Don't call all in without a made hand

Last night we had the office poker game, I made a critical mistake which ended my play.

I had A4, flop came 23x. so I had 4 cards to a straight. However when a co worker shoved all in I called which was dumb. If I had drawn an Ace or 5 I would have won the hand but it didn't happen.

The last thing you want to do in a SNG is gamble! a chip won is worth less then a chip lost.

Company Game

The company poker game is in about an hour, I need to get myself into the right head space, while still getting work done for that hour.

The prize is 400shekels, which I really intend to take down if I can. However as I won the last 2 games I expect my co workers will be gunning for me. Lets see if I can't do something with that.

Don't miss the straight draw

Ok I have no idea what I was doing in this hand after the flop. Yes I had a pair of jacks but when the other play went all in on the turn I should have folded.

Full Tilt Poker Game #15338228770: 250 Play Money Sit & Go (112463809), Table 1 - 25/50 - No Limit Hold'em - 16:13:36 ET - 2009/10/14

Seat 2: CRXED9 (11,165)

Seat 3: big zeekey (1,440), is sitting out

Seat 4: Sicksosick (11,215)

Seat 6: ZachInIsrael (5,750)

Seat 7: Cooskent (4,835)

Seat 8: NotThatMike (3,080)

Seat 9: Ksmith0_1 (3,015)

NotThatMike posts the small blind of 25

Ksmith0_1 posts the big blind of 50

The button is in seat #7

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to ZachInIsrael [Js 8d]

CRXED9 calls 50

big zeekey folds

Sicksosick folds

ZachInIsrael calls 50

Cooskent calls 50

NotThatMike folds

Ksmith0_1 checks

*** FLOP *** [4d 6c Jh]

Ksmith0_1 checks

CRXED9 has 15 seconds left to act

CRXED9 bets 50

ZachInIsrael raises to 100

Cooskent calls 100

Ksmith0_1 calls 100

CRXED9 calls 50

*** TURN *** [4d 6c Jh] [2h]

Ksmith0_1 bets 2,865, and is all in

CRXED9 has 15 seconds left to act

CRXED9 folds

ZachInIsrael calls 2,865 (This is where I should have folded)

Cooskent folds

Ksmith0_1 shows [3h 5d]

ZachInIsrael shows [Js 8d]

*** RIVER *** [4d 6c Jh 2h] [9s]

Ksmith0_1 shows a straight, Six high

ZachInIsrael shows a pair of Jacks

Ksmith0_1 wins the pot (6,355) with a straight, Six high

*** SUMMARY ***

Total pot 6,355 | Rake 0

Board: [4d 6c Jh 2h 9s]

Seat 2: CRXED9 folded on the Turn

Seat 3: big zeekey didn't bet (folded)

Seat 4: Sicksosick didn't bet (folded)

Seat 6: ZachInIsrael showed [Js 8d] and lost with a pair of Jacks

Seat 7: Cooskent (button) folded on the Turn

Seat 8: NotThatMike (small blind) folded before the Flop

Seat 9: Ksmith0_1 (big blind) showed [3h 5d] and won (6,355) with a straight, Six high

What size Sit And Go

So what size SNG should one play? Full Tilt offers SNGs starting every few minutes and in NL Hold'em they come in a bunch of different sizes, 6, 9, 18, 27 and 90 players. So the question is which size is the best to play. Of course that depends on a few factors:

1. How long do you wish to play for
2. The number of places paid
3. The size of those prizes

In in terms of time, the bigger the SNG the longer it will take a 90 player may take 90-120 minutes, while a 6 or 9 maybe 30-45 minutes. A 18 or 27 somewhere in the middle (This is assuming that one makes it to close to the end). So there are many times where a 6 or 9 player will be just the ticket, because a 90 player would be just too much.

In terms of payouts the bigger the SNG the bigger the prize pool, but of course the more people shooting for it. 

The payout structure can be seen in the tournament lobby.

So which do I play mostly the 6 and 27 players, depending on my time, but try them all!

Don't be put all in on A3

9 Player sit and go, down to 3 players, on the button with 2165, SB has 8483, BB 2672

Cards A3, Bet 240, SB calls, BB Folds
Flop A72, (Pretty good) SB bets 120 I bet pot 960, Turn is Jd. SB bets 960 (my stack at this point is 965) I push all in, he calls.  River is Kh. He has AQ to my A3. When he bet on the turn I should have folded. I finished 3rd so in the money (well play money) but should not have fallen for that one

Getting scooped with pocket aces

I'm in the small blind with a chip stack of 1700 in a 27 person play money SNG. Blinds are 20/40

I get pocket aces. 4 players call around to me, I raise to 160, Big Blind folds, UTG+1 calls, next player folds, the next player goes all in 1100, last player folds. I fold as does the other player left in the pot. Other player calls with pocket 3's.

Not sure I played that right. My goal in a SNG was to survive to hit the money, (which I did, by a hair) But I keep thinking that calling him might have been a good choice. He had position on me but I had much better cards.

Poker goals

In order to improve my play I need to set goals for my playing so here are some goals for the next few weeks:

• Play at least 3 9 Player Sit and Goes at the 250chip level per week. (Or if time permits a larger one)
• Find at least one hand to blog about in each SnG. 
• Establish a home game

Beware the full house...

While playing Omaha when the board pairs and the guy next to you raises assume that he has a full house. I had a Ace high flush. On the river the board paired giving the guy next to me a full house. He goes in big and I call all in.

Cash game part 2

A pair of 9's is just not that great a hand. Its worth staying in for the cost of the big blind but not worth most of your stack on when there are other people in the hand you have you the short stack. Going all in on it before the flop is just a bad idea.



Full Tilt Poker Game #14993907155: Table Play Chip 277 - 5/10 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:30:53 ET - 2009/09/28
Seat 1: olpothead420 (5,930)
Seat 2: c4tony (6,431)
Seat 3: sava2277 (1,000)
Seat 4: TheInstag8tor (2,385)
Seat 5: sergiu_hdd (2,840)
Seat 6: Alfadim (520)
Seat 7: Brenda1106 (800)
Seat 8: ZachInIsrael (515)
Seat 9: rboys (1,000), is sitting out
sergiu_hdd posts the small blind of 5
Alfadim posts the big blind of 10
sava2277 posts 10
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ZachInIsrael [9h 9c]
Brenda1106 calls 10
ZachInIsrael raises to 20
olpothead420 calls 20
c4tony has 15 seconds left to act
c4tony raises to 400
sava2277 folds
TheInstag8tor folds
sergiu_hdd calls 395
Alfadim folds
Brenda1106 calls 390
ZachInIsrael raises to 515, and is all in (This is where I should have folded)
olpothead420 folds
c4tony calls 115
sergiu_hdd calls 115
Brenda1106 calls 115
*** FLOP *** [6c 6s Jh]
sergiu_hdd checks
Brenda1106 checks
c4tony bets 5,916, and is all in
sergiu_hdd has 15 seconds left to act
sergiu_hdd folds
Brenda1106 calls 285, and is all in
c4tony shows [8s Ad]
Brenda1106 shows [5d Kc]
ZachInIsrael shows [9h 9c]
Uncalled bet of 5,631 returned to c4tony
*** TURN *** [6c 6s Jh] [Ks]
*** RIVER *** [6c 6s Jh Ks] [Jc]
c4tony shows two pair, Jacks and Sixes
Brenda1106 shows two pair, Kings and Jacks
Brenda1106 wins the side pot (570) with two pair, Kings and Jacks
ZachInIsrael shows two pair, Jacks and Nines
Brenda1106 wins the main pot (2,100) with two pair, Kings and Jacks

Cash game part 1

I have mostly been playing sit and goes, but sometimes I try a cash game (still for playmoney). I need to learn that a cashgame is all about waiting. And when you don't make a hand get out. But calling a big bet and hoping on a strait draw on the river is just a bad idea.


Full Tilt Poker Game #14993855416: Table Play Chip 277 - 5/10 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:28:26 ET - 2009/09/28
Seat 1: olpothead420 (4,910)
Seat 2: c4tony (6,416)
Seat 4: TheInstag8tor (2,400)
Seat 5: sergiu_hdd (3,300)
Seat 6: Alfadim (540)
Seat 7: Brenda1106 (890)
Seat 8: ZachInIsrael (965)
Seat 9: rboys (1,000)
TheInstag8tor posts the big blind of 10
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ZachInIsrael [Kh Ad]
sergiu_hdd calls 10
sava2277 adds 1,000
Alfadim calls 10
Brenda1106 calls 10
ZachInIsrael raises to 20
rboys folds
olpothead420 calls 20
c4tony calls 20
TheInstag8tor folds
sergiu_hdd calls 10
Alfadim calls 10
Brenda1106 calls 10
*** FLOP *** [Qd 8s Jc]
ZachInIsrael bets 60
olpothead420 calls 60s
c4tony folds
sergiu_hdd calls 60
Alfadim folds
Brenda1106 calls 60
*** TURN *** [Qd 8s Jc] [5d]
sergiu_hdd checks
Brenda1106 checks
ZachInIsrael checks
olpothead420 bets 370
sergiu_hdd calls 370
Brenda1106 folds
ZachInIsrael calls 370 (This is where I should have folded) 
*** RIVER *** [Qd 8s Jc 5d] [Qh]
rboys is sitting out
sergiu_hdd has 15 seconds left to act
sergiu_hdd checks
ZachInIsrael checks
olpothead420 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
olpothead420 shows [Jd 5s] two pair, Queens and Jacks
sergiu_hdd mucks
ZachInIsrael mucks
olpothead420 wins the pot (1,480) with two pair, Queens and Jacks