Was this the correct play in this situation?

mcksmith

I don't plan on making a habit of playing MTTs but in order to become a better poker player, I would like to know if my thought process in this situation was correct.

Table: 47 (Real Money) Seat #9 is the dealer
Seat 2 - BOXERSCOTT1 ($2993.33 in chips)
Seat 3 - CAD290 ($4085 in chips)
Seat 4 - MKNMONY06 ($5613.34 in chips)
Seat 5 - RUSSMAN300 ($1661.67 in chips)
Seat 6 - GIGASTUD ($4900 in chips)
Seat 7 - SHAKKA ($310 in chips)
Seat 8 - RICKSHEEN ($3366.66 in chips)
Seat 9 - ORGASMATRON ($1370 in chips)
BOXERSCOTT1 - Posts small blind $50
CAD290 - Posts big blind $100
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to ORGASMATRON [9h 9s]
MKNMONY06 - Folds
RUSSMAN300 - Calls $100
GIGASTUD - Folds
SHAKKA - Folds
RICKSHEEN - Calls $100

I was pretty much completely card dead this tournament. 54 minutes into it and I had only 2 playable hands. (One of which was AA UTG and I still got two callers after folding every hand for the first 33 minutes *shrug*)

Based on the previous action at the table, I put at least one of the limpers on Ace-rag. The other could've also had Ace-rag but possibly could've had two overcards (but not an ace). Although something like K8 or Q7 wasn't out of the question either. (Yeah, I saw some pretty atrocious hands being played.)

Since I was card dead, I figured this was probably going to be my best hand in the best position before the break. Then the blinds would go up and I'd really be short stacked. Unless the EP limper was playing possum, I was pretty confident he'd fold to a raise unless he had a suited Ace-rag, then he might call. However, I thought that the LP limper would call no matter what, especially if he had ace-rag (suited or not).

I decided that a normal raise was out of the question because if (okay, when) I missed the flop I would have to fold because I wouldn't know which overcard(s) I was against. Also, there was the very slight possibility that the EP limper would call a 3xBB raise. Since folding what was almost certainly the best hand at that point was inconceivable, I decided to push.

My reasoning was the the EP limper would most likely fold since he would be crippled if he called. (Or eliminated if he called then the LP limper re-raised him all-in). That would leave me with just the LP limper.

Best case scenario: he'd have ace-rag and I'd be a 70% favourite to win.
Worst case scenario: he'd have two overcards and I'd be slightly better than a coin-flip.
Not so great scenario: both would call and I'd have to dodge three overcards but I'd have a 33% chance to triple up.

However, I was fairly confident that I'd be against the LP limper and that he most likely had ace-rag. Finally getting to the punchline ... I pushed, everyone folded except the LP limper who called with A5o and flopped an ace.

Was my thought process in this situation correct? If not, what other factors should I have considered? If this was a bad play, I would like to know so I don't repeat it.

-ev

Pushing here is not a terrible play. No one has shown any strength yet and you just have to get through the blinds. Odds are you add 1/4 to your stack uncontested. The LP call I would say borders on horrendous but playing against bad players is what makes this profitable.

On the other hand, you aren't under extreme pressure from the blinds yet. With position, you could put in a small raise and still not be committed. You would still likely be heads up, take the flop and see how your opponent reacts to it. When the Ace comes, you have the luxury of deciding if it helped him before you commit. If no Ace comes, he is not nearly as likely to call any reasonable flop bet.

STR82ACE

Any kind of a raise would put you under the 10xbb mark, and considering the blinds going up soon, you were going to have to push soon anyway. I think the push here is the correct play.

Nice reads on your opponents though. Just crappy he caught his outs.

Being card dead is ugly. Have to work on ways of opening up your game abit earlier maybe, and taking more chances.

Whitehorse.

Looks like a limp or shove situation. A small raise is pointless here.

InsaneGuy

>Just want to contribute to this topic and say, interesting nickname you got there

mcksmith

STR82ACE wrote: »

Being card dead is ugly. Have to work on ways of opening up your game abit earlier maybe, and taking more chances.

In my limited experience at the micro limit (< $5) MTTs I find that the play during the first hour is really atrocious. I play much tighter than I normally would because there is so much random garbage being played it's hard to tell if you're way ahead or way behind.

Being card dead during the first hour doesn't bother me too much since I have so little invested. During the later hours I can use my stack size, position and table image more effectively if I get an extended run of bad cards.

fdart17

good play, opening up your play is the worst thing you can do IMO. just because your getting unlucky dosent mean you should start playing less intelligently.

STR82ACE

Micro MTT's? Freerolls?

If you're worried about losing a couple of bucks in these games by playing tight early, sure go ahead...just means you'll be behind later on in the match.

For the micro games, I like to open up early, try to double or triple up early, and then start bullying abit. I can also start to play tighter after I have a decent chip stack later on, and pick and choose my hands after I get decent reads.

Doubling up early is NOT playing less intelligently IMHO. For the cost of the tourney, I'm not to worried about getting bumped out. Just have to get into another one in a couple of minutes.

mcksmith

I played my marginal hands much more aggressively than I usually would during the first couple hours of a $5 MTT I played today and it worked out quite nicely.
I was never short stacked so I was able to steal some pots that I wouldn't have been able to with my usual tight play.

Definitely a much better strategy that waiting for (and hoping to get paid off) with premium hands.

fdart17

Yeah, usually playing agressive is better, but it also really depends of the players at your table.
If you have 2 other agressive players, your in for some serious trouble.

toronto1968

That position with already two callers, not including the blinds....not sure I would have pushed....a simple call or a standard raise would have served the same purpose....you decided to push and got called by 1 of the 4 players who had chips invested in the pot, not much chips but.....hope you understand that plays like this early in tournaments is not uncommon....many players will call with their ace-rag garbage....sure you got unlucky that the player spiked the ace. Did the ace hit the board on the flop or after....this is why I like to play after the flop, so these types of players if their ace doesn't hit the board and you put them on ace-rag, well than there is a very good chance that you are taking down the pot with a good sized bet.

InsaneGuy

Early and heck even mid mtt are attrocious when you play 2-5-10 mtts.
I think early when blinds are so cheap you limp in with anything that can become a monster and rake in the chips if you win the pot... raise every half decent hand and play tough on the flop when you get a caller or two.

be the maniac... people will see you play alot of hands and they'll call you and pay you off when you have that big hand...

I know I used to do that...

BBC Z

Push is fine.

ReefAquarium

Push all in.
Making a small raise is terrible. Can you see why?

pokrgod

ORGASMATRON? Very Nice! lol. I'd push here too. You made the right play. Your read was correct and you got the call. You definitely want this call heads up. You were unlucky but usually are doubling up here. Well done.

Davis08

i like a push here, otherwise like you said, you have to make the tough decision to play after the flop and try to determine whether or not the villian would have hit it.