Here's an odd hand. There's only $3.50 in the pot and the villian pushes in half his stack. It seems clear this will be a split pot. Do we bother calling just to lose money to the rake which is $3?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($56.40)
Button ($71.50)
SB ($39.75)
Hero ($103.30)
UTG ($26.45)
UTG+1 ($43.75)
MP1 ($11.95)
MP2 ($63.70)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q, 2.
2 folds, MP1 calls $0.50, 3 folds, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($1.50) Q, 9, 9 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1, MP1 folds, SB calls $1.

Turn: ($3.50) Q (2 players)
SB bets $24.5, Hero ???

I hate when people do this. While very unlikely, quad 9s could appear here also. If you are indeed splitting, you lose $1.25. If you think there is any chance he is doing this with anything other than a queen, it wouldn't be a bad call. I call.

I call, instantly.

85% of the time, it's a split. 1% of the time it's quads, 14% of the time he has a 9 or Ace high.

Actually, I push

This guy could EASILY have a 9

I misread it, thought HE shoveled. In this case, is a call > than a push, in that it gives HIM the chance to put more $ in on the river?

Look at it this way. If we push and he doesn't have a Queen, it gives him a chance to get away from the hand. At least by flat calling, we give him the opportunity to make another mistake on the river.

He could very well be making a "last stab" at the pot on the turn and will shut down either way, but I'd rather not push him off the pot, especially with position after the river.