What would you have done here?

Hello,

I played a 4-times of year championship freeroll last night that you had to have points to enter.

I made 2 mistakes and I was out, what would you have done differently here?:

#1 - Blinds started 10/20 with 3000 chips. On my first mistake, the blinds were 500/1000. I had 19000 chips. Chipleader had 25000 in chips. There were 30 players left.

It folded around to me on the button. I had AJo. I raised it to 2000 hoping to pick up the blinds or be called by a crappy hand. The small blind called me, the big blind folded.

The small blind had AQo and 10,000 in chips. The flop came J 7 2. The pot had 5500, I bet 2000. He called.

We checked the turn. The river came a Q.

We both checked and he took the pot.

What would you guys have done in this hand? What tells would you have been looking for.

#2 - 2nd to act limped in. Blinds are 1000/2000, I have 16000 in chips. I have 10 8o in the little blind. I limp in. Flop comes 2 7 10. I go all in.

He has pocket jacks and I lose my entire stack.

When he limped in I didn't put him on jacks. Later I realized that he didn't have to raise because the blinds were so high no one was playing.

Both of these things happened on a brand new table. I aquired all of my chips at a previous table.

What kind of tells should I have been looking for? What did I do wrong? I read people so good at my previous table.

Thanks.

Bob

1st hand: First mistake was min-raising preflop. Make it 2.5-3.5xbb raise. Mistake #2 came when you didn't shove the turn. The pot is fairly large (compared to his stack, anyway), put him to a decision right there. If he calls and rivers you, so be it. Don't let him chase though.

2nd hand: Always be weary of HBLs (High Blind Limpers), particularly when they are out of position - it means they are either very loose (and so you have no idea where you stand on the flop) or hold a monster. Being that you have a fairly low stack, limping really shouldn't be considered by you either. Don't limp simply because you are in the small blind - you will lose a lot of chips that way. You do need to push the flop, but fold preflop and you won't be put in that position again.

__________________
1st place, March/April 2008 Sunday League

Fault always lies in the same place, my fine babies: with him weak enough to lay blame.

k06mars, thanks for the good reply.

Mistake #1: So if I would have gone all in on the turn it would have been the right move, or at least bet the pot? If so, sounds good. He told me later that he didn't think I hit the flop.

Mistake #2: So I shouldn't have limped in in the small blind with crap? When do you limp in in the small blind when the blinds are high (I know I'm asking for a broad generalization)? Also, when do you limp in in the small blind when the blinds are low? I don't know that either.

So pushing all in on top pair was an OK move, then, I guess, but reading the player would be better.

Also, do you guys sit back a while when entering a new table, not playing anything except very premium cards?

Thanks again.

1. I would raised to 3k or 3.5k preflop. If he called and I would have hit top pair I would have gone All In on the flop. If he has me beat I would still have 9k left.

2. Fold preflop. Save your chips for a better opportunity.

__________________
That's Poker

I'll open a new post about when to call in the small blind.

What made you just go in and bet 2000 post flop? And, why not a continuation bet on the turn? Did the sb player make you think he had a better hand than you? Did your instincts tell you that you had him before the turn?

Sorry for not getting back to you until now, anyway...

Your first hand, you should have shoved the flop, but you shouldn't be afraid of the queen when you get there anyway, if the guy holds AQ he holds it, but a lot of times he will instead hold a medium pocket pair or some form of draw.

Mistake two: NEVER limp with high blinds, period. Doesn't matter if you have good position or in the small blind, when blinds are high (relative to your effective stack), you should be playing raise or fold preflop. You don't necessarily need to go all in, but a raise should be made if you are going to play the hand at all.

__________________
1st place, March/April 2008 Sunday League

Fault always lies in the same place, my fine babies: with him weak enough to lay blame.