It happened to me again. I was dealt QQ the very first hand of a $10 SnG on UB. This has happened to me at least 6 times in past few months and I never know what to do. I hate to even play the first 4 or 5 hands in a SnG. I want to get a feel for the table first.

Here is the hand:
Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (10 handed)

UTG+2 (t1500)
MP1 (t1500)
MP2 (t1500)
MP3 (t1500)
Hero (t1500)
Button (t1500)
SB (t1500)
BB (t1500)
UTG (t1500)
UTG+1 (t1500)

Preflop: Hero is CO with , .
5 folds, Hero raises to t100, 3 folds, UTG calls t100.

Flop: (t230) , , (2 players)
UTG bets t80, Hero calls t80.

Turn: (t390) (2 players)
UTG bets t390, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t780

Results in white below:
No showdown. UTG wins t780.

Help, please. Any good ideas on how to play this better? Don't yell at me for the call on the flop - I know that sux.

well, as you said, except for the call on the flop, i think you did fine. If you wish to continue with the hand, I coulld suggest a min raise to see what he does to see if he is representing an ace or has it but the pot isn't big enough to try that so just drop it there.

I agree with briachek. Don't call UTG's bet. If you don't care about losing that particular pot, fold it. But if you want to take a stab at the pot, raise his flop bet -- I'd go 2.5 his bet, so 200 -- to see what he does. If he reraises you, fold. If he calls you, then fold to his bet on the turn or bet him off the pot if he checks the turn.

I agree w/ fla... He threw out an 80 into 230 bet... Is that a probe cause he has KK, or a slowplay for more action cause he has AK... You don't know by calling... If you raise, he will 1. reraise = he probably has an ace and you're done w/ the hand... 2. call, and then his action on the turn will tell you what you can do... 3. fold what might be a better hand than you have (ie... KK or maybe QQ)... I think this is TOTALLY a raise or fold situation...

I personally wouldn't fold this on the flop... He threw out a weak bet... if you raise to 250, and he calls, he'll probably check the turn to you, and you can get a free card... Also, if he bets out the turn, you're done w/ the hand, and still have 1150 chips, which isn't putting you anywhere near in trouble when the blinds are 10/20 (I think that's the first level of PS)...

I'd bet less preflop...QQ is a pretty marginal holding this early in an SNG...why commit even T100 to it, ESPECIALLY if you don't like the flop? Bet like 60...I know it is small, but do you really need to isolate this early? Hope for a few callers and undercards or a set THEN push it.

I really like betting less on the early rounds of any tourney just because I hate burning chips trying to protect my hand or take down a pot.

To each their own, though

Andy

Don't care how early or late in an SnG. QQ is a great starting hand. Why waste it just because it's "too early?" That's crazy.