PokerStars Game #2140898863: Tournament #10260988, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) -
2005/07/19 - 19:08:58 (ET)
Table '10260988 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: JohnH (2115 in chips)
Seat 2: billdozzer (1380 in chips)
Seat 4: DrewWhezzy (1375 in chips)
Seat 5: JoJoB (1390 in chips)
Seat 6: lou925 (945 in chips)
Seat 7: aaronb47 (1850 in chips)
Seat 8: G. HYLTON (2460 in chips)
Seat 9: tepshen73 (1985 in chips)
lou925: posts small blind 15
aaronb47: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to tepshen73
G. HYLTON: folds
tepshen73: raises 120 to 150
JohnH: calls 150
billdozzer: folds
DrewWhezzy: folds
JoJoB: folds
lou925: folds
aaronb47: folds
*** FLOP ***
tepshen73: bets 360
JohnH: calls 360
*** TURN ***
tepshen73: checks
JohnH: bets 1475
tepshen73: calls 1475 and is all-in
*** RIVER ***
tepshen73 said, "nh"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
tepshen73: shows (a pair of Aces)
JohnH: shows (two pair, Aces and Queens)
JohnH collected 4015 from pot
JohnH said, "ty"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4015 | Rake 0
Board
Seat 1: JohnH showed [Qc Ad] and won (4015) with two pair, Aces and Queens
Seat 2: billdozzer folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: DrewWhezzy folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoJoB (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: lou925 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: aaronb47 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: G. HYLTON folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: tepshen73 showed [Kh Ac] and lost with a pair of Aces

I raised 5x BB preflop to try and keep people from seeing the flop for cheap. On the flop I felt my hand was the best and on the turn I was 100% certain I had it. So did I play this wrong? Or did I just pick a bad spot here?

Tep... first off, I don't like pushing so hard w/ TPTK, especially when he called your flop bet, which = he either has a big ace or something that isn't afraid of the big ace (ie... trips, 2pr...)... I really only like the turn check if you're SURE he's gonna bet (so he doesn't get a free card to hit a straight or flush... Plus, if you think he has an ace, AQ and A10 are pretty likely candidates... I also only like the turn check if you're gonna call a reasonable bet, or checkraise him off his hand (which obviously in this case wouldn't have worked)...

Think of it this way... He called your PF raise, so he probably has big cards (ie... AK,AQ,AJ,A10, KK MAYBE, QQ MAYBE if he sucks)... you're about 50/50 to win these, but a lot of em, you're WAY behind... You're also behind KJ, he could have an on a flush draw, and would be a favorite... There just aren't that many hands here that you're ahead of...

I would probably scream, slam my head in the car door a couple times... and fold... I might call a reasonable bet, but I'm not calling allin on a pretty scary board w/ TPTK... I also probably would've bet 1/2 pot on the turn, and folded when he raised allin, which he most likely would've... It would've been a tough laydown though...

Thanks MVP for reminding me that TPTK isn't all that. Its one area of poker that even when playing with fake money always got me in trouble and now here again it did again. As for what he may have been holding that is a skill that I am seriously lacking in. I really need to learn to try and figure out what people have better in the future.

I don't think that there are many hands you beat that would call both the preflop and flop bets. JJ and KK probably fold on the flop. AJ probably folds preflop. You're screwed if he has anything else.

Remember that survival is key! If you think you have a 55% chance of doubling up, and a 45% chance of being knocked out, it's a bad move. Here, you have much more than a 45% chance of being kocked out. It's ok though, I've made mistakes at least as bad as this in the last month or so, and I've been at this stuff for over a year of heavy play.