[edit] This post was submited by Mad Genius and moved from the NL cash game forum (iceman5)
[edit] Cards were re-inserted (tetsuo)

Playing a $50+5 Sit n Go on Stars, I came across the following three hands at various points in the tourney that I found to be extremely compelling. I don't know if I played any of them well and would like the input of others.

First hand is about five hands into the tourney. I'm two off the button, and with blinds still at 10/20, I decide to limp with [7d] after one EP limper. The button limps, SB completes, and BB checks.

(5 players) Flop: [6s][2d] (Pot: T100)

It's checked to me, and I lead out for 80. The button calls and the rest fold.

(2 players) Turn: [6s][2d][5c] (Pot: T260)

The 5 is a great card for me, as it gives me an open-ended straight draw in addition to the flush draw. I bet 160, and button surprisingly min raises me. I call.

(2 players) River: [6s][2d][5c][4c] (Pot: T580)

The river card gives me the stone cold nuts. Here is where I decided to get creative - checking the nuts. Button bets 400, and I re-raise all-in. He calls for his last 500 or so.

Here is my thought process throughout the hand. I limped preflop with medium suited connectors, which I consider to be a pretty standard limp. On the flop, I bet when it was checked to me and only with one opponent to act. It didn't seem likely that anyone before me had a monster as they probably would have bet with the draws out. I bet, representing AJ and hoping to take it down. When button called me, I tried to figure out what he could have. I thought it was possible that he had JT, QJ, or KJ, and figured that he would raise with AJ. I also thought there was an outside chance he playing something like [Qd] or [Td], which obviously worried me. While I decided that I was gonna check and try to see the river for free if the flush didn't come, I decided to bet the turn when my outs increased by 6. With 15 outs to what would most likely be the winning hand, I figured a bet like 160 would throw him off his hand, whether he had a Jack or a flush draw. My big mistake was that I didn't stop to think about what he could have when he min raised me - I just called by impulse, which is fine but led to what I think is a questionable (at best) river play. I should have immediately put my opponent on a set and bet the river strongly - instead, I gave him a free chance at showdown with 4 to a straight on the board. I was extremely lucky that he bet and even moreso when he flipped over JJ for the top set.

Anyone disagree with my river play? Flop bet? Turn bet? Does anyone re-raise allin on the turn?

I'll post the next two later, can't write too much at once.

Your checkraise here is great! He probably put you on a draw to diamonds or TPT, but you should have put him on a set, 3 4, or even two pair(althought if he had that, then he deserves to lose all his chips). He would probably never put you on the nuts, and so calling your allin, I would put him on a set.

Anyway, this is one of those players who had to learn not to play for all his chips very early in a SNG w/o the nuts...I'm glad there are still a multitude of those players.

I don't really like the way you played the hand on the flop and turn. Leading out into pots with draws is not generally a good idea in SNGs, although it's much better in $50s than in cheaper ones. If I were you, I would have checked the flop and prehaps made a semibluff move on the turn. Love the river play, glad it worked out this time.