Got into an "argument" with a player on the "correct" way to play a hand over the weekend. I had exactly 10 BB in a 4 table MTT with 2 tables left. We are 6 handed. Fold to me in the cutoff and I have ATo. I decide to raise instead of shove. The Button reshoves and knowing what I believe his range is, I call. He shows A9s.
Now, after getting "free advice" which I actually did appreciate. I dont take it personally and I like to discuss hands. I said 10 BB was on the line for me, normally I would shove. But I felt that I wanted a less polarized range at 10BB. I am not shoving AA or KK here. (although I was again in disagreement with others on that) and I believe that ATo with 3 to act folds out most holdings. Yes, I pick up the antes and blinds taking me to 12.5BB, but there just are not as many opportunities live as there are online (where I agree that I would shove this 90+% of the time). So I opted to trade variance for upside.
Perhaps I am trying to justify my thinking, but I wonder what range I want to have to open with 10 BB or its shove only?
on another topic:
I am experimenting with playing my hand with an "alternate holding" to try and balance ranges. So if I have KQs, I pretend I also have like 66 and try to play the hand so that the line makes sense for both. I dont know if I am making things easier, harder, or stupid-er, but that's why its an experiment!
2 comments:
My first thought is that repping a range does not work if those you are repping to misread your cues. So, you may not push with AA or KK there, but if your opponents would expect you to push with AA or KK there, then to rep AA or KK, you have to push. Of course, the begs the question, what were you trying to rep? I assume a strong hand so you can pick up the blinds uncontested (i.e., KK or AA).
Also, I am of the camp that with 10 BBs, any bet has to be all-in for this very reason. If you were willing to bet 3x the BB and then fold, then you are just going to leak chips. If you are willing to call a raise on your bet, then just make the raise yourself by increasing your initial bet; this provides an added chance that your opponent will fold.
As for your idea of playing KQ so it could also be a hand like 66, how would that look in a given hand? I've tried playing a hand like KQ like its AA or whatnot to deceive, but can you give an example of a designed betting pattern that reps both 66 and KQ in a given hand? It sounds complicated, but maybe worthwhile.
I was not trying to rep a hand as strong as ATo, but rather trying to rep a hand that "wants to see a flop" in hopes of playing a big pot vs. a weak blind player. If the button flats, I expect its with a weaker hand than Ax.
As of the "repping 2 hands" comment, In nearly any hand you can ask yourself, "would I play hand X like this?". All I am trying to say (perhaps poorly) is instead of trying to get your head around repping an entire range, pick a hand at the other end (if the hand is strong, the weakest hand you could rep here and vice versa) and apply that. Sort of like the the 2% shortcut on odds.
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