It's kind of a trick question because it really doesn't matter much. I think calling is the slightly better play since even if your opponent had KK you'd only be roughly a 2-1 dog.

If there is a chance he could have 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, K-Q, or A-8 then it seems even more correct.

The final factor that should make you lean toward calling would be the pyschological factor, or the "Gus Hansen" factor. Make a call like that and EVERYBODY takes notice. You are sending them a message that you will protect your raises with weak hands which in turn may scare them a little bit.

I guess this shows me the difference in how I like to exploit my table image versus how Daniel likes to exploit his 8) . I see the reasoning behind making that call based on table image for an aggressive player and someone who likes to see a lot of flops like Daniel. On the other hand, I like to exploit a tight table image, which can also give me an advantage for stealing blinds and big pots because when I bet people usually give me credit for having a good hand. I suppose this situation (as most of them do) depends on the style of poker play that one chooses.

Come on Daniel it can't be that close. In your Dec 15 blog, you defended your blind with T 6 and later defended again with 7 3 . You called a raise out of position with 8 5 . Now you tell us that opening in the cut-off with A9o with 3xbb and calling a raise is a close decision?
The TV showed Ron Rose raise a tight player, Tony Le, from the SB with Q J . It can only be right to lay down A9o against a known rock.

I can't decide whether to laugh or just slap you, jog.

strategy? Do you even know statistics? This is only a clear fold against AA.
Only 3 ways for AA out of 1225 possible hands.
1225 permutations is what counts.
Not 169 combinations. Not all combinations are equally likely.
Call 2800 against 5825.
2.08 to 1.
Besides AA, A9o does worst against AKo not KK.
2.82 to 1 against for AKo vs A9o
2.48 to 1 against for KK vs A9o

If the SB just plays one combination outside of the range of hands that dominate A9o, the odds drop well below 2 to 1.

Against Daniel's set of pairs 66 or better and A8o and better, the odds are
1.74 to 1. A clear call.
Most SB are raising with many more hands than
those included in that set.

take that all of you who flamed me for calling.

I've lost so many times with A9... I still say fold

Interesting answer. I like the Gus Hansen factor.... I've been witnessing that first hand lately and it's quite powerful.

I think that I said something like this in my posts. I think that everybody is making too much of an assumption as to what the other guy would go all in with when faced with a weak raise from a late position. Everybody is saying a high pair over 99 or something like AK. We are supposed to think his hand was decent. Given his stack size, decent includes hands much weaker than that as well. Image is huge, and the pot odds are only half of this call. Remember that no one will bluff raise us now, and that we might get more calls on our monster hands. The implied odds are huge.

People make way too many "good laydowns" preflop. I say bring on the crapshoots!

The SB has three choices in this hand.
a) fold
call 3Xbb and be out of position for 3 rounds of betting
c) raise all-in

This is different from a small stack opening all-in for 10xbb.
Opening all-in for 10xbb would show the super strong hand all you guys think the SB has. Read Daniel's tip on the bottom.


During the money presentation, Daniel gives the audience a poker tip: Throw away all those books that teach you to play tight. I've done better with 6 4 offsuit.

You're right the small blind has 3 options, in my opinion option B is terrible. Option C in my opinion requires him to have a hand that will be enough of a favorite over Daniel's to make Daniel's call incorrect more times than it will be correct. However, with Daniel explaining the "Gus Hansen" factor as a beneficial reason for calling I think it just about evens out as a 50/50 whether to call or fold. It really depends what message you are trying to send to the table. Mathematically I believe it is incorrect if you ignore the psychological aspects.

Today is my first day visiting this forum and reading this quiz. Ironically, same situation came up yesterday at a tournament I was involved in. It paid 8 places and 10 remained at the final table. The blinds were 800/1600 with 200 ante. I had T10,100 and player to my right with about T26,000 called 1600 BB with A-6 suited. I pushed all-in with KK. After much deliberation, he called 8500 more. I felt really confident about my hand, but much to my chagrin, the flop comes 6 and turns a 6. At the time, I thought he made a terrible call, but the next day thinking over the hand (and before reading this quiz), I came to realize that it wasn't that bad of a call. He mostly likely put me on pocket pair, but a slim chance at AA since he was holding one of them. In that case, he was 2:1 underdog and the pot is laying a little less than 2:1, a close call. If I'm holding A with bigger kicker than 6, he was about 2.5:1 dog. So although it might not be correct to call, it wasn't as terrible as I thought at the time I was knocked out and the sickening feeling that went along with it.

I was able to gather it from the context of the post, but for future questions could you make it clear whether we are talking tournament or ring game? Granted, I haven't sat in too many recent NL ring games that have an ante, but it would be nice to specify.

In the case of a ring game I think it's a definite fold barring extenuating circumstances.


Also it would be nice just for clarity (although it was hardly needed for this question) to say NL vs. PL, etc.

I think I mentioned table image in response to the question before, now I'm pretty glad I mentioned it. It would be much smoother sailing at the final table if you were to call an all-in with that hand because others at the table would be much more likely to make the same move if they saw you folding with pot odds that were that close.

I think the really important aspect of this question is the table image. If you are an aggressive player and very confident player then yes I think calling is the right play. However, I like to exploit a tight table image and fold there. No matter how many times I consider this situation, it's still a fold for me.

I said call. If I think/know I have odds I'll call in alot of situations. Certainly, it would be more difficult if it will cost you all/nearly all/a good amount of the rest of your stack. You're not going to have a chance to get that 1200 back you already put in unless you call.

Wow, my first instinct was right & for the right reason.
I was seriously questioning myself by the end of the quiz thread though.

I've never felt so much anxiety over a forum thread before lol

In this situation, you really cant do anything unless your actually at the table. Theres really not enough information to call or fold. You have to know, has this guy called alot, played tight?, was he chip leader and now on TILT?, The cards you seen him play, were they good? Am I chip leader?, How well have I played?, Am I on TILT? I do agree with Daniel though. You kinda should make the call. You have an Ace! But its Texas Holdem, andything can happen. I pick CALL!

Jack

How is KK vs A9 = 2 to 1?

please help me with the math. Supposedly you are have a 28% chance of winning according to the odds calculator not sure how that equates to 2 to 1?

Here's the math thing to change percentage to odds:
odds= (100- percentage) / percentage

Say you have an percentage of 28,5 %
Than the odds are (100-28,5 )/ 28,5 = 2,51

So it then would be 2,51 against 1
:roll:

This is all true, however, when you call the all in, skill jumps out the window. Now all you can do is watch the cards fall. Then who knows... Unless the guy wants to go home early, the best you can hope for is 8-8 or lower. The information I would like to know is this; have I been stealing blinds all sfternoon? If so, I could put him on a weaker hand. Maybe he is tired of me stealing and re-raises me to put me in my place. Then I can put him on KQs KJs or even J9s. Other than that, I would have to assume he has an over pair, KK or less and i have 3 outs about 12.5% to make, or Ak AQ AJ A10. Either way I am a dog.

Call, 2-1 pot odds. You could be a favorite and you aren't dominated unless your opponent has AA which is highly unlikely. Call me a loose player, but unlike Dan I think this call is a no-brainer.

i'm going to have to agree that a call should be made. with the possibility of defending his blind against a possible steal raise he couldve moved in with a big assortment of hands.