tournament hand opinions

[Mandelbrot 0]

Game: NLHE, no rebuys or add-ons availBlinds: 100/200 +25 anteYour current place: 31st out of 31 remaining playersCash: 19th or betterYou are on the BB with AJo. All fold to button who raises to 600. SB folds. It's your move. Button has about 5500 in chips. You have about 2100 in chips. You have no real reads on the button as he just came over from another table a few hands prior.

[TejasPoker 0]

I said raise'em, you can still get it all in on the turn or have chips left for one last shot.Me offering advice to you lol now thats funny!

[custom36 4]

Reraise all in and then post this in Strategy.

[gobears 0]

3x Raise is a standard blind steal from late position. You're in last so you're looking to double up.Easy all-in.

[mbreon 0]

Need to double up. Why not try it in this spot?

[Mandelbrot 0]

Thanks. I did go all-in, he had 88 but the flop was all blanks and I was out. The thing about this hand that is interesting to me is that I think the button wanted me to call and purposefully raised 3xBB to get it. He called me immediately. I think his plan was to try and get me to go all-in on a less than stellar hand by representing a steal attempt -- though AJo was probably a little better than what he was hoping for. While he had more than twice as many chips as me, he was in the bottom quarter of the standings at this time.

[dna4ever 2]

I think its an interesting hand that can be played 2 ways. One is to push like you did and hope you are not dominated or at best a 50/50.The other option is to simply call and then push the flop. If it was a steal attempt by the button and he missed his hand completely you are likely to take the pot down right there. If he did hit his hand then you are in no worse position then you would have been had you reraised all-in preflop. Taking this avenue protects your hand a little more IMO.

[blknines 0]

I don't see a reason to risk all of your chips with a hand like AJ when you dont know how your opponent plays. I say fold and live to see another hand, you would leave yourself with about 10 BB.

[TejasPoker 0]

The other option is to simply call and then push the flop.  

simply calling you get no read though, like you would with the raise?Noob here & really interested in this? surprised there wasn't more input?

[sloshr 0]

I raise all-in, because I have the short stack, but enough chips to get him off the hand if he is weak. He could be on a steal with anything and if you try to call and push on the flop, he may flop a pair to a hand he would have mucked. AJ is a good enough hand to gamble with if he calls, and might even have him dominated. No reason to give the button credit for a hand here.Just don't raise the minimum. That is just a weak play, and I don't know why people do it. Actually I never bet half my stack. I either save enough to protect my hand on the flop or push it all in.

[TejasPoker 0]

OK, I see your reasoning.For me though, even though I'm the shortstack, I wouldn't be in panic mode yet, unless I had to fold that raise :)My whole reasoning was...I'm not laying down AJ, it sure ain't fluff!I'm not going to just call, because I get no read.I don't want to go allin blind (pre-flop & new player)I'd stick to the raise, I'm in the hand, get a read & still have that "Survival" safety net! Me personally...I've gone out too many times at the bubble, with a allin call like that! my 2 noob pesos

[Shakey90 0]

but what if he reraises you preflop...then you either just lost a buncha chips or you gotta go all in

[NickTheKid 0]

That is stupid... just call the 400 more and if you miss the flop you aren't totally screwed. Don't move all in here. Why move 2500 to win a measly few blinds? AJo is a screwjob hand, take my word for it.Not only that, you have just passed the bullet which is BB, you don't need to worry about paying at all except for the SB next round, sit back and wait.

[richgambler 0]

I think its an interesting hand that can be played 2 ways.  One is to push like you did and hope you are not dominated or at best a 50/50.The other option is to simply call and then push the flop.  If it was a steal attempt by the button and he missed his hand completely you are likely to take the pot down right there.  If he did hit his hand then you are in no worse position then you would have been had you reraised all-in preflop.  Taking this avenue protects your hand a little more IMO.

Agreed.....this was my thinking as well 8)

[Devilkin 0]

I think its an interesting hand that can be played 2 ways.  One is to push like you did and hope you are not dominated or at best a 50/50.The other option is to simply call and then push the flop.  If it was a steal attempt by the button and he missed his hand completely you are likely to take the pot down right there.  If he did hit his hand then you are in no worse position then you would have been had you reraised all-in preflop.  Taking this avenue protects your hand a little more IMO.

Agreed.....this was my thinking as well 8)

I also prefer this option, if you feel he missed his hand, push and force him out postflop. All in preflop takes all strategy out of the game - outplay your opponent, not outluck him.Dev

[richgambler 0]

That is stupid... just call the 400 more  and if you miss the flop you aren't totally screwed. Don't move all in here. Why move 2500 to win a measly few blinds? AJo is a screwjob hand, take my word for it.Not only that, you have just passed the bullet which is BB, you don't need to worry about paying at all except for the SB next round, sit back and wait.

I have to respectfully disagree with a lot of you guys on this one.....this is not the time to be passive, and 'wait'.....this is as good a spot as any to take a shot and double up(esp. being the shortest stack left).....to attack is to win, to defend is to lose

[nealdo17 0]

I call here to push on the flop regardless. Think about it for a minute. . . then call. Flop comes out. . .look down at your chips and push. Now he has to think about it. Your all-in push is hyper-aggressive and screams you dont want a call. You did have a coin flip, but you said yourself you couldnt put him on a hand. With the call followed by the immediate push, he cant put you on a hand. Just out of curiousity what was the flop?