First hand of the SnG, no reads on anything or anybody...

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (10 handed) converter

Button (t1500)
SB (t1500)
Hero (t1500)
UTG (t1500)
UTG+1 (t1500)
UTG+2 (t1500)
MP1 (t1500)
MP2 (t1500)
MP3 (t1500)
CO (t1500)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
UTG calls t20, UTG+1 calls t20, 2 folds, MP2 calls t20, MP3 calls t20, 2 folds, SB completes, Hero raises to t150, UTG calls t130, UTG+1 calls t130, MP2 folds, MP3 calls t130, SB calls t130.

Since nobody showed any strength PF, I decided a decent raise would run most of them out...I was wrong...

Flop: (t770) , , (5 players)
SB checks, Hero bets t250, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP3 calls t250, SB folds.

I figured about a 1/3 pot would be a nice continuation bet...I'm really afraid of small trips, so if I'm reraised I can get out of here...If I'm called, I decide I can put the caller on Kx...

Turn: (t1270) (2 players)
Hero bets t500, MP3 calls t500.

I like this card. I decide that because of the Kx will probably fold to a nice sized bet here...oops...

River: (t2270) (2 players)
Hero bets t600 (All-In), MP3 calls t600 (All-In).

Not sure what I was thinking here. While I feel I'm fairly pot committed, I can still get away with a small (but playable) stack and have a chance at coming back...I thought about the hand and decided that he may see me as a superagressive and decided I was trying to steal the pot...my read of Kx may still be good and if he's got me beat then there is another SnG around the corner...

BTW, I was stone cold sober when I played this. I've been observed as playing too scared so I'm trying to get more bold with hands I feel I'm ahead with. Since there are a lot of players in these SnG that are fish (especially the first few people knocked out).

Final Pot: t3470

Results in white below:
Hero has Ah JavaScript (one pair, aces).
MP3 has 8d Kc (one pair, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins t3470.

OK...AI on the first hand is a fishy move. I could have been up against somebody slow playing trips and I really didn't give him a chance to play back at me (he could have on the turn when the A hit figuring that any A would call a move), but since I had been the agressor throughout, it was better to let me bet off my stack...looking back, I guess I played this really agressive and.

Looking back, I'm thinking that the PF raise was probably not a good idea...AJ isn't that strong and with that size of field, I should have figured most of them would come in and play...

Once I got the pot as big as I did PF, the other raises had to be too big (in relation to the pot size) for me to do anything else with (The way I see it) so my biggest mistake was the PF raise. without that, I could have gotten away from the hand cheaply...

I don't understand your problem here. You have said that you feel there are a large number of fish in these tournaments and from the flop you have (correctly) placed your opponent on Kx, and doubed up. You felt previously that you weren't being bold enough when you felt you were ahead and here you backed up your belief.

However, I don't like continuation betting into a field of 4 players early in an SNG for the same reason that I don't think you are wrong to go all in on the river - namely that players with either 1st or 2nd pair are likely to call.

I would limit continuation betting or bluffing until either the blinds go up, or you are in a 2 way pot, preferably with someone who you know is capable of laying a hand down.

looks good to me, although i probably wouldnt have raised that much with AJ pf.

Once the A hits on the turn then I think you are right in trusting it to be good.

However until the fishies have identified themselves (or got knockedout) I don't like the continuation bet on the flop as it kind of rules out any decent holding (you wouldn't lead with AK, KK, AA or trips) so tells your opponent you have nothing. If you check the flop, you get to see what he does and make a move on the turn and then if appropriate more effectively represent strength based on your preflop bet and the checked flop (being out of position here is a big disadvantage). Though as I say I wouldn't bank on your opponent being aware enough or good enough to fold anyway.

Personally I'd have called preflop with that many people in and hoped for a beast of a flop and pretty much let it go otherwise. You can't win a SnG in th first hand but you can lose it easily.

This probably seems contradictory to the other advice about more aggression, but later in a SnG I'll be sticking all my chips in the middle with nothing at all if the situation demands. But context is everything and here you have everything against you with AJ preflop - lot of people in the pot, out of position, it's quite possibly behind already to small pairs and the only way you are going to win a really big pot is by getting really lucky, as not only will you need to catch a card, so will your opponent. This leaves you with very few flops that will get you action where you are ahead (probably jack high versus J with a worse kicker or flush or straight draws). Basically right idea, wrong time. I'm sick as a dog today so I hope that makes sense

I dont like betting into 3 player either, I think Harrington recommended against it also.

And your bet is so small you are offering them 4:1 to call you.

Actually, Irexes advice is spot on for the UB and PP SnGs I play. i would like the PFR more in an MTT.

Originally Posted by Beavis68

Actually, Irexes advice is spot on for the UB and PP SnGs I play. i would like the PFR more in an MTT.

I agree, and this is a good example of the difference between between the two.

In an MTT I'd raise that with a view to being more aggressive post flop looking to find that early double up opportunity. If I lost half my stack or busted out then no biggie.

SnGs are about picking the right spots with maximum value to make a move (hopefully needing only two or three to win them) MTTs early on are about finding lots of good value ways to speculate a few chips to win a whole load more and end up with a stack big enough to do some damage.

Originally Posted by Beavis

Actually, Irexes' advice is spot on .

Originally Posted by Irexes

I agree.

Darn tootin.

Trons what level (buy-in) and how many players are in this SnG?

If it is a 45 player one, then your play is somewhat better, if it is a 9 player then don't get so frisky

This is a 10person $3 SnG on stars..