Jacks Facing A Utg Raise

[jmbreslin 0]

Only a few hands in at a $5.50 STT. I hate JJ in these spots. What do you do here?PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)SB (t1560)BB (t2110)UTG (t1040)Hero (t1470)MP1 (t2020)MP2 (t1420)MP3 (t1410)CO (t1140)Button (t1330)Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with J, J. UTG raises to t100, Hero???

[simo_8ball 0]

Call is standard. I don't like folding, and I think a raise commits too much in a marginal situation.

[jmbreslin 0]

Call is standard.

Because I have position postflop?

[simo_8ball 0]

Because I have position postflop?

Yeah. Also, there are a lot of players to act behind you, any of whom can pick up a hand.

[sabes99 0]

yea i like the flat-call here, as simo said you have position and a lot of people left behind, not to mention that the raiser could have you beat raising from first...but i'm also not folding jacks either

[litlebullet 0]

fold preflop. i'm not calling a large raise with jacks in a sng. I'm limping jacks.

[rogerwilco 0]

fold preflop. i'm not calling a large raise with jacks in a sng. I'm limping jacks.

That is ridiculous, definately a leak. JJ is the nuts preflop in a $5 sng, and I'm not joking about that. I would have to be very convinced that someone has a big pair to fold JJ preflop in a tourney like this - and the fact alone that UTG raised to 5xBB is not nearly enough for that.

[jmbreslin 0]

Good point about the size of the raise, roger. With dominant hands players usually either push all in hoping to get called (at $1.20 but maybe not at $5.50), or they throw out a 2 or 3BB raise. A 4BB raise from early position is often a sign of a weaker holding (middle pair, AQ, etc.).This hand and the other I posted have helped me see that I'm not using position to my advantage like I should be.

[litlebullet 0]

That is ridiculous, definately a leak. JJ is the nuts preflop in a $5 sng, and I'm not joking about that. I would have to be very convinced that someone has a big pair to fold JJ preflop in a tourney like this - and the fact alone that UTG raised to 5xBB is not nearly enough for that.

I thnk of JJ early in a micro sng as fancy deuces. They really are fancy deuces, played for set value only. JJ loses its strength multi-way, esp. from this position. In a micro, you're either going to be playing half the table- all the table when they all limp behind you, or you'll be caught between the maniacs pushing allin with any two cards. I would fold jj in that position almost everytime in round 1 of a 1.20/ 5$. Basically, the only way I see jj having a chance from utg+1 in a micro sng is to flop a set, and we're not getting the right price at all.

[jmbreslin 0]

It was still early but this table wasn't playing crazy. There weren't many multi-way pots so far, and the only other hand with a PF raise before this one was a raise from UTG (a different player) resulting in folds all around. There was a good chance it would be folded around and I would end up HU against UTG if I called here. In reality, only 1 player called his raise and UTG took the pot on the flop with a CB.

[rogerwilco 0]

Good point about the size of the raise, roger. With dominant hands players usually either push all in hoping to get called (at $1.20 but maybe not at $5.50), or they throw out a 2 or 3BB raise. A 4BB raise from early position is often a sign of a weaker holding (middle pair, AQ, etc.).

Well, my point was just that I don't think you can read too much at all into that raise without a read, maybe he has AA, maybe he has K9 because that's his lucky hand or whatever...

I thnk of JJ early in a micro sng as fancy deuces. They really are fancy deuces, played for set value only. JJ loses its strength multi-way, esp. from this position. In a micro, you're either going to be playing half the table- all the table when they all limp behind you, or you'll be caught between the maniacs pushing allin with any two cards. I would fold jj in that position almost everytime in round 1 of a 1.20/ 5$. Basically, the only way I see jj having a chance from utg+1 in a micro sng is to flop a set, and we're not getting the right price at all.

I am certain that you lose value that way. JJ is a very solid hand and more than likely the best one at the table preflop, so you have to get some money in the pot and hope to chase out some players. If you get 4 callers and the flop comes with two overcards you can reevaluate, but I would never fold JJ here. It is much, much stronger than 22 and too strong to play just for set value.

[StupidKid 0]

I thnk of JJ early in a micro sng as fancy deuces. They really are fancy deuces, played for set value only. JJ loses its strength multi-way, esp. from this position. In a micro, you're either going to be playing half the table- all the table when they all limp behind you, or you'll be caught between the maniacs pushing allin with any two cards. I would fold jj in that position almost everytime in round 1 of a 1.20/ 5$. Basically, the only way I see jj having a chance from utg+1 in a micro sng is to flop a set, and we're not getting the right price at all.

So villains range here is purely QQ,KK,AA? I'm with simo, flat call, if we raise here we have t make it 300ish and then if someone comes over the top of us we're in a difficult spot.Flat call and re-evaluate postflop, we do have position.

[usernametaken 0]

So villains range here is purely QQ,KK,AA? I'm with simo, flat call, if we raise here we have t make it 300ish and then if someone comes over the top of us we're in a difficult spot.Flat call and re-evaluate postflop, we do have position.

wow how many times in these small stakes sngs have I seen guys limp monster hands UTG and reraise a late position raiser. Im putting villain on a hand where he wants to force everyone behind him to fold and mybe have position on a blind. I think villains range is 66-1010, AQ suited, AK, AK suited. I say you reraise to 350 since that looks like a strong hand. If someone picks up AA, KK, or QQ behind you, their money is going in and you can now get away from JJ. Or everyone folds and UTG moves in, in which youre either a slight fav or a huge fav. I say maximizing every oppotunity is the best way to play Single table sngs.

[silkyjonson 1]

fold preflop. i'm not calling a large raise with jacks in a sng. I'm limping jacks.

Huge leak. Flat calling is standard with no reads, if the player has a wide raising range UTG I would re-raise to isolate to 250, but the smooth call is a good way to go.

[mclark340 0]

I agree with the previous posts...call and see a flop.I am not sure it is relevant, but what did you do and what was the outcome?

[Gallo 1]

Only a few hands in at a $5.50 STT. I hate JJ in these spots. What do you do here?PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)SB (t1560)BB (t2110)UTG (t1040)Hero (t1470)MP1 (t2020)MP2 (t1420)MP3 (t1410)CO (t1140)Button (t1330)Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with J, J. UTG raises to t100, Hero???

This may sound kind of off-base here. But how did the UTG player lose almost 1/3 of his stack already this early on in the tourney? Did he chase? Did he get outdrawn? Was he aggressive in betting preflop/postflop?I know he's UTG, but given that he's kind of short I would put him on a semi-large range of hands he could be raising with. I've seen players raise from UTG with A-anything, 2 face cards, like I said fairly wide range I think and only because he has taken a significant hit to his stack early on.Either way, I would just call and evaluate from there.As for folding, sorry, but that would be kind of nuts.

[jmbreslin 0]

mclark:

In reality, only 1 player called his raise and UTG took the pot on the flop with a CB.

Gallo:UTG had limped in earlier (first hand I think) and called a few bets to the river and lost. That's where he lost most of his chips. This was his first PF raise.

[Gallo 1]

mclark:Gallo:UTG had limped in earlier (first hand I think) and called a few bets to the river and lost. That's where he lost most of his chips. This was his first PF raise.

Well, like I said, I'd call either way and if it's a "friendly" flop for JJ I'm probably reraising/shoving on the flop.I do think that he has a wide range here namely because he has taken a nice hit early on and he's trying regain some chips back.

[sabes99 0]

folding as absolutely not an option in my mind, it's the best hand way too often to just open-fold

[Potsie P 0]

In my experience, ANY pairs in low-level SNGs are often played (by others) for significant raises, irrespective of position. I've seen 3 players get it all in with reraises and the three turn over hands like, 66, 88 and A10s. No kidding.In this situation, I love JJ for a call, but possibly even better for a min-raise. Only reason I say that is the original raise may not be big enough to keep LP players with KQs or A8s or similar from calling as well, and we don't really want multiple hands vs. our Hooks. A call from the original raiser helps establish his hand for us, as well. So call or raise, but don't fold.

[cubbybri 0]

If you raise you need to raise for more than min amount. The majority that will call the original raise will call the min raise as well. I think calling is OK but I do like raising more. You do not like putting a lot into this pot but you can definitely define your hand a little better.But if you are just calling, I think it has to be for set or fold as you are saying you are scared of QQ+. There will be no flop you like(outside a J) since you are already scared of those PPs.