recent tournament hand

peteski

Here is a recent tournament hand I was involved in that I would like to get some input on:

The blinds are 150/300. My stack is about 2600 which is probably slightly under the average stack and we are playing seven-handed. It's folded to me two off the button with A5 of spades. I decided to raise to 900. The player on the button goes all-in for 1725 in total (825 to me), if memory serves. Both blinds fold and I am not a fan of this spot. The button is a tough, loose, aggressive player. I think there are a lot of hands he could be making this play on, so I could be ahead, and I'm getting pretty good odds anyway, but I certainly don't like this situation. Calling and losing pretty much cripples me, and at best, I'm a small favourite. Anyway I called and he turned over A8 and won the hand.

So was my mistake the initial raise, or the call (or both), or is this just one of those scenarios that occur when the chips are no longer deep? I remember a recent thread that suggested playing very cautiously (or playing ABC poker) when you're not exactly short-stacked, but when you also don't have a lot of room for error. When one unsuccessful steal attempt really hurts. Does this mean I should have just folded here? Also, does this mean I shouldn't have called his raise even though I was getting good odds for almost any hand he could have? What if I was more certain my opponent had a really big hand?

The thing is that when the chips aren't too deep all around, yes it will hurt a lot to attempt to steal unsuccessfully, but on the other hand, there seem to be many more successful steals at this stage too. I certainly would like to take advantage of that as best I can. Should I only be playing really big hands at this point? It seems like it would be hard to win playing that way.

boxcard

In my short time playing this game, the one thing I have found is important to remember about tournament poker is it is a game of survival. I think the discussion you are referring to can be found in another thread in this forum. As well, Dave talks about this concept in his poker log March 14 on www.canadianpoker.com I think you may find it of interest.

boxcard

I found the thread. It is www.pokerforum.ca/forum/index.php?topic=3453.0

Dave Scharf

The blinds are 150/300. My stack is about 2600 which is probably slightly under the average stack and we are playing seven-handed. It's folded to me two off the button with A5 of spades. I decided to raise to 900.

I am a small stack relative to average AND relative to the blinds. I need to look for opportunities to get some chips. This looks to me like such an opportunity. I probably make it 800 but that’ s quibbling. So far, so good.

The player on the button goes all-in for 1725 in total (825 to me), if memory serves. Both blinds fold and I am not a fan of this spot. The button is a tough, loose, aggressive player.

Based on this description, I call, knowing that I am very probably a 3-1 dog. I am being offered 825 into just over 3000.

This hand is a good argument for “moving in if you have 10 x BB or less” since you would have folded this player if you had moved in. I prefer NOT to make that play, but many people who are smarter than me simply say “push in at 10.”

So was my mistake the initial raise, or the call (or both), or is this just one of those scenarios that occur when the chips are no longer deep? I remember a recent thread that suggested playing very cautiously (or playing ABC poker) when you're not exactly short-stacked, but when you also don't have a lot of room for error. When one unsuccessful steal attempt really hurts. Does this mean I should have just folded here?

It’s a close situation one way or the other. Which way to lean will depend a lot on the character of the table. If you think the guy on the button is lose and aggressive, move in and shut him out. If the table is very passive and predictable, limp in. If you think the table is typical, play the hands exactly as you did.

Also, does this mean I shouldn't have called his raise even though I was getting good odds for almost any hand he could have?

I think you have to call. You are pot committed. And, the very point of NOT moving in is to maybe (and I mean maybe) attract action from a hand you don’t hate playing against. You really have to call. As soon as you raise pre-flop you are committed to the call unless and UBER rock is the re-raiser, but that was not the case here.

Should I only be playing really big hands at this point? It seems like it would be hard to win playing that way.

You’re right. It is. And, you shouldn’t. Wanton stealing should be reserved for BIG stacks and small stacks. Judicious stealing reserved for middle stacks. A-5s was a legit hand in this spot IMHO.