From another $2.20, 36-man turbo sat. My stack is getting desperately short but my position isn't good and the UTG limper had an annoying habit of limping with raising hands from a variety of positions. Blinds are going to hit me in 2 hands. Do I have to push here, or can I afford to let this go?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Button (t2370)
SB (t955)
BB (t4745)
UTG (t4230)
Hero (t965)
CO (t3445)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 8, A.
UTG calls t200, Hero???

I push.

It's close but with what you say about the villian I lean towards fold. The problem with this hand is that we are dominated or a slim favorite against an opponents calling range. You have to shove any two cards the very next hand thought if your going to lay this down. So, make your choice, shove with a hand thats dominated if called, or shove any two cards and hope its folded or your only a 60% underdog.

I think this is a pretty simple shove.

I'm not sure I'd call it pretty simple - I have bad position, an EP limper who limps big hands, almost zero FE, and a hand that doesn't match up all that well to other hands that might call a 900 chip raise. Maybe you could elaborate on why you think it is simple?

Well, maybe i'm wrong, but here's my reasoning:

1) UTG who's second in chips limped UTG at a 6 player table, this may be a big hand, but i don't think there's much reason to be afraid of a big big hand.
2) You have an M of 3 and the blinds hit you in 2 hands, you said you're position isn't good now, but it'll be even worse in the next 3 hands. Once you're that low on chips with the blinds around the corner, you have to take a bleak looking shot now rather than hope for aces in the next 3 hands that wait for later.

Basicaly, i don't think it's a great situation but you're so low on chips you don't have a choice, once you're M is 3 or less you're going to have to take chances in spots you don't like.

This kind of reminds me of a conversation i had with my poker playing friend a while ago.

We were doing the donkeytest.com thing, and he asked me what i put for one of questions where the situation was something like - Three players with deep stacks go all in and you're in the BB with pocket kings with about the same amount of chips as them, what do you?

I said, simple call.

He said, why's it simple? I'd have to think about that, with 3 players in front of you one of them is likely to have aces, i would have to think about it and i don't think it's that simple really. I don't like this situation much

I replied, I didn't say i liked the situation or thought that mathematically i was a clear favourite or anything, but ask yourself, are you ever goin to fold kings pre-flop ever? There's no option here, it doesn't matter how much you dislike your situation or how long you have to think about it, there's only one option you're ever going to take.

The metaphor being - This isn't a great situation, but you don't have any choice with the blinds in 2 hands and your stack that low.