I've had this type of hand a few times and I'm still not sure what the best line is.

I have 3000 in chips on bb
UTG has 2000
Button has 3000
SB has 7000

Blinds are 100/200

UTG folds
button makes it 800
sb folds
i call

flop is 6-8-9 rainbow

i bet 800
button moves in

i have been raising a lot of pots so his bet could easily be a resteal. I think I have 10 outs twice and if i win the pot im in a position to win the tournament.

Should I call?

This hand may split down the lines of the "play to win" and "play for the money" crowds. The PTWs will say its a clear call, most of the PFTMs will say its close but still call because you are pretty much pot committed, and some diehard PFTMs will say youre better off waiting and going toe to toe with the 2000 stack.

The real problem in this hand is your $800 lead on the flop. Button is unlikely to be stealing with the SB/big stack sitting behind him, $800 is nowhere near enough to chase a decent hand with a $7000 stack, and I put you behind to an overpair. He may very well push if you check the flop, but now its much easier to fold with a lead on the small stack who now has both blinds to pay to your SB.

I'm a PTW and called and he had A8 I wasn't sure if it was a bad call or if i was being results orientated

You bet too much on that flop for the chips you have left. I would have bet 400-500.

I saw you said he had A8, but I swear I was thinking A8 or A9 from your original post.

I fold to his raise. When I play sngs, I play to money first. Once I'm in the top 3, then I play to win. So, if I'm on the bubble and have to put all my chips in the middle, I only do it with the lead.

Why not push pre-flop?

This is what I was thinking. You're 4 handed, and he could be raising with a lot of hands from that position. I'd be inclined to push pf, and at worst have to win a race.

I would be inclined to push as well depending on how often the villain has been raising.

I agree with Loogie and Zim

I wouldn't call here pre-flop because, and your 7's don't play well after the flop, because any over-cards are scarry because it is not heads-up, it's 3 way. I either push pre-flop, or I might even fold, mostly to preserve my chips due to the short stack being present. This decision also should be based on your table image, as the more likely it is for your opponents to fold, the push option gets better and better.

I hate the PF call. You don't have position and you have a hand that is usually very weak after the flop. Why are you calling here? Trying to hit a favorable flop? Hoping to hit a set? You just can't do that and leave yourself with 2200, the 800 raise is more than 1/4 of your stack.

I think you push here, it's the only reasonable move. Many times you're in a race situation, and there's always the possibility he folds it to you. Then you take down a pot of 900, which is very significant at this level in the tourney.

However, even if you do just call PF, you should push the flop. You're putting the decision to him and he can't get you off your hand. You have so many outs on the flop and a lot of times with that flop he won't have hit anything.

In response to your question, you call the all-in. You have to be ridiculously weak-tight and/or obsessed with placing in the money in order to fold this flop after that action.

If you hadn't guessed, I'm a PTW.

What a terrible thing to be!

perhaps I phrased that the wrong way, I meant to imply 'weak-tight'.

basically fold fold fold until I place.

Personally though I'd much rather be obsessed with winning the tournament than placing in the money.

Yes, on mtts.

I feel on sngs that making the money is pretty important. Of course, I play out of my bankroll, so it's more important to me than most.

Maybe not...bankroll requirements are higher for the PTWs because even if they exceed the average return of the PFTMs (which I seriously doubt) their variance is much higher.

I really think you need to push preflop. If you call, you will be putting in almost 1/3 of your stack preflop, you will be out of position, and really won't know where you're at in the hand unless you can pull a set on the flop. Put it all in and hope he folds.