So I'm playing at this live tourney yesterday, and I managed to make it to the final table, I quadruple up with J10s (hit broadway) as a shortstack, and now I'm in a favorable position at the table. There are 8 people sitting at the table, and with my big win I am sitting with a chip stack of 1900, Blinds are 200/400.
Still, with 8 people remaining, and a few hands later, I pick up AKoff in UTG+1 position. UTG is a major shortstack, thinks for a minute, then goes all in for only 425. My question is, what do you do here?
Like I said I have 1900 and blinds are at 200/400, and I am probably like 3rd in chips out of 8 people. Also, there are 6 people left to act. Thank you for any input.
Fold or go all in. Unless you have a read on UTG, you gotta assume he's got a hand he likes to push all in in early position (unless he's bad player). If you go all in, likely all others fold and you are in a race at worst. Maybe you're ahead.
Here was my line of thinking on the hand: First off, the blinds were pretty big relative to stack size. Second, i was thinking maybe i can isolate this guy, even if he has a pocket pair, i can play for the SB+BB+his money, so good pot odds there. Then i started thinking, well if i raise even the minimum, i am basically committed to my hand, and then i thought maybe just call, but how could i just limp with AK, even in early position??? That just sort of goes against my line of thinking.
Anyways, I decided to push all in in hopes of isolating him, and the big stack at the table in MP pushed all in over the top. The shortstack had JJ, the bigstack had AA. Blanks on flop, J on turn, J on river for quads to the shortstack and I was eliminated.
At first I felt horrible for what turned out to be a terrible move. But in hindsight, maybe it wasn't so terrible, considering the blind structure. I usually play ultra conservative when I make the final table and eventually end up getting blinded out, and I did not want to do that again. Maybe I will just fold my AK next time im in EP.
I like playing that a little different. I would have just called the 425 because ak is only good if you hit it. If the guy with aa then raised to have put you all in then i would have folded and still lived to fight another hand. With a few less chips mind you but still fighting. I can assue you that i have lost far more money with ak than i have one.
i think your thinking is 100% correct. How many places pay and is it substantial pay? AK.. w/ only 8 people left and you ONLY have 1900 w/ 200/400 blinds..and ur UTG +1? To me.. it's a no brainer! unless you are the tightest of tights, your going to have to pay 600 in blinds.. without a doubt in the next 3 hands... you pick up AK.. You have to ATTEMPT to make a stand. w/ a shorty in front of you for 425.. you can't smooth call that you have to push in and isolate him.. putting you hopefully at 50/50.. if not.. he could even have AQ AJ, AT, etc.. putting you at 75/25.
Push your chips in isolate him, and take the cards. It didn't turn out, but you played it right. The guy having AA behind you, nothin you can do. That's knowledge you don't have, and shouldn't expect w/ you holding AK, being as there is only 3 aces left. Yes it happens, and happens often just saying.
i agree with piknoutgreen that is how you should have played you made it to the final table with a bb of 400 and he only had 425, he coud have had a-6(o) or k-2 anything that might give him a last chance. you played it right what can you say A_A is a bitch when you dont dont have it, and you love it when ya do.
your thinking and choice were just fine...the utg player is just as likely making a desperate play with a hand HE chooses to play rather than wait for the BB to play it for him, so your AK is probably dominating...running into two big hands in this situation is just BSRC (bull****/blind/big/baloney stupid random chance) and you got crushed by it...limping would have pretty much guaranteed a raise by a late position player with any kind of decent hand to push you out, take your chips, and go heads-up with the utg guy...with nearly 1\4 of your stack as BB, and all of the players really short-stacked, your only realistic choices are all-in or fold, which are the only options available to everybody at the table with the circumstances described
When you get to the final table everyone eases up especially in cash tournments simply because like you stated you need to move up in order to win more money. At this stage in the game I like to ignore my chip stack and play the players and the cards and get agressive. He is the short stack and is going all in late in the game, I would assume he has 2 face cards or suited connecters. I would go all in and make it a two handed showdown for his chips or another round of blinds. How did this play out, did you call raise or fold?
I never knew this was a poker discussiobn board.. I love it.
Fold or go all in. Unless you have a read on UTG, you gotta assume he's got a hand he likes to push all in in early position (unless he's bad player). If you go all in, likely all others fold and you are in a race at worst. Maybe you're ahead.
i don't think you're in a race in this, i think he sees two lives or even A-rag and decides to gamble. this is simply because the blinds are coming and he's gotta pick a hand. I go all-in assuming i'm at least 65-35 and hoping there are no rockets or cowboys out there
The opponent who went all-in in this situation basically had 1 big blind. Since he was UTG and went all-in he was probably looking for some kind of fold equity. Since he was in the big blind the very next hand, he probably moved in with a marginal hand. The play here is to definitely raise, this way you could possibly isolate the opponent. I'd imagine you'd be the favorite or a coin-flip situation.
I personally would go all in on the soul fact that its fun + easier to have a decent stack at a final table. And if those are the blinds, you aren't going to get much better by the time you have to go all in.
AK looks good but does not win all that much and when it does you manily win small pots with it... but there is the odd time where you do win big, rasing it would be a start but after the flop if players have all bet then you know its time to fold if its checked to you then bit the amout you first raised with players may think you are holding strong pockets
I agree with The Bartender; either fold or go all in. When you are at the final table in this size tournament, don't bother with a hand unless you are willing to go all in with it.
In that position it sounds like what yo said was true. The blinds were significant against your hand. So, you try and play somewhat aggresive (even at the final table) to capture all of the chips that you can. I think the all in is the right move there. You are hoping to isolate, you wan the big stacked A, J and K, J, and K, Q hands to go away. Obviously with Anna Kornikova, your best odds are heads up even if you are behind. There are some decisions at the table that you just cannot regret.
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