What would you do? 5+1 SNG on party question
I was playing a 5+1 SNG on party last night.
Very first hand of the game and I'm on the button. I'm dealt a Q :h: 10 :h: .Blinds at the beginning are 10/15
UTG calls, everyone folds around to me (the button) how much would you bet or would you call?
I bet raised to 45, thinking the hand is not great but not bad either.
SB calls, BB calls, and UTG calls
Flop comes
Q :d: 10
: A :c:
SB checks, BB checks, UTG bets 400.
What would you do here?
I’ll post what I did later.
Very first hand of the game and I'm on the button. I'm dealt a Q :h: 10 :h: .Blinds at the beginning are 10/15
UTG calls, everyone folds around to me (the button) how much would you bet or would you call?
I bet raised to 45, thinking the hand is not great but not bad either.
SB calls, BB calls, and UTG calls
Flop comes
Q :d: 10
: A :c:SB checks, BB checks, UTG bets 400.
What would you do here?
I’ll post what I did later.
Comments
Raising pre-flop, however, is a fundamental mistake. There are two basic reasons (and a few advanced reasons) to raise in poker. At a basic level, you should raise because you either feel you have the best hand right now, or you feel that there is some chance that one or more opponents will drop a better hand than you have. There isn't a good reason to think that a Q-high is currently best, and it is doubtful that you can get $5 SNG players to make a big pre-flop laydown on Hand #1 of the tournament.
Also note that raising (pre-flop or whenever) for one of the advanced reasons is generally suicide in a $5 buy-in tournament. Put your "I can play like Gus Hansen" box aside for tournaments at this sort of buy-in level.
On the flop, you're in a weird spot. I'd favour folding here, but I think it's a very close decision (which is why I'd favour folding).
Even with bottom two pair, you aren't even a monster favorite over someone with top pair. And unless your opponent is some kind of a daring pirate, you're possibly drawing dead already. On the other hand, he could be a total donkey and have K-high with only a gutshot. Against a hand like pair+gutshot, you are even in fairly rough shape, since, with such hands, your opponent has 3 additional outs to counterfeit you.
With no information on how the opponent plays, you really have no idea if this massive overbet shows incredible strength or incredible weakness.
Despite this guessing game, one thing is for sure. This is a move all-in or fold spot. The pot is now big enough to be worth protecting if your hand is actually best. By raising, you put yourself in a win-win tournament situation if your opponent has something like A7. You are a large enough favorite against such a hand that you don't really mind if he calls; but if you blow him out of the pot now, you shouldn't mind this either, since this creates a low variance result (but still for a good amount of chips) in a situation where you are a good favorite but still have a relatively vulnerable hand.
ScottyZ
Trying to take down the pot with A9 or something here?
Not sure ... I'd probably say "It's a 5$ SnG, All In"
Flop: Ugh. Bottom 2. How I hate this hand. It looks so nice, but is vulnerable to so many cards it's disgusting. The overbet looks weak I'd guess an A that is worried about scare cards falling that wants to take down the pot now), but there's no way you can have an accurate read on anyone in the first hand. Given the weak play of the average player in these low buyin SNG's I'd guess you have the best hand, but you have to be prepared to bust, since there's so many cards that could kill your hand even against a ragged ace or a hand like KQ or QJ (pair plus gutshot has 10 outs against you with 2 cards to come). It's high variance. If you want to gamble, call. I'd say it's pretty close, with the rainbow flop I think I'd be inclined to call, if there was a flush draw out there as well (ie if there were 2 clubs), I think I'd be more inclined to fold. As well you don't even really have the benefit of any backdoor flush draw, which is one of the primary reasons you'd want to see a flop with your hand.
So to guess the outcome: I'll say UTG has AJo and the turn river combo paired, counterfeiting your 2 pair to give him the pot...
You are paying too much vig, either move up to the 10+1 or find another site that offers $5+.50's..
However the SB went all-in, and then the BB went all-in, at which point UTG called the all-in, so all cards where shown.
UTG had A :d: 6 :d: , SB had A
The turn was a rag, but the river gave up a Jack and the players with the Kings split the pot and UTG was out.
I later went on and won the tournament.
I wanted to call as my gut feeling was the UTG had only Ace high but was I unsure how the players behind me would have re-acted and I really had no idea if either of them could be slow playing a straight or higher 2 pair, so that is why I folded.
Normally I do play 10+1 but may bankroll has taken a bit of a hit over the last month, so last night I decide to give the $5 a shot
The problem is that you now to need place in the money than at the previous level because the house takes a bigger cut...
If you really want to boost the old BR, play at pacific in the 2.50+.25 5 man SnG's. 3rd place wins your money back (-vig).