01-16-07, LearnTexasHoldem:

Questionable all in with KK in a tournament

Question:

Hi, I love the site... I have a specific hand question that leads into a theory question that I thought you could discuss. I was playing in a $69+6 Double Stack online tournament (3k starting chips) when I found myself in the BB with KK. (blinds 50-100). I had 4.9k, sb (player A) had 13k, and 2nd position (player B) had 5.6k.

B leads out with a 350 raise, A calls, I only raised to 700 because my timer thing was running down (my first mistake... usually I'd have made it about 1k), and both call. Flop comes 8-3-t rainbow. I bet 1800, a slight overbet, trying to compensate for my mistake preflop, and both call... At this point I was worried about a set of 10s, and I was debating just folding the turn, which was a 9. A bets 2800, putting me all in (I had 2.4k), and I decide to call for a few reasons; I doubt anybody has a straight, and if I lose to a set with kings I lose to a set. I reasoned that if it were a cash game and I put him on a set I could lay it down, because I would have many more chances to play, but in a tournament, sometimes you have to take what you can get.

Anyway, player B pushes and A calls, with B having JJ and A 88. Miraculously, I river a king and take over the tournament chip lead. So, I know I did a lot of things wrong in this hand and still got rewarded. But from a philosophical aspect, would you have folded the turn if you were me? Would you have folded it if this were a cash game situation?

Thanks, Reid

Top 3 Beginner Rooms

Answer:

Well, it's never easy to discuss how you would have played a hand without knowing something about your opponents playing styles. But given the situation at hand I must say that I would probably have folded on the turn, in a tournament that is. Because your first responsibility in a tournament is to survive. So my thoughts are the opposite of yours, because in a cash game you can make a rebuy and continue playing while in a tournament you are out if you loose all your chips.

And when player A first calls your substantial bet (not overbet) on the flop and then bets 2800 on the turn you should be worried. The betting pattern of player A, call a raise; check and call a big bet; and then a bet that almost puts both opponents all in, is indicating strength. Often players in early position does this of fear of not getting paid when they have a strong hand.

You also must consider that player A must almost certainly know that you have a very strong hand and therefore is aware that you'll call his turn bet. And when he still bets with this knowledge, you should become suspicious and fold, unless you know something about the players. Besides, even if you would have folded you would still have enough chips left to wait for a better situation, you weren't in any hurry.

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