I used this play last night at the final table

I had a good amount of chips 50-60K and while the blinds were from 500/1000 to 1000/2000 I would open limp from the SB. I did this 5 hands in a row, the first 2 the BB player just checked the next 3 he came over the top all in (he was usually in the 20-30K range)

Now I felt I had him set up so if I got a big hand TT+ or AK AQ I could limp and he would move all in from how I tried limping so many times previous.


Well it happened, Hero had KK open limped from the SB and he moved all-in with 66 (he may have done this with 66 regardless but I think he would have gone all-in with any hand)

Anyone else do this? willingly surrender 1000 chips here and there to set their man up later

__________________
For poker news, strategy, and more, check out my daily column at Examiner.com

Yes. I am very focused on the play of the BB when I am in the SB. I constantly re-orient myself to that player as people get eliminated. I tend to be fairly loose in SB V BB anyway, so I am always looking to see if I can set up a trap down the road with a guy who is coming over the top when i only complete. I am not necessarily giving away free chips, but I don't mind seeing him do this because I know I can crush him when I get a hand.

A few tourneys back I had this set up to perfection and picked up KK. I limp...he pushes....shows AQ and spikes an Ace...............Oh the pain. But it is still sweet when the plan works...can't get hung up on the outcome.

you could easily give up a ton of chips before you hit your hand. You are giving up a lot of equity doing this.

Was this heads-up?

Beav,

Yes its heads up....as far as it being SB vs. BB only....who cares the # od players at table from my perspective...its a random hand of SB V BB because all others have folded.

From my perspective I am not purposely giving away chips. It's more a case of observing that the BB likes to come over the top when I only complete. This is just a reminder that i can trap him with a big hand. I will tend to raise or fold to this guy more often than not with my weaker holdings knowing that a limp is simply red meat to him.

Against a weaker opponent I am almost never laying down my SB heads up simply based on the pot odds being offered. It's the guys that recognize this, and come over top that you need to adjust to. These guys will cause you to limp less, fold more, and raise more.....and definately slow play your monsters PF against these guys.

You can also do this on the button. Many blinds will defend all in when you limp from the button.

As for losing chips, I think the incredibly huge implied odds more than make up for a couple of BB's when you have an M of 40. I mean, you're not going to be BB vs SB very often, and you probably only need to do this a couple of times to really set them up.

Think about it in comparison to a flush draw. If you were getting your odds to hit your flush against a big stack and had a big stack, you'd draw. Doesn't mean you'll get there and win the hand, but if you do, you can extract a lot of chips. I think the implied odds for this play are much better than straight or flush draws.

In fact, given the aggression factor that many people show in the blinds (not everyone of course, but many), I'd limp with any big hand to trap in this situation. If they draw out on you, well, that's life. But you're 85% to win with any overpair even if the hand gets to the river.

You don't get a lot of huge hands like AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT, 99 (JJ-99 huge in the SB when it's folded around), so you'd better make them count.

Big aces, if the blinds are worth stealing, then I just steal the blinds, and show the hand down if they fold (good doggy, do it again next time).

o yes.

There's a similar move with a weak continuation bet that you fold to a reraise. Several times.

Get the other guy in the habit of reraising perceived weakness and then whammo.

My entire approach to tourney play is based on this principle. It does'nt matter who wins half a dozen small pots, it's the person who wins the big one who's going the distance.

thats another way I implement this tactic. Basically it is creating an easily readable betting pattern in your game so you can switch suddenly.

__________________
For poker news, strategy, and more, check out my daily column at Examiner.com

Think about it. It has to do with frequency.

I guess it depends on the speed of the tournament. Right now you only have 25-30bb, definitely comfortable, but I don't want to be giving away too many. And blinds could go up many times before you get a hand, and if he has any requirements for pushing, you wait all that time to get nothing, or have him limp and hit two pair.

I think this is a weak plan.