A few hands

Recently, I've played a few of the $4.40, 180 person SNG's on PokerStars. Despite my notable lack of success to this point, I quite like the format and the fields. I've always managed to outlast at least 3/4 of the field, generally with at least an average stack. Making it to the money has been more problematic, but I can't help but feel that the notional overlay provided by the number of poor players in the field has to make the exercise one of positive expectation. One kvetch is related purely to the fact that I'm rather challenged by the time zone situation -- so the wait for one of these to fill often exceeds my patience. I wonder if a format more like the "mini" tournaments at UltimateBet, which have a fixed starting time with a cap on the field size, might not also be worth considering. I know that Stars offers some of these too, but they're really quite infrequent (and the field size is usually larger).

Here are a few hands from my most recent effort. Comments and suggestions are, as always, very welcome.

(15/30) I (2400) have A♥K♣ in the cutoff. One limper (1800) in front, and I raise to 120. Amazingly, both blinds fold, and the limper calls. Flop is 3♣4♥8♥ and the erstwhile limper bets 180 at a 285 pot. I find these positions awkward, with fold, call and raise all plausible actions. This time I raise to 360. Limper calls. The turn is the 10♦, checked to me. I bet 600 into the pot (now 1000) and take it down. It feels a bit pushy to be committing 1/2 my stack on nothing but a one card draw to top pair top kicker, but I guess that's what position and a tight-aggressive image are for.


(15/30) I (2950) have Q♠J♠ UTG+2 and open limp (something I do very rarely indeed). The cutoff (1200) and button (2400) also limp, the SB (2700) raises to 90, BB folds, I call, cut off folds, button calls. Three of us see the flop of 4♦7♠Q♦ the SB checks, I bet 200 at the pot of 330, the button calls and the SB folds. Turn is a rather unpleasant 9♦. I check, button bets 90 at a 630 pot. I contemplate raising this, but just call. River is the 2♦ I check, button bets 240 into the 920 pot, I fold. He shows 8♥7♥ so I folded the best hand. Weak/tight? I think my one chance to take down this hand would have been a medium sized check-raise on the turn (say to 360). If that's called, I can just give it up.

(25/50) I (2500) have K♥J♦ in the big blind. Hijack (2600) and cutoff (1250) limp, SB folds, and I check. Flop is 5♥9♦J♥. I bet 125 at the 175 pot, hijack folds, and cutoff goes all in. I'll leave this one as a "you decide".

(100/200/25) I (4900) have 8♥7♥ in the hijack and open with a raise to 600. To my dismay, both blinds (2600, 7500) call. Flop is 2♦7♠A♣. Both blinds check (I probably would have folded to any bet). This seems to be my one chance to win this hand so I bet 1200 into a 2000 pot, and take it down. I'm left wondering what they called with.