Tight Poker

[sevens]

The Setup: It was the second tourney of the night at a local bar. In both, I have been getting rags all night. I got busted early in the first tourney. It's now at level 2 of the second one, 200 and 400, stacks starting at 5000, with 50 people in the tourney. I have not been making any big moves all night, due to not getting cards. Everyone at the table has been playing passively. One player, about 4 seats to my left, has been playing loose aggressive.

The Hand: I am in the small blind for 200. 7 people at the table. Everyone calls the big bilnd. I see it as an opportunity to, at worst, go heads up for a big pot with a decent hand, and at best, win the hand outright. I look down to see KJs.

The Move: As I see it, the correct move here is All-In. I have about 3500 in chips. Any raise other than all in will put me pot committed. Any small raise, and I run the risk of just building a huge family pot, and playing a great but not awesome hand with 3 or 4 people. An all-in move might steal the pot since the bet is fairly large and they are weak passive players.

The Call: I get called by the loose aggressive player. Everyone else folds. He flips over J-10s. Sweet, I have him dominated.

F, T, and R: J, Q, A, K, 5. I turned two pair, he made his straight, and river'ed his flush.

Bad beat? Or bad all in move?

[sfustsh]

I'm really not sure what I'd do here.

I'm not a really aggressive player in spots in like these, I would take the flop for the ridiculous 12 to 1 odds and use my first position advantage.

If I get layed a full house, a straight, or quads or something ridiculous like that I am first to act and get to move in.

If you shove, anyone calling will be getting about 1.6 to 1, so they could justifiably call with a pretty wide range of hands, depending on what they thought you had.

[mewsiclovr]

Why don't you just call and see a flop?

[sevens]

Why don't you just call and see a flop?

I don't like playing a hand like KJs (or really, any hand for that matter) against a lot of people, especially out of position. I saw an opportunity to take a large pot where no one had shown strength. The table had seen me fold every hand up to this point.

[mewsiclovr]

While there's an argument for shoving, I'd rather flop a monster or good draw vs so many players, especially since they are so passive they will likely pay you off. KJs isn't a great hand so I do NOT want to be called, but the chances of all limpers actually folding I think is pretty slim.