how about not limping from UTG with a shitty hand? you MUST raise it PF if you want in on this hand.(which is still pretty silly). and your bets on the flop and turn in this multi-way pot are pointless. they are too small. and they are just calling, so I'd put them on a drawing hand. you have to make them pay more to see those cards. you definately deserved getting outdrawn here.

Early in a tourny, most of the table is playing very loose and trying to see every flop cheap with virtually anything - all hoping to hit a miracle flop and make a big pot from all the other fishies doing the same thing. T-9s from UTG qualifies for this strategy and with 8 limping in on this hand you're getting 7-1 if no-one raises - tempting even if it is a low percentage play. What are you hoping for - a str8 or flush? Your nut str8 if your ten gets counterfeited (and it was) can only be Jack high or lower and your flush is only 5th best after the Ax, Kx, Qx,Jx in clubs! Ugggg! Best strategy - fold! But I know what you're think - I could flop a str8 flush!!!!

The flop is VERY BAD for you. You caught a piece of it but not the top piece and the str8 is already very possibly made - almost all players love to play J-T so if it was dealt your already beat. Best strategy - check-fold! But I know you're thinking "hey. I've got 2nd pair, an inside str8 draw and a backdoor flush - I'm a contender!!!!" In the mean time some guy is getting out his fishing tackle and selecting a nice fly for you to chomp on. Your bet of half the pot is correct to cut drawing odds for str8s and flushes but unfortunately at this level it's too cheap and anybody who caught a piece or flopped the whole pie are already discounting expressed odds (the real and actual) and are calculating implied odds (the size of your stack). t80 just isn't enough to push out drawing hands from UTG and for every caller the odds get better for the next guy! You would need a 2x pot size bet to have any real impact and ofcourse you only have 2nd pair at this time. BADDDDDDD!

Well if the flop wasn't bad enough, the turn just made everything for you worse! Anybody calling with a Q now has at least Trips and if not a full house he has 9 outs to catch it on the river - same odds of you catching a flush! Uggggggg! Best strategy - FOLD!!!!! Ahh, but the fish in you can only see the flush and you still have that inside str8 draw! By the way - did you een notice that 5 (that's FIVE) others are still in the pot with you?? What do you think they're hanging around with? Your bet 100 into a 640 pot is giving the next guy 7.4-1 to call - how could he NOT! Your bet is not only USELESS to you, it is now acting as a POT SWEETENER drawing all your opps into the pot while it gets sweeter and sweeter with every call - DISASTER!!

River - you're toast! Betting t100 into a field of 5 was just throwing your chips away - my gawd you are giving 12.4:1 odds to the next caller!!! Even a lowly 2 pair can call with those odds - oh, wait - that would be you!!! LOL!

You asked how you could have played this hand better. Short answer, study the flop and try to figure out what hands are out there that fit and can beat you! What are the 4 and 5 opps calling with? I don't mind the pre-flop call although it was a low percentage play but with that flop you could only be dead money! With the turn - what does it take for you fold???

Originally Posted by ypsieast

I think this was poor play by me. What's a better way to play this hand?

Fold PF for many of the reasons stated.

Originally Posted by ypsieast

At which position or situation, if any, do you play T9s and the like? CO, Button...?

Early in a tourney with so many limping in, T-9s can be played from any position so long as you understand it is a low percentage play and that MOST of the time, you'll be folding on the flop if you don't hit a good fit! Kind of like playing low and mid pairs - hit the set on thr flop or fold!! Flop texture is so important and the deciding factor as to whether you can proceed or not.

For example will give you 3 rd best flush draw to the A and J instead of only 5th! Still weak but not as far back and you still have an inside str8 draw - proceed with caution!!

gives you Top pair and an open ended str8 with a weak backdoor flush. or

gives u 2 pair with 2 draws to a full house; along with a backdoor str8 and flush (although a weak flush) or the real monster

- with a flopped set you have 4:1 odds of winning without improving and 9 outs and 2 draws to fill in your full house.

Check the flop texture, watch the field (how many in, staying in and with what) and get a read from the betting. Be prepared to cut your loses early if the story is coming back bad. Oh, and watch the pot - are you betting to your advantage or to that of the field???