I'm losing sleep over this hand

PhallicPhil

How should I have played this hand?

Single table qualifying tournament, NLH on PartyPoker. First place pays $200 + $15 entry into big tournament, second pays $30. Six players left. I'm second in chips with 2350 in 2nd position, leader has 2600 in big blind. Everyone else has 1000 or lower. Blinds are 25/50. I have Js Jh and raise it 350 after 1st position folds. Folded around to BB (leader) who smooth calls. Flop is 5s 2s 2h and BB immediately bets out 450.

What should I do?

I won't tell you just yet what I did, but here are a few things I was thinking:

1. He smooth called w/ a high pocket pair and planned on betting a ragged flop.

2. He has As Ks or another suited Aces of spades

3. Do I want to get involved with the only other big stack here and risk busting out now when I have such a good chip position?

Any thoughts?

Phil

BigChrisEl

I think I would fold. I could easily see him with a pair of 2's or 5's or even something suited with :spade: 's , plus as you pointed out "Do I want to get involved with the only other big stack here and risk busting out now when I have such a good chip position?"

I would think no, not until you are at least in the money.

Not sure how he played earlier but to me calling that bet is too large of a risk.

Slacker

I would move all-in. Here is why...

1. I doubt with your pre-flop raise he would have held anything as bad as a 2 (unless he had A2 or K2 suited).
2. If I held AA, KK or QQ in his position, I would have raised you all-in preflop given his stack size.
3. Since he is the chip leader, he may have felt you missed the flop and has a large enough stack to try and steal the pot.
4. If he holds two spades, you will still be favoured.
5. Since first place is everything, you need to be aggressive while you have such a strong hand.

I am assuming, given the title of your post, you moved all-in and he had a 2 in his hand. Let us know!

PhallicPhil

It's interesting that the two people who responded would do two different things. I still don't know what the correct answer is (of course, there probably is no correct answer), but I'll tell you what I did.

I folded. Then I ended up coming in 3rd (which paid a big fat $0). So, obviously looking back, I wish I had went with Slacker and moved in on him. I think Slacker is totally correct in saying that I should be aggressive because first place is really all I'm shooting for (I could have really crippled the chip leader if I won that hand and probably would have went on to easily win the thing). There certainly is merit to BigChris' opinion that I might want to play it safe at this point -- go for the kill in a similar hand once it's heads up. However, hindsight is 20/20 and it's easy for me to sway the other way now (since I screwed up and came third).

Thanks for the opinions. Any more?

BigChrisEl

One of the reasons why I said folder is that I personally play better when there is less then 4 players at the table, so when I'm playing a Sit N' Go tournament I usually don't make any moves until I either have monsters or I'm close to the money.

I'm interested to see what others would say here?

Looking it over it does appear that he didn't have anything large preflop and called to see the flop. Me personally I probably would have bet a little larger preflop (700 to 1000) just to make sure the Blinds really want to play.

Phred

I think I'd have gone all-in, too. You were most likely the favorite after the flop, as it was unlikely he was hanging around with a deuce. With your initial bet, I would would have put you on a mid to high pair. I stick if my hand is similar, hence the call. The flop makes two pair for both hands, so it's really just a question of who is going to assert dominance. This is especially true if he has a 4-flush. If he goes all-in in front of you, he represents a dominant pair, and you most likely fold, to avoid the knock-out. By acting tentative, he is displaying a lack of confidence in his holding(99, 1010?), so put him to the test. Like the good book says, "Do unto others, then cash your chips."

Dave Scharf

This a a great question. It is a situation that gives a lot of players a lot of trouble (me included).

Single table qualifying tournament, NLH on PartyPoker. First place pays $200 + $15 entry into big tournament, second pays $30. Six players left. I'm second in chips with 2350 in 2nd position, leader has 2600 in big blind. Everyone else has 1000 or lower. Blinds are 25/50.

This all means that you should take just about ANY positive EV situation you encounter. This tournament is close to "winner take all."

I have Js Jh and raise it 350 after 1st position folds. Folded around to BB (leader) who smooth calls. Flop is 5s 2s 2h and BB immediately bets out 450.

The pot is 725 and he bets 450 into you. Hmm... My current "three finger checklist" is:

(1) What does he have? I doubt he has a deuce or a five. He called a BIG raise pre-flop and the only real possiblities seem to me to be A-5s or A-2s. Not likely. What about 5-5 or 2-2? Possible, but I can't seem him betting out with those hands. I am guessing that he has got a pocket pair between T-T and 6-6. Or, he has a big ace that is not a diamond draw (and is a small favourite or small dog to my hand).

(2) What will he do with it? If he has the big diamond draw he will call and it will be a coin toss. If he has a medium pair he might fold, but I am only giving him two outs so calling isn't that big a risk.

(3) Can I/do I want to add fold equity? Yes, against hands that I am a BIG favourite over (smaller pair) and not against the coin flip hands (big suited aces). So... I do NOT want to add fold equity particularly.

1. He smooth called w/ a high pocket pair and planned on betting a ragged flop.

This is certainly possible. And, I will have to reconsider things on the turn. If he pouds all in on the turn I will probably release and give him credit for a big pair. But, reverse the situation. What does he do with his 8-8 when you flat call on the flop? No fun having a vulnerable hand and a player behind you with lots of chips.

3. Do I want to get involved with the only other big stack here and risk busting out now when I have such a good chip position?

I am going to try very hard not to bust out with the hand. But, I am not going to lay down on the flop to his 450 bet. I have 800 in the pot after the flop leaving me with 1550 and lots of room to maneuver.