I played in a $10+$1 MTT yesterday with 241 entries and managed to come 16th. I would have been destined for a higher finish if my AK could have beaten TT but that's another story. Thought I'd share a few hands on interest, with my thought process behind each one to see if you would think along the same lines or to see how you'd play it.
Any comments are welcome.
Raising for Isolation = Here I raise 1st in with 66 and get one caller and a short stack pushes all-in. I'm not too worried about the short stack because he could have anything, probably a mid to big ace or two picture cards but I don't want the initial caller to contend with. I push all-in toisolate the short-stack and am prepare to take a coinflip early on toboost my stack.
Right to check river? = After villain calls my bet on the turn with the 3 spades showing I think I could still be ahead but am afraid of the check-raise so check behind on the river. Would any of you bet out here? He's only going to call with a hand that beats me here I think and getting to showdown will allow me to see what he was playing around with.
Let the pot odds decide? = Here's an example where I should maybe have let the pot odds decide. The initial raiser raises with less than premium hands and has gone to showdown, once all-in,with top pair and also an overpair. The initial caller of the raise is tight and seems pretty solid soI am weary. I'm getting 2.5/1 to call but I really think I need to hit my set here to win against 2 opponents. The loose raiser will almost certainly pay me off if he hits andI hit my set giving me implied odds of around 8-10/1. I should have called, especially with that almost perfect flop!
A poorly played hand = Here I call a raise in the BB with 55 after a raise and a caller. I bet out on the flop trying to represent an 8 or 9 (maybe A8 / A9) and am called. I fire again on the turn, leaving myself 1000 behind and am called. I think this bet looks like I want a call with a made hand but when the unknown villain calls I think I am in deep trouble, maybe against a set. I check/fold the river as it is the hand directly before the break and at least I still have some chips. How would you play this?
Big Slick, my saviour! = This is totally standard IMO. I had open pushed twice previous when it was folded tome. I hated to see AQ as it took away an out but all was well in the end!
Making a play based on the player = Here villain had limped in early position and min raised for the past 5 hands. i decide to put him to the test and stick a raise in with 97o. He thinks and folds which leads me to think he's limping with crap in EP so when he raises he has a very good holding.
Waiting for a better spot = Here I'd recently moved tables so no definite reads. The initial raiser could have quite a wide range but the reraiser has to have a very good holding. I decide my 99 is either way behind or in a coinflip and fold, waiting for a better spot. I ran some figures through an ICM and put the initial raisers range as 88+,A9s+, ATo+,KQs and KQo and the reraisers range as TT+ and AQs+ and AQo+ and it shows I would have a 28.2% chance of winning, the intial raiser 29.8% and the reraiser 42%. Anyone push here and take a coinflip?
Don't fear the big stack = This is a standard squeeze play that worked.Luckily I had AQ here but would have done this with almost any two cards. They have to have a monster hand to call me here and the facti push against the chip leader represents KK at a minimum. Initial raiser says he had ATs.
Limp and steal = Here Iopt to limp with 97s in early position. Not a conventional play but I had shown some good hands and if I remember we've just burst the bubble. The flop is all rags and I decide to bet out representing a small set and they believe me. If I had been called I'd have had to re-evaluate on the turn and possible check/fold or maybe fire another barrell depending on opponent.
The hand that crippled me = I am 99% certain this is the right play. Again it is a squeeze play but this time it doesn't pay off. Some may say I should have flat called preflop with AKo but I want to see all 5 cards and have my 30%+ chance of catching an Ace or King by the river. Unfortunately villains TT holds up and I am severely crippled. This pot would have put me in the top 5 of the tournament. I was a 42.7 to 57.3 underdog here, meh. Do you play differently? I was playing to take the tournament down as I had already cashed.
So there are a few hands for you to look at. Please feel free to discuss any of them and add your comments. Some decent hands there so we shouldbe able to create a good discusion with them.
Thanks for reading.
Some hands from a MTT, long, comments welcome 
