Card Dead Issue

Hello,

I have two questions.

  1. In online NL tournaments, I am usually card dead. My starting hands are typically like 73o, J3o, 92o hand after hand. I remember I oftentimes fight till the end however most of the time I am short stacked. Any advice? Or it’s just a normal thing?
  2. Say in a certain event, a player who is in first position calls succeeding raises. On the board, AK24 rainbow. Later, he then catches a 2 on the river and with 72o beats the other player on the button. By the way, the player on the button has AK.

I’m wondering if the sample situation is just a normal stuff in poker? How about online?

Thanks!

Roman Bajorek
Roman,

  1. You have to figure out spot where you can pick up chips while being card dead. Raising in position, seeing cheap flops and hoping to hit with garbage hands, and stealing blinds are some ways to do this. Card dead runs happen. You will need to wait them out. Eventually things will even out.
  2. This is an example of a bad online player getting lucky. You see this sometimes in lower limit poker or someone trying to be cute in a higher stakes game. I see this more online as people can play silly hands without actually seeing people mock them for their poor play.

Going All In

Hi,

For some time now, I’ve been playing step tournament at Party Poker. In one of my games, I was dealt 9Qo. A certain player then checked before me and I as a result raised a not so big amount. Eventually, two players called. Flop came and was 9Q9. Because of this, I went all in. Not really expected, the player just before me went all in. At such instance, I was sure I had him beat. But I don’t know why, when the cards were flipped over, he had KK. Turn then came and was K. River followed and was 8. In the end, I came home with nothing.

Now, I’m curious if I played just right. What do you think? Was it sensible to go all in?

Thanks,
CB McCoy
CB,

What position were you in? If you were in late position and raised, then that isn’t that bad a play preflop. Personally, Q-9 is one of my favorite hands to play because when it hits strong, it is well disguised. You hit the flop super strong and someone with Kings went all in. He then got lucky.

I don’t think you played bad overall. If I were you and were in that situation, I would have played it the same way.

I would not have called a raise preflop with that hand however. Q-9 is a hand to see a flop cheaply with or play in position.