What is going through this guy's head?!


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (9 handed) converter

Button (t1545)
SB (t1900)
Hero (t1590)
UTG (t1610)
UTG+1 (t1090)
MP1 (t1630)
MP2 (t2380)
MP3 (t3755)
CO (t1240)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
2 folds, MP1 calls t30, 3 folds, Button calls t30, 1 fold, Hero raises to t90, MP1 folds, Button calls t60.

Flop: (t225) , , (2 players)
Hero bets t60, Button raises to t120, Hero raises to t300, Button calls t180.

Turn: (t825) (2 players)
Hero bets t360, Button calls t360.

River: (t1545) (2 players)
Hero bets t840 (All-In), Button calls t795 (All-In).

Final Pot: t3180

Results in white below:
Hero has Ac Qd (two pair, aces and queens).
Button has 6s Ah (one pair, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins t3180.

First of all, why raise 3XBB? Isn't 4XBB considered the normal raise? Has nothing to do with my comment but I just figured I would throw that one out there.

This guy is just a fish. Want to know how I know? Process of elimination. He's not a tight player, a tight player would fold a Ace and a low kicker with a flush on the table. He's not a loose player, cause he would have raised with the flush on the table instead of calling.

I can pretty much tell you what was going in his head: "Ok, this guy must have a diamond in his hand, thats why he's betting alot. If he had 2 diamonds he would slow play it."

This logic makes sense except for that you raised PF, unless you some how had like KQ with one of them being diamonds.

You'd be surprised how many people I've seen make a play like that. They'll play weak aces with a flush draw ont the board without hesitation. Who know's what they're thinking, but I usually love having them at my tables.

And you can raise 3 or 4X the BB

Originally Posted by agentkirb

First of all, why raise 3XBB? Isn't 4XBB considered the normal raise? Has nothing to do with my comment but I just figured I would throw that one out there.

This guy is just a fish. Want to know how I know? Process of elimination. He's not a tight player, a tight player would fold a Ace and a low kicker with a flush on the table. He's not a loose player, cause he would have raised with the flush on the table instead of calling.

I can pretty much tell you what was going in his head: "Ok, this guy must have a diamond in his hand, thats why he's betting alot. If he had 2 diamonds he would slow play it."

This logic makes sense except for that you raised PF, unless you some how had like KQ with one of them being diamonds.

There is no standard raise. Usually 2x-5x the BB is "normal." 3x is usually enough to push out the bad hands in a $1 SNG.

3x is pretty normal. The standard raise goes up as the limit goes down.

And yeah, he shoulda known he was beat.

I have a pair of Aces, I WIN!

That's what he is thinking.

Originally Posted by Marm

Kirb, there is no set rate, you should be betting the minimum amount that is required to get the reaction you want....

No I'm not saying theres a sign saying "you must raise 4X the BB or we are going to hurt you!". But I've skimmed through some books and read stuff online about poker strategy and generally they say that you should raise 4X the BB.