ITH Poker Forum

[Damien]

Right on the bubble here, 5 spots pay. Notice stack sizes. It would seem that my only choices are to fold or push... or can I call and try to hit a set? I'll admit my bubble play probably sucks. I wanted to push this but hated the thought of busting. 3 left to act and I'm 50/50 or worse against a lot of hands. I'll admit that my primary goal at this point was to at least min-cash, not take first (which seems reasonable given SBs stack), but if i fold here there's a good chance that the one guy shorter than me picks up 450 chips. Or can I be confident that if I fold, SB will raise? I'm a little lost here...

Full Tilt Poker $2 + $0.25 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t150/t300 Blinds - 6 players - View hand 681544
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: t4430 M = 9.84
SB: t21225 M = 47.17
BB: t2260 M = 5.02
UTG: t4035 M = 8.97
MP: t5190 M = 11.53
Hero (CO): t3360 M = 7.47

Pre Flop: (t450) Hero is CO with 5 : 5 :
2 folds, Hero ?

[Zenjo]

Your primary goal should always be to win. Any cashes which aren't wins are consolation prizes. Things change quickly. You could be chip leader in 2 hands time.

This is a clear optimal shove. You have plenty of fold equity and even if called will probably be against overcards.

Calling just to hit a set with 11BB is terrible. Obviously you called with the intention of stealing the pot on the flop if you didn't hit a set. But open limping from the cutoff is bad play in general. You may as well write "I have a marginal hand " in the chat box. As you can see in this hand neither of the blinds gave your cheap steal on the flop any respect. As you move up good players will exploit weak play like this.

If you'd have just shoved preflop there wouldn't have been any tough decisions about whether to bet with 2 opponants and 2 overcards.

You have to play aggresively on the bubble. If the opponants are scared and you're not, then you'll be the one picking up the most chips in the long run. Waiting for others to bust out is a great way to end up as the short stack.

[mconstab]

[Damien]

Well, so I guess its push or fold and no in between which is basically what i knew from the beginning anyway. SitNGo Wiz fas it as a fold, but would have me pushing 88. Interesting.

[Zenjo]

Sorry if I'm giving marginally incorrect push/fold advice. I'm so used to playing the 90 mans at FTP where there are antes at this level. I see there aren't in the smaller MTT SNG.

[Damien]

Sorry if I'm giving marginally incorrect push/fold advice. I'm so used to playing the 90 mans at FTP where there are antes at this level. I see there aren't in the smaller MTT SNG.

No problem, if I had to play it again I probably would push TBH. Yeah, no antes. I've gotten up to pretty high blinds in these 27-mans and I'm pretty sure that antes never kick in, ever.

[mconstab]

Sorry if I'm giving marginally incorrect push/fold advice. I'm so used to playing the 90 mans at FTP where there are antes at this level. I see there aren't in the smaller MTT SNG.

It's really close as a 0.12 error in SNG Wizard isn't huge. Because the blinds are going to hit you again in a couple of hands there's definitely a case for shoving this. I don't think I could fold 77 here.

[cowboyinexile]

SB's M is nuts right now. In a normal situation, I'd be inclined to push if first to enter the pot here, but with SB's stack, I'd limp/fold it.

Your M is limiting some of your moves, but losing one BB isn't going to cripple you. Outside fo the chip leader, no one has a stack that is safe, so if you pass on this one, anyone else can bust quickly.

If the big stack likes to push guys around, I'd be inclined to fold. I don't think you want to get your chips in here, and if he pushes you, its at best a race. If CL is passive, I might call and set-mine. If you whif and he bets though, throw the hand away.

[chrisjp]

Is this a turbo?

I would fold this one too. I'd probably push 88 and definitely 99. People push too much in this situation, especially in the 45s that I've played quite a bit. Those pay 7 places. The blinds get so oppressive so fast that you actually want to wait for a better hand. I'm talking the turbos now.

I'd still fold this in regular structure, but it's close.

Chris

[jameseigenmann]

But if you only call the last bet against a short stack or with aces or kings, but you are willing to put in a bet or raise with a much wider range, you are probably on the path to correct bubble play. IMO.

[Damien]

Is this a turbo?

Sorry, I moved at the end of May and never saw this response. No, I stay away from the turbos in general. IIRC, I started off this hand thinking the same way as cowboy and limped. I think by doing this I gave the other short stack a free play and couldn't bring myself to throw my hand away when I missed the flop. I don't think that there is a clear, obvious way to play this hand... arguments can be made for almost any action. But, in retrospect, I think I either push or fold. Probably leaning towards a push. No time left for small ball and I could get blinded out before I get a better hand. Push while I still have some FE.

[majkiman]

I'm curious about such education. Tell me what do you think about such techniques. Any ideas on how I can practice it? I want to improve while I have some free time!

[darvon]

I think the big issue is whether BB is suicidal yet.

You are trying to steal, not double. If you felt BB is auto call, then I would fold. If you think BB walks with medium hand, then steal.

It's a "can you steal it decision?"

[cowboyinexile]

Well, so I guess its push or fold and no in between which is basically what i knew from the beginning anyway. SitNGo Wiz fas it as a fold, but would have me pushing 88. Interesting.

SitNGo Wiz is wrong. I'd shove that all day long.

[mconstab]

Well, so I guess its push or fold and no in between which is basically what i knew from the beginning anyway. SitNGo Wiz fas it as a fold, but would have me pushing 88. Interesting.

SitNGo Wiz is wrong. I'd shove that all day long.

What's changed your mind from earlier in the thread?