So far its working out for me, but I don't feel very comfortable pushing out chips with nothing to back it up... First hand, I risk 1/2 my stack representing a big pocket pair -- is this a normal "play?" 2nd hand, I thought Villian didn't have anything. His min check-raise on the flop happened immediately after I bet (as if he had some "check-raise" button clicked) but I just didn't think he had anything.



PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB (t1480)
BB (t4640)
UTG (t1470)
UTG+1 (t1270)
MP1 (t1340)
MP2 (t6990)
MP3 (t1440)
CO (t1470)
Hero (t1460)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q, 3.
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to t60, 2 folds, MP3 calls t60, 1 fold, Hero raises to t300, 2 folds, UTG+1 calls t240, MP3 folds.

Flop: (t690) 5, 8, 6 (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets t540, UTG+1 folds.

Final Pot: t1230

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins t1230.




PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO (t1440)
Button (t4800)
SB (t1410)
BB (t1870)
UTG (t3020)
UTG+1 (t6340)
MP1 (t1005)
MP2 (t1460)
Hero (t2435)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with J, A.
UTG calls t30, UTG+1 calls t30, MP1 calls t30, 1 fold, Hero raises to t250, 4 folds, UTG folds, UTG+1 calls t220, MP1 folds.

Flop: (t605) 8, 4, 9 (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets t450, UTG+1 raises to t900, Hero raises to t2185, UTG+1 calls t1285.

Turn: (t4975) 2 (2 players)

River: (t4975) 6 (2 players)

Final Pot: t4975

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has Qd JavaScript (high card, queen).
Hero has Jc Ad (high card, ace).
Outcome: Hero wins t4975.

To be completly honest with you, bluffing is where i lose most of my money. Not even on bad bluffs, its just people on low limits will not fold anything.

Depending on the limit your playing i would highly suggest against bluffing alot.

C-betting is perfectly fine.

I really wouldnt get into bluffing alot enless your playing on the non "could find this money in my couch" levels. It will get you in more trouble then it will benefit.

Hand 1, there's really no need to get involved. At that early stage of a tourney when you aren't in any way desperate you are only gonna do yourself damage in the long run I think. You can't win a tourney that early on but you can definitely lose it and that play is very risky IMO.

Hand 2, I don't mind the raise and CB but I think you have to lay it down when he raises without a big read. If he insta-raised then maybe, but I still don't wanna risk my whole tourney on a hunch at level 2.

Don't bluff in level I.