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dcdoorknob · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 3:08 am Post subject: Walking through a $6 Turbo SNG

It has been a while (too long) since we have had a SNG walk through thread. I think it is time to rectify that. I also thought this starting this thread would be a worthwhile way of spending my 501st post.

Lately I've been 6 tabling the $6 turbo SNGs for an couple hours at a time. This stemmed from an enjoyable and profitable session during the SNG Madness a couple of weeks ago, and the results have continued to be surprisingly good (shockingly good even). That said, I know that I am certainly not playing perfect poker, and I expect to find a few (if not many) errors in my play in this thread.

For clarity, here's how this should work: I have a hand history for a $6 + .50 Turbo SNG. I'll go through posting a hand or hands until I come to a point where there is a non-obvious decision to be made, where I will stop and ask for opinions on what the right play is. I'll plan to update this about twice a day, although there may be a few days before the end where I can't do that. I'd like to encourage anyone with an opinion to not be timid in voicing it. Even if others disagree, we can all learn from the discussion that will hopefully ensue.

So lets get started. I found a converter that works for both fulltilt poker tournaments and this forum that doesn't automatically label the players by position only (www.thehandconverter.com). I've decided to change the names of my opponents to characters on Family Guy.

We get a decent hand right off the bat here.

Hand #1
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (SB): t1500
Stewie (BB): t1500
Lois (UTG): t1500
Meg (UTG+1): t1500
Chris (UTG+2): t1500
dcdoorknob (MP1): t1500
Brian (MP2): t1500
Quagmire (CO): t1500
Cleveland (BTN): t1500

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is MP1 with A Heart

J

3 folds, dcdoorknob ???

cardfish2 · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:09 am Post subject:

I hate AJ. Limp it and fold if you get raised big. Unless you flop an A or J, check fold it after the flop. If nobody seems to want it you can try to bet it and take it down if there weren't a lot of limpers already in. This all assumes no info on opponents, although if you are playing a lot you might have notes on most/all of your opponents.

cardfish2 · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:10 am Post subject:

Note: Above post based on position. If you had position I would modify that answer.

nilgiri · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:22 am Post subject:

Limp it or raise to 90, depending on how you like to play. I almost never open-limp, so I'd usually raise here. Folding isn't horrible, either, if you are uncomfortable with this hand/position.

dcdoorknob · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:05 pm Post subject:

I don't like to open limp much either. 90 is my normal raise here but I have taken to just hitting the pot button sometimes while 6 tabling since the slider can be annoying, hence my 105 raise size. I'd hedge toward a fold normally UTG, but with 3 folds in front I like the raise here.

Hand #1
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (SB): t1500
Stewie (BB): t1500
Lois (UTG): t1500
Meg (UTG+1): t1500
Chris (UTG+2): t1500
dcdoorknob (MP1): t1500
Brian (MP2): t1500
Quagmire (CO): t1500
Cleveland (BTN): t1500

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is MP1 with A J
3 folds, dcdoorknob raises to t105, 5 folds

Final Pot: t75
dcdoorknob wins t75

Hand #2
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (BTN): t1485
Stewie (SB): t1470
Lois (BB): t1500
Meg (UTG): t1500
Chris (UTG+1): t1500
dcdoorknob (UTG+2): t1545
Brian (MP1): t1500
Quagmire (MP2): t1500
Cleveland (CO): t1500

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is UTG+2 with 4 Heart

5

7 folds, Stewie calls t15, Lois checks

Flop: (t60) 2 Club

3

8

(2 players)
Stewie checks, Lois checks

Turn: (t60) K Club

(2 players)
Stewie checks, Lois checks

River: (t60) 8 Diamond

(2 players)
Stewie bets t30, Lois calls t30

Final Pot: t120
Stewie shows 6s 9c (a pair of Eights)
Lois shows Ts 3d (two pair, Eights and Threes)
Lois wins t120

Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (CO): t1485
Stewie (BTN): t1410
Lois (SB): t1560
Meg (BB): t1500
Chris (UTG): t1500
dcdoorknob (UTG+1): t1545
Brian (UTG+2): t1500
Quagmire (MP1): t1500
Cleveland (MP2): t1500

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is UTG+1 with 3 Diamond

9

8 folds

Final Pot: t30
Meg wins t30

Hand #4
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (MP2): t1485
Stewie (CO): t1410
Lois (BTN): t1545
Meg (SB): t1515
Chris (BB): t1500
dcdoorknob (UTG): t1545
Brian (UTG+1): t1500
Quagmire (UTG+2): t1500
Cleveland (MP1): t1500

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is UTG with 9 Spade

A

dcdoorknob ???

It's still too early to give too much to reads, but the table has been passive so far, which makes it seem quite possible to try and see a few cheap flops with speculative hands. Raise, call, fold?

live4freerolls · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject:

I instafold both the AJ and the A9, pretty much no value early on.

huntforlife1 · Pair Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 26

UTG id say fold it, most likley the hand will just get you in to trouble

cubbies760 · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:14 pm Post subject:

I'd either limp since the table has been passive, or fold. Folding seems like a smarter choice, but I sometimes like to try to see a cheap flop with a suited Ace

I tend to play alot looser early on because too many people have no trouble going broke on marginal hands during the 1st blind levels.

live4freerolls · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:24 pm Post subject:

cubbies760 · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:37 pm Post subject:

Badlydrawnboy · Flush Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 127

I would also limp. The table has been pretty passive and tight so far. You have no reads on the other players. If anybody raises your bet, you fold. If they don't, you can see a cheap flop.

I remember what Gus Hansen once said: it's not your goal to win the blinds here, your goal is to trap someone for their entire stack and double up. (Something like that, you get the idea). If you miss the flop, no harm done. If you hit your flush draw, it's time for some real poker...

I mean, if you would push all-in with this hand at the end of the tourney, why wouldn't you limp in with it at the beginning?

dcdoorknob · Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 2:46 am Post subject:

I folded it. I understand the lure of limping at a passive table with a drawing type hand against presumably weak competition, but I still prefer my position to be better than this to do it.

Another factor to consider which I think is especially applicable to turbos is image. Establishing a tight image early can be of significant help in the not too distant future when you are almost inevitably going to be pushing in some big bets preflop with marginal hands. Limping UTG doesn't do a thing for getting that image, and its another reason I don't prefer it here.

I'll move on, but I welcome further comments on the A9 or AJ hands.

Hand #4
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (MP2): t1485
Stewie (CO): t1410
Lois (BTN): t1545
Meg (SB): t1515
Chris (BB): t1500
dcdoorknob (UTG): t1545
Brian (UTG+1): t1500
Quagmire (UTG+2): t1500
Cleveland (MP1): t1500

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is UTG with 9 Spade

A

4 folds, Peter raises to t105, 1 fold, Lois calls t105, 2 folds

Flop: (t255) 9 Club

K

(2 players)
Peter checks, Lois bets t120, Peter folds

Final Pot: t255
Lois wins t255

Hand #5
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (MP1): t1380
Stewie (MP2): t1410
Lois (CO): t1695
Meg (BTN): t1500
Chris (SB): t1470
dcdoorknob (BB): t1545
Brian (UTG): t1500
Quagmire (UTG+1): t1500
Cleveland (UTG+2): t1500

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is BB with 5 Diamond

4

7 folds, Chris calls t15, dcdoorknob checks

Flop: (t60) T Club

Q

3

(2 players)
Chris bets t60, dcdoorknob folds

Final Pot: t60
Chris wins t60

Hand #6
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t20/t40 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (UTG+2): t1380
Stewie (MP1): t1410
Lois (MP2): t1695
Meg (CO): t1500
Chris (BTN): t1500
dcdoorknob (SB): t1515
Brian (BB): t1500
Quagmire (UTG): t1500
Cleveland (UTG+1): t1500

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is SB with Q Heart

4

1 fold, Cleveland raises to t140, 7 folds

Final Pot: t100
Cleveland wins t100

Hand #7
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t20/t40 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (UTG+1): t1380
Stewie (UTG+2): t1410
Lois (MP1): t1695
Meg (MP2): t1500
Chris (CO): t1500
dcdoorknob (BTN): t1495
Brian (SB): t1460
Quagmire (BB): t1500
Cleveland (UTG): t1560

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is BTN with 8 Spade

4

8 folds

Final Pot: t40
Quagmire wins t40

Hand #8
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t20/t40 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (UTG): t1380
Stewie (UTG+1): t1410
Lois (UTG+2): t1695
Meg (MP1): t1500
Chris (MP2): t1500
dcdoorknob (CO): t1495
Brian (BTN): t1440
Quagmire (SB): t1520
Cleveland (BB): t1560

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is CO with K Heart

7

3 folds, Meg calls t40, 4 folds, Cleveland checks

Flop: (t100) 7 Diamond

A

K

(2 players)
Cleveland checks, Meg bets t100, Cleveland folds

Final Pot: t100
Meg wins t100

Hand #9
Full Tilt Poker $6 + $0.50 Sit & Go (Turbo) No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t20/t40 Blinds - 9 players
The Official Hand History

Peter (BB): t1380
Stewie (UTG): t1410
Lois (UTG+1): t1695
Meg (UTG+2): t1560
Chris (MP1): t1500
dcdoorknob (MP2): t1495
Brian (CO): t1440
Quagmire (BTN): t1500
Cleveland (SB): t1520

Pre Flop: dcdoorknob is MP2 with K Club

A

3 folds, Chris calls t40, dcdoorknob ???

If someone wants to make a case for playing the K7s in hand #8 I'll listen, but I decided not to stop there. Here we've got AK after a limper, so I suppose I'm really just asking for a raise size here.

Badlydrawnboy · Flush Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 127

I would just make a normal raise here, to 120 or 160.

If you have a good read on him, you could make it higher (since there was also an AK in the previous hand). But I guess it's too early in the tournament to do that kind of stuff.

skeeter1114 · Message Board Junkie Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 2498

Agreed on the raise with A-K. You want someone with 6-8 suited or J-10 to fold here. Make the person who may be set mining pay to chase. Alot of the time, someone who limps will fold to a raise of a decent size.

I'm going to go back to the A9 argument for a minute. I'm with cubbies here and will sometimes take a chance to limp with it and hope I hit big. But, I like DC's comment of not wanting to limp early to maintain a tighter image. Especially in a turbo, you don't want people thinking you will limp with marginal hands, and then get your raised A-8 called by K-10 and lose with blinds at 80/160. I also don't see any harm in raising with A-9 at a passive table. Try to take the blinds and start building the chip stack. Not saying you have to, but trying it isn't horrible, imo.

Badlydrawnboy · Flush Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 127

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