Am I a Donkey

I understand poker, but not live poker with strangers.

I wont' ask, though. I'll just say "You mind your cards, I'll mind mine." :)

Quote: thlf

Thanks DJ I really thought he played it wrong when I saw what he had.

Wiz of Eng.
I know at this point I am very tight and these are things I have to learn. Keep in mind this was my second time live ever. I do play much more aggressive on line free but so does everyone else so it's tough to learn. I am going to keep going back probably once a week to continue learning and try to get better. It only costs me $50 for this tournament and it is run everyday so it won't be too costly of lessons.

You should be playing tight AND aggressive. Like WoE said, with a suited Ace in the small blind (really, anywhere) and less than 8x the blinds in your stack, I think you raise all-in. Then we wouldn't be having this talk.

So you didn't raise. Once you were in the position on the flop, there is 2400 in the pot, you have 4400 chips. He bets several k, let's say 3k. If you KNOW he has a big pair like QQ, then you have 9 heart outs plus the 3 aces, for 12. About 36% chance of winning. For your 4400 you have a shot at winning his 4400 (assuming he always calls) + 2400 in the pot.

The pot odds are not quite there, so in a cash game, you might want to fold. In a tourney situation where you risk being blinded out, this is an fine time to call. He could easily be bluffing, and you have him beat already with your Ace. If you fold now, your odds of recovering are much worse with a smaller stack. Take the chance and raise him all in.

All of that is somewhat elementary though, because you should have raised your small blind all-in and closed your eyes.

Quote: thlf

The second one was only 20 people, all old white guys, and everyone knew everyone except me. I was card dead for 2.5 hours, no pairs , no high cards, nothing.

If you're card-dead for so long, loosen up. Forget the cards, play the position and your opponent's hand.

What is "high cards" - two faces? Two faces is a strong hand for a tournament.

Ace-rag suited is a good hand for loose play. It reduces the risk that someone has the rockets, and if your bluff doesn't go through, you at least have ace-high, possible top pair, possible flush draw and an inside straight draw.
Suited connectors, however low or high, is another very playable hand when going loose.
You were card-dead by TAG standards, but it's very difficult not to get a LAG hand in 2.5 hours.

Quote: thlf

He started cussin and swearin and bitchin about that G.D. river and just acted like I was a total donkey. I said sorry but I didn't have much choice and left it alone.

Some players do that. No one likes bad beats.

Quote: thlf

I was getting down to under 5k left and the blinds were 600/1200. I had Ace, 5 of hearts and I was the small blind. Everyone folded to me so I called the big blind. The flop came 2 hearts and nothing. The bb bet several thousand and I figured do or die so I went all in. He showed pocket queens and when he saw what I had he wasn't too concerned. The river came up with the 5th heart and I beat him with the nut flush.

So was that a donkey play on my part?

Not really, it was a fish play.

Pushing all-in when you only have enough for 2 rounds of blinds isn't aggression, it's desperation. You can actually use it sometimes on purpose; if people are convinced you're desperate, you can get the whole table (or, at least, anyone with more than 72o) to call your all-in and come back from the dead provided you have the best hand.

If you do decide to push all-in, at this point you should shove on the flop at latest, not wait for BB to bet. It was your flop. There was a chance he would have folded. In fact, being the big blind, he could have had anything.
A fast raise out of nowhere represents a low pocket pair, you could be put on a low set. Of course you still got the pot, but that way you could get it even without that heart. Pocket queens versus a flush draw and a possible set is not a strong hand. That way you'd have the same odds for the full pot, plus some chances for just picking up the blinds.

Shove that flop! Make him make the decision. In this case he calls and you get the same result anyway, but now you have two ways to win: you can hit your hand or he can fold.

Well thanks for all of they reply's everyone, I feel better now. I am going back today to play in the nooner at the Santa Fe and continue my education.

You should be jamming any two preflop against 90%+ of players SB vs BB there.

Also, if you regularly have 15BB and under stacks getting blinded to down below ~8BBs it probably means you aren't shoving preflop enough.

Well I have been playing about a month now at the noon tournaments at Santa Fe. I have missed the final table only once in that time. I have cashed 3 times. Last Friday I took 2nd which was my best finish so far. I chopped with two others once and I cashed 4th once. So either I am not too bad, or the players at the Santa Fe are quite bad. I don't think they are too bad though. It is a lot of regulars, I would say at least half every time. Main thing is I am having fun and learning at the same time.

Usually being a ROCK will get you to the final table in small tournaments. Not trying to be critical, just wondering how many players on average
in the tournaments ? Good place to learn, but very little will transfer to live games. Especially low limits.

Quote: buzzpaff

Usually being a ROCK will get you to the final table in small tournaments. Not trying to be critical, just wondering how many players on average
in the tournaments ? Good place to learn, but very little will transfer to live games. Especially low limits.

There are usually 2 to 4 tables of 10. I'm not sure if I misunderstood but this is live tournament play at the Santa Fe Casino in Las Vegas.

My next step will be to play in a cash game. Also there is a 10k guarantee tourney every second saturday of the month. Next one is 3/10. The entry is $125, and they said it usually brings in 110 to 125 entrants. I'm seriously thinking about trying it for the experience.

Go for it. the 10K that is? As for 2 to 4 table tournaments, I actually saw a non-show make the final table in a 4 table tournament.

Player had pre-paid, so he was being blinded off till he showed up. Which he never did that night.

Twice on all-in situation he had 3 callers and won side pot . Went out on 1st hand he had to post blind at final table.

Sure would have embarrassed a few people had he cashed. LOL