Back to the SnGs

Played a couple of SnGs last night. First one sucked. No cards and when I tried to make some moves, I caught nothing. 9 10 folds around and I push it up 3xs the BB. Get called by K 9 off. Hits his K on the flop. Even though I bet out the flop and turn, he kept calling. If he is going to call with that, I realized there was no way I was driving him out. But his play encouraged me. Now I just need some hands to go my way to get my chips back.

But I didn't get any. I got blinded down and had to go with Q 6 suited. Oh well, where is the next one?

I get luck in the second SnG and hit a big hand with A K in the big blind. There were a couple limpers going in. A small stack that had just been devastated pushes in. I loved it when he pushed all in preflop getting some limpers out. I call as does one other. Sweet flop of A A K. How do I milk the other guy. He had just taken down a big stack in the previous hand so I had to get some of those chips. I checked the flop as does he. I bet out just 100 on the turn. Make it look like I may a weak attempt to get the pot. He calls. River does not matter so I decide how much to bet to get him to call. Go high or low? I bet half the pot on the river. Damn, he folded. Should I have bet less on the river? Yeah, either bet high to buy or make him call with a small bet.

Watched some weird play. J 5 suited called a 4x preflop bet. Ugh! Of course he hits 2 pair and wins. I realized I was over estimating my competition as this table. There were some really crappy hands being played. I wasn't going to be able to bluff much. I had to adjust and be patient.

One guys get short stacked when he pushed with A J and a J on the board. He is called by K J. K hits the turn crippling him. A couple hands later I try to limp with A 4 clubs. The crippled hand is in the big blind and pushes. Two limpers go away. I call hoping the small blind (another short stack) will call as well. He does. Flop comes all clubs. Bingo! I check and call his push. Sometimes it seems too easy.

Sometimes.

I try to steal a couple hands later with J 3 suited. Guy I slow played the full house on earlier calls in the small blind. Big blind was on away so I was rather pissed that he called. Flop comes A 6 6. He checks. Right away I think of how I slow played him. I smell a trap and check behind him. Same thing on the turn and river. I guess he was pretty confident I would bet into him. I felt good getting away from that one. Later I wouldn't be so lucky.

Later I do something I rarely do. UTG I raise to 3xs the blind. It folds around and I show my A J. Hoping that they will now think I raise only with good hands. Will this pay off? I hope so.

I pay off a full house when a guy slow plays his A. My read of K high was way off. I had two pair that I thought was good. The table was playing tight so I guess I should have known better but to go with A 5 offsuit? Because of that, I am now the short stack.

I think what is really annoying me is the guy on my left will not let me steal the away guys blinds. Every time I raise he either calls or re-raises me. Bastard! Guess my showing of the cards is totally meaningless.

I basically have to switch to the all in bet any time I enter a hand. I push with A 10 off and get no callers. That lets me survive another round. I push with A 7 and get called by 55. I look good when the 7 hits the flop. But the turn is a 5 and I am out.

I need to get back to playing more tournament poker. I enjoy it more. Though I lost both my buy ins, the play was quite a bit more interesting and to my liking.