tournament strategy...

[PimpRock 0]

I am a regular cash game player but due to the possibility of low level sponsorship I am working on my tournament game. A hand came up earlier which I thought I played perfectly but in hindsight I am not so sure... Please tell me your thoughts. 100 dollar 5 seat STTFinal 3 I am narrow chip lead with about 4600Blinds are 150 / 300 and I am in the SB with QQThe short stack (say 1200 chips) goaes all in UTG, with my qq I re-raise all in so I can isolate him but then the BB (4200) calls much to my disgust. Shortstack has A 5 and Big stack has AK so Im in pretty good shapebut then the unthinkable happens and the flop brings A 8 5... No help from 4th or 5th and Im down to 1 BB and go out on the bubbleSo how did I do? I would swearthat was the rightmove and statistically I caught the worst poccible flop as the shortstack trebled through and the BB took the rest of my chips. I guess my question is should I have flat called and seen a safe flop before committing all my chips or was the isolation move the right one? Also if anyone knows the odds of me effectively getting knocked out there I would appreciate it as I reckoned it to be 15-1 on the shortstack surviving and the BB winning.

[Bravado2112 0]

I would say you would up in a situation where you had just over a 50% chance to win the hand and you didn't win. Not much you can do about that. Either way you were vulnerable to an ace and an ace fell on the flop. Happens. Obviously you could look back and say that you should have flat-called and then thrown away your hand either when re-raised or when an A fell on the flop if you're looking for some scenario that would have kept you in the game, but you played it fine. There's no apporach that's gonna get you a 100% win rate - you're still at the mercy of other players and the cards. QQ is a strong hand in a shorthanded game in the late stages of a tournament.

[chindi 0]

So how did I do? I would swearthat was the rightmove and statistically I caught the worst poccible flop as the shortstack trebled through and the BB took the rest of my chips. I guess my question is should I have flat called and seen a safe flop before committing all my chips or was the isolation move the right one?  

The isolation move was the right move to make. Looking at the hand you have to figure that most of the time the BB is going to get out of the way, and the hands were he doesn't it's because he's got a dominant shot to win the entire pot with a hand that'll get you into the money by the back door.You also have to be feeling good when they turn face up since the Aces have the same chance of coming as one of your Queens, and the King puts you into the money.Now what actually came? Pretty much a statistical anomaly and you shouldn't factor that in to the result. You got in with a great shot at winning the hand or at least guaranteeing you finish in the money... you got unlucky.. and that happens. Good luck with the sponsorship.