Hey all. Last night I was playing a private freeroll tournament w/approx. 240 players. It was an affiliate promotion. Anyway, most players were average (like me) unlike the usual freeroll, and those that weren't were gone in the first twenty minutes.
I got shortstacked after I called a raise from a guy that I knew had a big pair (I had J10s) and had to fold the flop, and then had a blind steal get re-raised and had to let it go.

I had ~700 and the avg. stack was ~2000 when in the cutoff I had KQh.

I raised the same as my blind steal a few hands ago.
The guy who re-raised my blind steal had yet to act, and I was hoping to get a re-raise from him with a weaker hand, trying to bully me. Then I'd push the rest.
I got what I wanted, as he re-raised enough to put me all in, but he bet very big. that made me think he might actually have something.
Then I got what I didn't want - the big blind pushed all-in. I had seen the big blind play Aces twice and he raised the exact same amount each time. He was a 'big cards' player.

I figured I was dominated between the two players, so after some thought, I folded.

Good fold? Or at this point does it matter if I'm dominated?

This really depends on what the blinds were, how much you bet, how much was the raise, and how much was the all-in.

If the blinds are high, you shouldn't be fooling around with your first small bet, you should just push all-in here and either you get the blinds and antes or you get called and try to double up.

If the blinds are low I like the fold here (depending on the betting). You can probably gradually build you stack back up with smaller pots in better situations, rather than face a raise and all-in.

On a side note, I'm confused about this part :



Are you in the same position as you were when you tried to steal the blinds? If you're not, then betting the same in an attempt to represent a weak hand, doesn't make sense.

If I remember right, I think the big blind was 50. I bet 200. And yes, I was in the same position as the previous steal attempt, CO.
The re-raise was 1300 I think, and the all in was close to 2000.

You were down to about 10 rounds of betting with that smallish stack, so you should be looking to make a move at the right time. This was definitely not the right time, though. Your pot odds are about 3:1, which is decent, but you have to factor in the raise and the re-raise. Someone has you dominated in this situation at least 90% of the time. You are probably a big underdog, and I would just fold the hand and wait for a better situation. If you call, you're probably a huge underdog and out of the tournament. If you fold, you've lost 200 chips and still have about 7 rounds of betting with your small stack. The 3:1 odds would be good enough against one player, but not against 2 re-raises. I would have folded.

I agree completly. With a stack of 500 you still can find better spots to double up or pick up some small pots to gradually build your stack.

Blinds at 50 = easy fold.

Bilnds at 100 = I probably still wouldn't make this call.

Bilnds at 200 = I would have been all-in first, and wouldn't have to worry about a decision.

You should be all in here, too.

Yeah you're right. I was thinking about just the call situation on that one.

With the blinds 100 I'd definetly push all-in rather than raise.

I'd be tempted to call if I somehow "forgot" to go all-in first, but I'd probably lay it down figuring I'm pretty beat after a raise and an all-in. I feel like I have a better shot being left with the 500 than winning this hand.

Thanks for the replies. I folded, the first guy had AA and the second AK.

I made the right read, but the flop would've given me a K high straight and I would've tripled up.
I knew that it was pretty clear I was behind, but I was wondering if this was a case where I can't wait for a better hand than suited KQ, and I should've called no matter what.

Next hand I picked up 10 10, pushed and got called by K9. Rivered by a King.