The game:

Local NLHE Tournament, $10, 10 players, 2000 starting stack, 1/2 hour blinds, pay top 3 (50/30/20).

The situation:

We're down to five players @ 150/300.
Button - 5100 - TAG, not afraid to call down
Method - 2800
BB - 4100 - LAGish
UTG - 2200 - Rock, overbets
CO - 5800 - Solid TAG, bully with chips

The hand:

Method picks up Qs 9s. UTG folds. CO folds. Button calls 300. Method calls 150. BB checks. Pot = 900.

Flop: Ks Qh Qc.

Method checks. BB bets 900. Button calls 900. Method raises 1600 to 2500 and is all-in. BB calls. Button folds. Pot = 6800.

Method shows Qs 9s, three-of-a-kind, Queens. BB shows Jc Td, OESD.

Turn: Ks Qh Qc 4c.

River: Ks Qh Qc 4c Ad. Method has three-of-a-kind, Queens. BB has Ace-high strait. BB wins 6800.

Critique please. Thanks.

nothing wrong with the play.

my only thing is your 9 is a weak kicker in that situation.

i still would of pushed the all in like you did and hoped for the best.

once the cards were shown he only had 4 outs so you were definantly ahead and thats where you want to be.

you happened to get unlucky.
tough beat, but a decent play.

I didn't think BB would bet the pot with trips, and I put Button on a King by the way he acted as he flat called. Button did have the King.

Once the action is back around to me, I'm confident that all in is the best play. But what about the slowplay itself? Should I have just pushed right off the flop?

no, i think the slow play is the right call. you want to trap everyone stupid enough to bet against the trips, just have to be wary of the q w/higher kicker and hope you don't get unlucky.

lets say you opponent does have the king and you slow play it.
check, check
if the next card comes up K, then your Q is crap now. you can get out before all of your money is in the pot at this point but the odds are on your side so i would take the chance and slow play it, trap and hope for the best.

he had q 9.
9 comes and fills in boat

I don't care if you have Q2 . . . get your money in there. I really like the check raise . . . . you just got a bad beat.

You're 87% to win on the flop against the guy. That's better than holding pocket aces.

Even if you had Q8 (now his 9 wins for him), you're going to win this one 72% of the time. He'd be getting his odds to call, but so the hell what?

It just wasn't your tourney.