With less than 4XBB you have to push all-in preflop. You don't really want to take a flop with a middle pair like 88... ideally you want everyone to fold preflop, or at least get it heads-up so you're not playing against a whole slew of overcards.
The result may have been the same... the guy with AT may have called your all-in, but that doesn't change the fact that you want to have fold equity on your side in this spot. His stack was only 3X the size of yours, though, so there's a chance he wouldn't have called.
Comments
With less than 4XBB you have to push all-in preflop. You don't really want to take a flop with a middle pair like 88... ideally you want everyone to fold preflop, or at least get it heads-up so you're not playing against a whole slew of overcards.
The result may have been the same... the guy with AT may have called your all-in, but that doesn't change the fact that you want to have fold equity on your side in this spot. His stack was only 3X the size of yours, though, so there's a chance he wouldn't have called.
Hope that helped,
all_aces
ScottyZ