Despite the way the hand turned out, which I think if you know he has two overs you call everytime, I did not give the Fold due consideration seeing that he had played very tight up until now. I will in the future.

A few hands later this hand occurred and I'm not sure I should have even been in the hand. Is this a preflop fold?

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t200/t400
(Ante: t25)
7 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t13755
Hero: t6925
MP1: t4825
CO: t2820
Button: t6340
SB: t2780
BB: t3055

Pre-flop: (7 players) Hero is UTG+1 with
UTG folds, Hero raises to t1200, 4 folds, BB raises all-in t3030, Hero calls t1830 (pot was t4605).

Flop: (t6435, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t6435)


Turn: (t6435, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t6435)


River: (t6435, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t6435)


Results:
Final pot: t6435
Hero showed Jd As
BB showed 9s Ac

The Villian is a Silver Star on Sharkscope and I see now that you have to have excellent suckout skills to reach that level.

Thanks,
Cro

[ciaran]

I fold TT barring some reads on UTG (what does the 800 mean vs a normal raise, more stats than provided in OP). If you decide to play, you shove, obviously.

The AJo hand I might just open-shove. Realistically, you're calling a shove from anyone but the button, and you might call one from him, and there's more than 10% of your stack in the middle pre-flop already.

Barring a read on you being an idiot, I think BB should probably be folding, but I haven't done the math.

[jmbreslin]

Cro, you should really use a HUD if you're not already. That way you can get a snapshot of a player's tendencies without having to manually track his plays throughout the tourney. They really are invaluable tools for online play.

[CroMagnon]

I have thought about using a hud. I have PT and could get the ACE add on, but aren't they against the Stars TOC?

Cro

[jmbreslin]

What do you mean against the Stars TOC?

I don't have PT but I use the free Realtime HUD. The downside in comparison to PT is that it only uses current hand histories but it serves its purpose for tourney play. I started using it a short while ago and I honestly don't know how I played tournies without it. The hand you've posted here is an ideal situation for a HUD. I'd reraise someone playing at 35/25 VPIP/PFR but I'd fold against a 10/7.

It's also incredibly helpful when I'm trying to pick my steal spots in STTs. I'll be much more selective about my steals if I have a guy sitting to my left who is at 60/5 with a call open raise % of 50 (not uncommon at the micro stakes), whereas I'll be much more liberal about stealing against the 10/7/0 player. You just can't get that kind of accurate info by watching people play, especially if you're multi-tabling.

[jmbreslin]

sorry, double post

[CroMagnon]

There is a list of prohibited software on their website. http://www.pokerstars.com/poker/room/prohibited/

I thought I remembered HUDS being on that list, but PokerACE is clearly listed as OK. I will have to look into it.


Thanks,
Cro

[Cript]

[ImBetterDude]

I've noticed a trend among losing players...they love pocket pairs. Any/all pocket pairs. When I see a player I don't respect raise abnormally large from early, immediately I'm assuming low PP, something like 44 - 88. These players can't fold a pair and feel limping them is wrong (...which it usually is), so instead they raise a lot to hopefully induce folds.

If he had two big cards I'd assume a standard raise of 2-3x BB. His 4X bb from UTG, as a losing and horrible player, screams smaller PP than your 10 10. With your stack, I'm snap calling.

DISCLAIMER: There are some losing players who just play far, far too tight. This type of player (NIT) I would probably fold to in this scenario.

Also, against novice players, remember the whole "strong means weak" theory. If his bet is big it's probably meant to make people fold, so do the opposite. He's probably quite vulnerable.