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I sat down to a $130 buy in at Harrah’s Cherokee the day before WSOP landed. I started out fairly well and chipped up a decent amount in the first two levels then I go card dead with the exception of some small pocket pairs that don’t connect with anything, so what I picked up early on goes away from blinds and seeing a few flops that I don’t win. Several hands later and I’ve got just over 6,000 in chips. At the next level the blinds go up to 200/400 and having only 2,000 more than a starting stack, I start looking for a good spot to get it in and chip up. I pick up QQ in the big blind. The table has a few folds and a few calls of the big blind…I think there were 4 total calls before it got back around to me, and I raise to 1,300. The table folds around to the button, the button and SB both call.
Flop comes Ks Q 2s. Bingo. SB checks, and I jam for a little over a pot sized bet. The button snap calls and has me covered, SB folds. The dealer says to table the cards, so I ask the button if we are set over set, and he turns over As8s. Not exactly what I wanted to see, but I feel OK knowing I was able to get it in good. Turn comes 7c, and this lady on the other side of the table starts yelling “SPADE ON THE RIVER! SPADE ON THE RIVER!” I really wanted to ask her why she was rooting against me, but I wouldn’t have worded the question politely so I didn’t ask. I anxiously await as the dealer takes the card off the deck and sure enough, 6s. And the lady on the other side of the table let’s out a quick “Yes!” I mean really, I don’t know what I did to her, but I wanted to give her a few not so friendly parting words while stepping away from the table. But again I didn’t, I looked to the guy that just knocked me out and said “that’s poker.” We shook hands and I headed out.
Obviously, nobody likes getting knocked out of a tourney, but I’m content with my play and being able to get it in good. A few questions though:
1) Was the raise appropriately sized? I wanted some action and concluded that jamming preflop for maybe 6,300 or so into a 1,000 pot was too strong. Would an amount other than 1,300 have been a better option?
2) Why does the flush ALWAYS get there?
3) Seriously, what the hell lady? We didn’t even say two words to each other and you’re cheering for me to get rivered?!?!?Hi Heath,
I’m more of a cash game player so someone who plays more tournaments should definitely weigh in here as well, but here’s my take…
You said blinds were due to go up to 200/400 so I’m assuming they were at 150/300 when this hand happened, giving you 20 BB’s. If there were 4 total calls, and the small and big blinds, then there should be about 1650 in the pot already. In a cash game, I would size anywhere from 3-5x + an additional blind for every caller. In a tournament spot, you can size down a little because the value of chips are greater, but at the same time you also need a size that isn’t likely to go 4+ ways to the flop. I think 1300 is too small here, and I would likely size to around 1800 or more. I think you got a bit lucky only 2 players called, but I think 1800 will often get it heads up far more often, and it is just under 1/3 of your stack so it doesn’t immediately commit you to the pot if the flop sucks. At 1300, you are offering basically 3:1 on a call for the first caller, and better for everyone else. Also, there’s a small chance the raise to 1800 will let someone try and limp raise if they don’t think you are committed. But QQ won’t feel so great super multiway on a short stack, so I would look to size up to at least 1800 here.
I think it’s also perfectly fine to make it 2000+ and just try and get it in preflop. You aren’t dominating any hands that may call except AQ and KQ, so winning preflop and not putting your tournament life at risk is a perfectly fine result here.
On the flop, I like your jam. I think most kings will have to call here, and I guess a couple draws as well (at least in this case). I’d love to hear if others in the forum would prefer a more normal sized bet here on the flop, because you are committed either way, but in general I like the jam.
It may have been going to 150/300 on the next level, but we were playing 100/200 at that moment. There is a weird jump in the blind levels in their tournaments somewhere that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me because instead of doing something logical like moving from 100/200 to 150/300 it just starts doubling the blinds at each level. If it wasn’t here that goes to 200/400 then it was gonna happen the level after that. But in any case we were 100/200 here for sure.
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