Mr Wayne Lo if you read these forums Id really like some oppinions on how I played these hands.

I took the worst beat of my life yesterday playing SNG's, thinking I was getting my money in ahead. So I have decided to seek some advice on hands that I get really involved in, and see if you would play them any differently. I feel I get confused on what to do in certain blind levels and whether to raise or whether its still time to see cheap flops and limp. But i'd really appreciate any replies

SO here we go...

Full Tilt Poker Game #19556963008: $5 + $0.50 Sit & Go (149350633), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:15:21 ET - 2010/03/25
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (1,735)
Seat 2: Wielebny (1,620)
Seat 3: snowman_ba (3,065)
Seat 4: Mcstahl (1,455)
Seat 5: lari_regio (1,125)
Seat 7: Monika535 (1,455)
Seat 8: jimmy449 (1,410)
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni (1,635)
snowman_ba posts the small blind of 20
Mcstahl posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jimmy449 [Ah Kc]
lari_regio calls 40
Monika535 folds
jimmy449 raises to 160
ToniCannelloni folds
phillycheeze08 folds
Wielebny folds
snowman_ba folds
Mcstahl calls 120
lari_regio has 15 seconds left to act
lari_regio raises to 1,125, and is all in
jimmy449 raises to 1,410, and is all in
Mcstahl folds
jimmy449 shows [Ah Kc]
lari_regio shows [5c Ad]
Uncalled bet of 285 returned to jimmy449
*** FLOP *** [Td 3c 4c]
*** TURN *** [Td 3c 4c] [8s]
*** RIVER *** [Td 3c 4c 8s] [Tc]
jimmy449 shows a pair of Tens
lari_regio shows a pair of Tens
jimmy449 wins the pot (2,430) with a pair of Tens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2,430 | Rake 0
Board: [Td 3c 4c 8s Tc]
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Wielebny (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: snowman_ba (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: Mcstahl (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: lari_regio showed [5c Ad] and lost with a pair of Tens
Seat 7: Monika535 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: jimmy449 showed [Ah Kc] and won (2,430) with a pair of Tens
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni didn't bet (folded)


Next one..

Full Tilt Poker Game #19557200218: $5 + $0.50 Sit & Go (149350633), Table 1 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:24:06 ET - 2010/03/25
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (1,610)
Seat 2: Wielebny (1,695)
Seat 3: snowman_ba (3,370)
Seat 4: Mcstahl (1,210)
Seat 7: Monika535 (1,465)
Seat 8: jimmy449 (2,590)
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni (1,560)
jimmy449 posts the small blind of 30
ToniCannelloni posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jimmy449 [Jd Ah]
phillycheeze08 folds
Wielebny folds
snowman_ba folds
Mcstahl calls 60
Monika535 folds
jimmy449 has 15 seconds left to act
jimmy449 calls 30
ToniCannelloni checks
*** FLOP *** [6s Jc 6h]
jimmy449 bets 120
ToniCannelloni folds
Mcstahl folds
Uncalled bet of 120 returned to jimmy449
jimmy449 mucks
jimmy449 wins the pot (180)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 180 | Rake 0
Board: [6s Jc 6h]
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Wielebny didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: snowman_ba didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: Mcstahl folded on the Flop
Seat 7: Monika535 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: jimmy449 (small blind) collected (180), mucked
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni (big blind) folded on the Flop


would you do this?

Full Tilt Poker Game #19557253451: $5 + $0.50 Sit & Go (149350633), Table 1 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:26:05 ET - 2010/03/25
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (1,520)
Seat 2: Wielebny (1,635)
Seat 3: snowman_ba (3,460)
Seat 4: Mcstahl (1,780)
Seat 7: Monika535 (925)
Seat 8: jimmy449 (2,710)
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni (1,470)
Wielebny posts the small blind of 30
snowman_ba posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jimmy449 [Ad Ac]
Mcstahl folds
Monika535 folds
jimmy449 raises to 120
ToniCannelloni folds
phillycheeze08 folds
Wielebny folds
snowman_ba folds
Uncalled bet of 60 returned to jimmy449
jimmy449 mucks
jimmy449 wins the pot (150)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 150 | Rake 0
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Wielebny (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: snowman_ba (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: Mcstahl didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Monika535 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: jimmy449 collected (150), mucked
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni didn't bet (folded)

and...

Full Tilt Poker Game #19557264421: $5 + $0.50 Sit & Go (149350633), Table 1 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:26:30 ET - 2010/03/25
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (1,520)
Seat 2: Wielebny (1,605)
Seat 3: snowman_ba (3,400)
Seat 4: Mcstahl (1,780)
Seat 7: Monika535 (925)
Seat 8: jimmy449 (2,800)
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni (1,470)
snowman_ba posts the small blind of 30
Mcstahl posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jimmy449 [6d 6c]
Monika535 raises to 180
jimmy449 has 15 seconds left to act
jimmy449 calls 180
ToniCannelloni folds
phillycheeze08 folds
Wielebny folds
snowman_ba folds
Mcstahl folds
*** FLOP *** [5h Qh 6s]
Monika535 checks
jimmy449 checks
*** TURN *** [5h Qh 6s] [Ks]
Monika535 checks
jimmy449 bets 240
Monika535 calls 240
*** RIVER *** [5h Qh 6s Ks] [8s]
Monika535 checks
jimmy449 bets 930
Monika535 folds
Uncalled bet of 930 returned to jimmy449
jimmy449 mucks
jimmy449 wins the pot (930)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 930 | Rake 0
Board: [5h Qh 6s Ks 8s]
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Wielebny (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: snowman_ba (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: Mcstahl (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: Monika535 folded on the River
Seat 8: jimmy449 collected (930), mucked
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni didn't bet (folded)


also this one, please..

Full Tilt Poker Game #19557413813: $5 + $0.50 Sit & Go (149350633), Table 1 - 40/80 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:31:59 ET - 2010/03/25
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (1,380)
Seat 2: Wielebny (1,765)
Seat 3: snowman_ba (3,370)
Seat 4: Mcstahl (2,225)
Seat 8: jimmy449 (3,280)
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni (1,480)
ToniCannelloni posts the small blind of 40
phillycheeze08 posts the big blind of 80
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jimmy449 [Kc Qc]
Wielebny folds
snowman_ba folds
Mcstahl calls 80
jimmy449 has 15 seconds left to act
jimmy449 calls 80
ToniCannelloni has 15 seconds left to act
ToniCannelloni folds
phillycheeze08 checks
*** FLOP *** [Kh Qh Kd]
phillycheeze08 checks
Mcstahl checks
jimmy449 has 15 seconds left to act
jimmy449 checks
*** TURN *** [Kh Qh Kd] [4c]
phillycheeze08 checks
Mcstahl checks
jimmy449 bets 80
phillycheeze08 folds
Mcstahl folds
Uncalled bet of 80 returned to jimmy449
jimmy449 mucks
jimmy449 wins the pot (280)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 280 | Rake 0
Board: [Kh Qh Kd 4c]
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 2: Wielebny didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: snowman_ba didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: Mcstahl folded on the Turn
Seat 8: jimmy449 (button) collected (280), mucked
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni (small blind) folded before the Flop

Im sure I'll have some more sooon THANKS!

All the hands look Uber fine and standard to me, maybe with exception to the 66. From my experience of SNGs, small-mid pp's have pretty much no value unless in a multi-way pot, so I would fold pre, even given the fact you have doubled up.

But thats nit-picking for sure.

hey there

this is a post for your first hand, as i am individually reviewing each hand on a hand replayer so i hopeyou dont mind if i have multiple replys...

First of all with a hand as strong as AKo i like to suggest you make a bigger raise when there is one limper like that, generally i make it 4x BB(unopened pot) at the lower blind levels but with one limper i would probably make it 4X +1BB, this is because i like to build a pot with my hand, and alot of the time people playing against my range are just so crushed, this is another reason why i can stack people at early blind levels... cause when they see a big pot and they hit top pair on the flop with a hand like AJ AT KQ KT, i am stacking them nearly 100% of the time.

so personallly i find your first mistake is raising too small, cause it allows too many PP or even suited connected hands to come in for the right price, as you can see from the BB calling... ok... so other than isolating the players in the pot, if you raise bigger and you are called behind, you will get good odds to call IF a random villian decides to shove over the top of the 2 players in the pot already(like in this case).

also note the implications of your action! once you raise bigger you are setting up to play for stacks and you MUST be prepared to call it off if you decide to use this line, soooo.... you MUST atleast GIVE yourself appropreiate odds to call if you are to make your call mathematically correct, cause in this current situation your calling 1305chip to win 1500ish chips, while only investing 160chips. In a maths sense this makes your play extremely undesirable!! and worst of all his shoving range actually beats your AK alot of the time. i tend to think ppl at your stakes will choose to shove here with PP's or at the very worst AQ(which is all very horible but ppl do it) so in theory most of the time you are actually gonna be slightly behind when ppl shove after limping UTG, ALL the more reason ! you need the correct odds to call!

ok finally Done.... if you have any more question just hit me up again... i do also provide one on one coaching if thats your thing

second hand..

i dont think there is actually anything wrong with this hand, like if you wanna bet out into 2 ppl with top top, on a dry board its fine really, cause its just protecting your hand, but i just want you to consider the options cause you can actually get more value from other lines sometimes...

so rather than making up random situations ill just tell you how i like to play THIS type of hand on THIS TYPE of BOARD, so on a J66 rainbow board, AJ is like the nuts! even with 2 other players in the pot you gonna be a favourite alot of the time, cause people arent likey to have trips on a paired board that often! plus the chances of that limper having a 6 in his range are so slim, so given those facts you really just have to worry about what the BB has, and with the paired board i can safely assume he has nothing!

plus! on a j66 board there arent any draws so with AJ its not like you need to be worried about people out drawing you.. so all this added together means... if your beating him on the flop you problably have him CRUSHED therefore... he would either have to hit an over card on the turn or river to beat you, and by over card i mean a K or a Q only, that means he has like 6 outs to draw to IF the villian indeed had 2 OVERs to your hand. alternatively he could have a PP like 88,99, TT in that case he is drawing to even less outs...

ok, so you must be thinking why i am saying all this... this is because.. im trying to convince you that you shouldnt be scared to check and see a turn, cause personally i find that checkking the flop will be more profitable for the following reasons

1. you induce a bluff in position
2. you dont make worser hands to fold by betting the flop eg, PP's
3. you dont allow him to catch a worser pair on the turn or river
4. avoid being re raised out of position on a dry board...


ok those are only a few reasons for you to tihnk about... cause i can tell you from personal expereience, i usually alot value from the river when i check check the flop and river, cause they never believe i have top top and usualy just call my value bets with a wide range... eg Ace high, low PP, K high etc etc...

oh one thing to mention, if you are called on the flop, im usually going for 3 streets of value cause there is a good chance he is holding a hand like JT Qj KJ, in which case you gonna own his ASS

FYI i think it better to post each hh seperately, it is easier to follow discussion if each thread is focused on 1 hand

speaking of which i have a comment/question on this hand

would you do this?

Full Tilt Poker Game #19557253451: $5 + $0.50 Sit & Go (149350633), Table 1 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:26:05 ET - 2010/03/25
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (1,520)
Seat 2: Wielebny (1,635)
Seat 3: snowman_ba (3,460)
Seat 4: Mcstahl (1,780)
Seat 7: Monika535 (925)
Seat 8: jimmy449 (2,710)
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni (1,470)
Wielebny posts the small blind of 30
snowman_ba posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jimmy449 [Ad Ac]
Mcstahl folds
Monika535 folds
jimmy449 raises to 120

i generally never min raise big pairs(i do occasionally limp w/ lags behind in certain special situations), it is just begging to get outflopped and then get stacked
so i was curious if this a deliberate and effective play or

Were there active LAGs behind with a history of reraising and you hoping they 3 bet?
do you ever min raise other hands besides AA?
if you dont this can alert others to somethings up, especially if they 3 bet and you shove

id be interested in the goal of the play
i still wander by sng' games occasionally and always looking to imrove
thanks HG

thanks hg



ToniCannelloni folds
phillycheeze08 folds
Wielebny folds
snowman_ba folds
Uncalled bet of 60 returned to jimmy449
jimmy449 mucks
jimmy449 wins the pot (150)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 150 | Rake 0
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Wielebny (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: snowman_ba (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: Mcstahl didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Monika535 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: jimmy449 collected (150), mucked
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni didn't bet (folded)

FYI i think it better to post each hh seperately, it is easier to follow discussion if each thread is focused on 1 hand

speaking of which i have a comment/question on this hand

would you do this?

Full Tilt Poker Game #19557253451: $5 + $0.50 Sit & Go (149350633), Table 1 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:26:05 ET - 2010/03/25
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (1,520)
Seat 2: Wielebny (1,635)
Seat 3: snowman_ba (3,460)
Seat 4: Mcstahl (1,780)
Seat 7: Monika535 (925)
Seat 8: jimmy449 (2,710)
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni (1,470)
Wielebny posts the small blind of 30
snowman_ba posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to jimmy449 [Ad Ac]
Mcstahl folds
Monika535 folds
jimmy449 raises to 120

i generally never min raise big pairs(i do occasionally limp w/ lags behind in certain special situations), it is just begging to get outflopped and then get stacked
so i was curious if this a deliberate and effective play or

Were there active LAGs behind with a history of reraising and you hoping they 3 bet?
do you ever min raise other hands besides AA?
if you dont this can alert others to somethings up, especially if they 3 bet and you shove

id be interested in the goal of the play
i still wander by sng' games occasionally and always looking to imrove
thanks HG

thanks hg



ToniCannelloni folds
phillycheeze08 folds
Wielebny folds
snowman_ba folds
Uncalled bet of 60 returned to jimmy449
jimmy449 mucks
jimmy449 wins the pot (150)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 150 | Rake 0
Seat 1: phillycheeze08 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: Wielebny (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: snowman_ba (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: Mcstahl didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Monika535 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: jimmy449 collected (150), mucked
Seat 9: ToniCannelloni didn't bet (folded)

this is a reply to hockey guy's first question

min raising with AA, now im not gonna say dont ever min raise cause i feel depending on the table dynamics sometimes min raisin cause be ULTRA effective!! for example min raising can sometimes cause people to think your extremely weak and shove over the top of you, for this is beacause of ppl trying to min raise in higher blind levels cause min raising in higher blind levels is just as good as raising 2.5x 3x the blind.

but at lower blind levels i would say 99% of the time when the blind are so low im gonna squeeze every ounce of value pre flopw as i can and plus dont you ever get annoyed of people randomly calling your raises with crap when you have AK ? and you fire possiblely 2 barrels and then goes check check the river and find that they called you with J6suited and hit a dirty middle pair ? sooo when you have AA you gotttttaa punish these guys !! i always have a giggle at myself every time i catch them cause its justice... if you know what i mean...

thanks for reply wayne

just kinda wanted confirmation of my feelings, i totally get your point on min raise AA when blinds get bigger and the raising dynamics change later into the sng, but you hit my real question when blind/stack ratio is large i too want to punish those j6 spazzoids that you described, the revenge is sweet and just
hg