Fold PF. I'm not sure what you're looking to flop in a small field with with 89o . . . . obviously quad 9's would be nice!!

The lowest unsuited connector I play here is probably JT, but even that is a very marginal hand (I think we had a discussion about this recently).

PF -When your opponent raises and the bb calls, you're getting 3:1 on your money. But given the weakness of your hand, I think I'd just fold and save the chips (you actually could be in very bad shape to a hand like 99, be double dominated by hands like A9 and J8, etc.).

On the flop, the button checks, I think we definitely bet out and see what happens - we've made a straight draw and the pot is no longer insignificant. With no real flush draw, I'd just make a small bet here to see if I can steal the pot. I think 175 is too much . . . . probably lead out with 125. If that doesn't win the pot, then I'm done with this hand.

Turn: We get called, make middle pair on the turn. I'm just checking this thing down from here, praying to make my straight. I have a feeling the button may have us beat with a T (AT?). He bets, but not very much.

Now you can play this one of two ways. 1) Call this bet getting nearly 5:1 on your $ and hope to make your straight. 2) Make like the 8 made your straight and check raise him up here. Personally, I raise here.

River: You call, miss your straight on the river. We've committed over 1/3 of our stack to this hand. Our hand is very weak, and I think we only beat a total bluff here or a smaller pocket pair (like 77) that just couldn't let it go. I think either checking or making a post oak bluff is equally correct here.

Long story short . . . . don't get yourself sucked into these hands . . . fold PF.

Way too early to get cute.

1.) The calling stations are still in abundance.

2.) You benefit way too little to justify the risks. Anything you gain will be little in view of the big picture which is being around 3 hours from now and beyond.

Fold PF... no limp

If you limp, i think the pot odds justify the call, but nothing to be really happy about on the long term IMHO...

I like to be a bit loose early in an MTT, but 89o is way too loose.

KJ

Originally Posted by surftheiop

"in a small field with with 89o"
this was a 180 many tourney so not exactly i tiny field.

Small field = you're in the CO, so only 3 other players can now enter this pot. With an extremely speculative hand like 89o and the blinds at worthless levels, you need a larger field of opponents in this hand to give you the implied odds you need to play this hand.

Originally Posted by surftheiop

"you actually could be in very bad shape to a hand like 99, be double dominated by hands like A9"
The last thing im trying to do with this hand is hit a pair of nines..

Yet another reason to fold PF.

Originally Posted by surftheiop

I feel fine with my PF and flop plays i was mainly thinking about the turn, i probaly should have shoved it.

I don't feel very good about them . . . I hope you're open to hearing that.

I know it takes some guts to post up a HH like this . . . . so please take my criticism constructively.