13 replies to this topic

[blueodum]

I'm new to no-limit, having concentrated on limit hold'em until a few weeks ago.I like the single-table SNGs at UltimateBet - I finish in the money (top 3) about 50% of the time (small stakes) so I find them profitable.Today I was bounced out of a tourney in the following hand:We were down to the last 5:2 big stacks with about 80% of the chips and 3 small stacks. It was folded to me on the button. I had A-10 suited - the best hand I'd seen in quite awhile. The BB was the shortest stack, with 470 chipsThe SB was one of the big stacks, with 3700 chipsI had 660 chips (on the button).Blinds were up to 75-150My options:Fold - I didn't think very long about folding since I was in position and was going against two random hands.Call - I didn't like this option either. The big stack would almost certainly call with almost anything and the smallest stack would get a free look at the flop.Raise without going All-In - I considered this, but I was afraid that it would make it more likely for the big stack to call, which I didn't want. If I put in less than 470, the BB would be more likely to call. The big stack would probably reraise me all in if he had anything and I'd be forced to go all in.All-In - the option I chose. I wanted to take the blinds, which would have given me a little breathing space with 885 chips. If I doubled up after that I'd put myself solidly into third place and make a money finish very likely.The second best thing would have been for the BB to call with something like a K-Q offsuit or an Ace with a weak kicker.Later on I'll post how it all went down.

[JFarrell20]

I'd make it 470 to go. Put the BB all in. The SB will probably call here, which I think is fine. The point is, you'll push all in on the flop no matter what. OR, I'd just push all in right here. It's very close. Hmm, the more I think about it the tougher it is. If you put the BB all in, and the SB calls... then the BB will have fantastic pot odds for calling, even with garbage. You really don't want two callers here. Yeah... Just move all in right now and hope for 1 or no callers. I'd say you made the right play.

[KDawgCometh]

you did the right thing, the best thing is to play that hand heads up

[KsItLoLnEeR]

In my opinoin here you move in. If you get cold decked, or outdrawn so be it. If you are one away from the money and cashing is more important than winning to you, then its debatable.

[Metro]

Because your stack is only a little better than 4xbb, I'd say push. You're raising the sb 585 for 885 in the pot, unless he considers it a guaranteed call by the bb, then it's for 1105, although him calling gives him the chance to potentially knock the field down to 3. Best scenario, the big stack sits back and lets the little stacks fight it out. With the bb having 1/3 his stack in, he'll most likely call you, even with a marginal hand, and possibly throw away rags. At this point, even just picking up the blinds is huge for you, I would push with it.The only thing here I would even consider thinking about is the size of the 5th stack at the table. You said 2 of the stacks are big, and clearly you were a shortstack, as is the bb. Where does the 5th stack fall into this? Since the blinds are coming around to him first, perhaps he'll be forced to make a move. You might end up finishing 3rd by solely sitting out this hand?Need more information to give you a definitive answer, but without knowledge of that 5th stack, I'm saying go all-in

[blueodum]

The other short stack had about 930 chips and was to my immediate right.

[Metro]

About 3 minutes after I posted the above post, I realized that the sb has no necessity to raise the bb, and as such, if his cards are trash could easily fold in this situation, thus reapplying the pressure to you. Also, with 930 to your immediate right for the 5th stack, he can sit out and wait on you to make a move. So yea, I'd push with the A-10 and hope to isolate the bb.

[Awful]

I'd push, easily. I'm in a place that would not money if the tourney ended then and there, I still have a little fold equity, blinds chip me up almost to 3rd, a double-up insures cashing, SB will call with a lot of hands you dominate, and a bunch of random crap that you're 2:1 favorite against. BB loses fold equity and has to beat 2 hands. He will probably wuss out and fold unless he wakes up to a beast, especially if he's one of the weak "play to cash" low limit SnGers. Personally, because I am a proud and victory-oriented individual, I play for 1st. I hope someone calls and I get back in the game or put out of my misery. Push. SB will call with garbage to send a message, BB will only play decent hands since you opened big, if BB does play and beats you, the side pot will keep you on almost the same level as you were anyways (but you'll still go out 5th). The only thing you worry about is SB outdrawing you or having woken up to something AJ or better.

[SumZero]

This is a no brainer push in the SNG format at the point you describe, the odds of the sb having a better hand then you are low. And if he lets you double up through him, that is good for you.The only place I'd fold this is if there were 4 players left and you had an orbit+ more than the short stack, who was going to be all-in for the BB. Then I might fold as long as you had enough to out last the BB even if they double up. But that is only because it is such a gap between 4th and 3rd and a win still doesn't put you competitive with the 2 big stacks.

[blueodum]

Thanks for all your replies.Here's what happened:The big-stack SB called almost immediately. The short-stack BB thought for a long long time. Finally he went all-in.SB had K-K; BB had A-J offsuit. A disaster!I had to hit two pair, three tens, a full house, a diamond flush or a K-Q-J for a straight to win. A king and an ace came on the flop without a diamond giving me virtually no outs (an Ace-10 or 10-10 on the last two cards are the only ones I can think of).Didn't happen, of course.

[Metro]

blueodum said:

(an Ace-10 or 10-10 on the last two cards are the only ones I can think of).

10-10 would lose the hand. K's full 10's over 10's full A's.Runner runner A-10 or A-x(whatever the 3rd flop card was) or Q-J for the straight are your only outs at this point. Albeit the final Ace in the deck wins you the sidepot

[Alcatraz]

You made the right play. You can't control the cards that are dealt, you can only control the plays you make. This play in this position has a higher EV than the alternatives.

[accolades]

You never can tell what will happen in poker. I was faced with a similar situation earlier today. I moved all in from the button, preflop, with a pocket pair of dueces (I was short stacked and figured this might be my last chance at a hand) I was actually praying that I would not get called and I could just pick up the blinds, which accounted for about 1/5 my stack. Instead I was called by not one, but two players, AK and AQ. I hit my set on the flop and went from being near the bottom of the totem pole to being at the top.Of course it really pissed off a lot of players and made them second guess my every move. Another time when I pushed all in someone said "Pair of 2's again?" Of course that time I had queens ;)I was doing pretty well in the tournament, until my pocket Aces got cracked. I limped in preflop, it had been folded to me, in the small blind and I had had been bullying the guy to my left all day. I knew he would fold if I raised preflop. The Flop came 48T. I pushed all in, and believe it or not I was sitting in front of my PC chanting, "Call me, call me damnit!" He called me with KT, and much to my misfortune, the Turn came a T followed by another T on the river! He took down my Full house Tens full of Aces, with Four of a Kind Tens!D'oh!It happens.

[Kevin Garceau]

Well unfortunatly I didnt see this till you posted the results. So anything I say now, kinda worthless.But I would have folded preflop. Not a hand I want all my chips in the pot with yet. You have enough to survive a bit longer. Besides Big stack has the chance to knock two people out for very little investment.Although he had the goods anyways.... I say save the bet. SB goes all in, BB calls and you are now sitting in 4th. You never know what can happen at this point. Crazy things happen and you can back into the money.....If I were to play this hand in this position, only one way to play it. All in.