Firstly, ur playing a double up game (5 gets paid) sitting in 2nd with over 2000 chips with BB's of 250 and 7players left - 125chips needed for SB next hand. There's no need to play this hand as you can afford to bide your time for better cards to be dealt; you're not gonna get blinded out anytime soon. As others' stacks lessen the likelihood is that the competition will take each other out!

.....However, I know sitting with a semi reasonable poket pair of 9's is tempting to play so here's my tuppenceworth on what you should have done.

Villain raises - you re-raise
> why not call and see a flop?
You check - vilain raises - you re-raise - villain calls
> You could have folded at villains 1st raise. You did not have top pair and did not want to get into a who's got the biggest set of balls when you'rs havn't dropped yet - metaphorically speaking.
or
> If you're 1st to act and don't have a strong hand then either check and fold to a bet or BET 1st. Make him think what you have. He didn't know you never had the ace or a higher pocket pair. A large %age of the time the 1st to act wins.
Check then Check
> Irrelevant really - the damage was already done.

You say that you are trying to determine what other player's are holding but failed to recognise that Villain was holding a hand; albeit only slightly better than yours. The fact he bet then called your raise not once but twice is an indicator to this and to me your ego got the better of you. There were 5 PP's higher than your's pre flop and 2 PP's which could have made a set.

However, the subjectivity of poker is what makes every hand different from every one that's played before it - one man's donk play with 2-7 can be one man's tournament winner in another hand.

All the best in future hands!

Originally Posted by triple-t

When you raise with a hand that you'll fold if reraised, that's turning it into a bluff.

So I should have just called? I was really trying to force him off the hand. I hate showdowns. I generally get outflopped. haha

i have been playing alot of these lately. at that stage in the tourny i would sit out any hand you dont expect to call an all in with. for one dollar your going to see alot of people pushing with 66 to see if they will hit. if he has been min raising alot hes trying to use his stack against the shorts. play premium hands and get it in before your villian.