This hand was last night in a $4/180 on Stars. Down to final three. For some reason I don't have PT or PAHUD running (Luuuuke trust your instincts!). All three of us have had the FT chip lead at some point, button is on a heater and dominating the SB. I picked up pots here and there. SB most likely steaming, looking to shove to regain chips. I'm in the BB, blinds are 1500/3000, soon to be 2K/4K. Here is the action:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t3000 (3 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button (t159820)
SB (t27774)
Hero (t82406)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7, A.
Button calls t3000, SB raises to t27474, Hero ???

DEBATE #1
FOLD - I think my hand is too strong in this situation to do this. I believe I'm far better than SB's range here.
CALL - Call leaving 54632 behind, action to button. Assuming most the time button will just call and check down but sometimes fold. Rare occasion he will limp/re-raise all in.
RERAISE ALL-IN - Try to isolate, hope button folds. I probably have the best hand given the situation. A7 strong heads up but not 3-handed.

In this case I chose to call. Right move or wrong move? What would you do and why?

Hero calls t24474,Button raises to t159820, Hero ???

DEBATE #2
Oh damn, I really didn't think that would happen. Now either:

I call off the rest of my chips, if I beat both hands I will be at over 200K and in dominating position heads up. I could also lose main pot to SB, but beat the button leaving us at 108K (me) vs 78K SB vs 76K button, or If the SB wins the pot and the button wins the side pot I finish in third (ouch)...

...or fold. If button wins the pot, I have 54k vs Button @ over 215K heads up assuring a 2nd place cash but a huge disadvantage heads up. OR my 54K vs 85K (SB)vs 131K (BUTTON) if SB hand wins.

So what do you do here? Skill between the three of us seems pretty equal, I am of course shooting to win. I appreciate any input on this hand.

I wouldn't have to make a decision in debate 2 cuz I'm most likely shoving them in here everytime in the BB, sometimes folding but given your read, most likely isolating...But never calling

I don't think I can fold with 1/3 of my stack in the pot here

I agree, debate #2 should be moot because your only decision in debate #1 is whether to fold or to isolate. I really don't like calling, since you give button the opportunity to isolate with basically anything he wants - if he thinks you'll fold he can push QT here and be getting a great return on his money.

My only question would be if I had seen button open limp his button before. If he was a good tricky player, he would almost never open limp the button here without a monster. But 97% of the time you should isolate there (fold with a major read on button). In a 4.40 it's 100% isolate.

I was railing last night and saw the hand, but my thoughts on Debate #2 were made before the decision was made.

Button felt like he had a monster to me. The limp re-raise felt like a monster to me. I think I would have laid it down to the re-raise as played.

(Of course *I* probably would have pushed all-in, but I think the smart move was laydown and hope for the best).

I think I would have folded, you might be ahead of his range, but i think it's pretty close, and the button limp is fairly suspicious, he should be raising automatically with the big stack on the button. As played, it's tough, if you're up against any pair higher then 6 you're way behind, you're dominated by any better ace, and I don't see the button re shoveling with a weaker ace. It's a tough fold but I trust my HU skillz and take the 2nd place money garuntee, as played I fold.

Thanks for the opinions guys, the more I think about it the more I think a reraise is the best choice. I'll keep that in mind for future situations.

Of course, after my A7<66(button)<A3(SB, trip 3's orly), it seems so obvious now

I think the knuckleballer pointed out the key to this problem. The limp on the button. Had he done it before? If he had then re-raising (iso-shoving) is the play. If it was the first time then I'm folding 100% of the time because A7 sucks against his range and it just screams monster (until he turns over 66...lol). I agree with the others calling was a mistake. Live and learn.

definetely push or fold...

flat calling makes it look like you are saying "you call too and we'll check it down" with a really wide range, looks unlikely that you'd be willing to put your whole stack in

I agree.. never smooth call 25% of your stack unless yo have AA or KK... I fold and try to get heads up.. but i'm a nit.