First Final Table Blow-up

gunner

Hi All

I made my first final table the other day. $20 + 2 NL at party poker. I was just over average stack after barely making in into the money at 70th. I feel I made a horrible play here, because i could have coasted into 5th (or so) for my biggest of $500+. 10th paid $135 and 1st was $2930.

I'm on button, dealt JJ. raise 3 times the BB . mostly wanted to take it there. Quickly re-raised by big-blind (slightly more $$ than me), who was pretty aggressive the entire day. I quickly call (??) and he shows AK off. hits A on river and I'm done. It was very instinctive because used to playing cash games where I will make that call all the time. But i cost myself 100 per person that goes out easily.

Hope to hear a little about the decision. In hindsight I fold that and make sure i get a good payoff , but statistically it was a good play if i have him on low pair or 2 high cards (which was very possible in my mind). PS i had raised his blind a few times already at an earlier table.

Any help. I just hope I make another final table and play a little smarter.

SirWatts

Easy call you were unlucky to run into such a strong hand. 5th place should never be your goal, the real money comes in the top 3, but especially in winning.

Soup

Easy call. BB could easily put you on a blind steal and push back with any two and expecting to take it down. I've been in the same position and been playing only to move up the winnings. Everytime I've regreted it (happened twice at pacifics 30+3 FT)

ScottyZ

It really depends on exactly how much more in chips the re-raise actually is.

If it's another 3 big blinds to call, it's an easy call. If you have 50 more big blinds in front of you, it's far from an automatic play.

The read that he has either a low pair or two high cards is a little suspect, and may be more wishful thinking than an actual read. I don't see how you can rule out QQ-AA (while including other pocket pairs) in your opponent's range of hands unless you know something very specific and very reliable about this player.

ScottyZ

gunner

Thanks for the comments. I see both sides of it. To answer ScottyZ I think BB was 3000 and I had about 60000 and change. This was my concern also, the reason I felt it was bad was because I didn't put enough thought into it. I was all instinct ... which I want to stay away from, I had been good all day but final table got me out of sorts i guess.

ScottyZ i didn't "put him" on small pair or 2 high cards, put i felt that it was a play he might still make if he held those hands. I knew AA KK QQ was a very good possibility.

thanks again

ScottyZ

Okay, I think I see what you meant in terms of the player read now.

With those chip stack sizes, you would need roughly a 42% chance of winning the hand to make calling EV-correct.

It's still a somewhat close decision, but against an opponent who has been "pretty aggressive", I'd lean towards calling with the Jacks.

The alternative is folding and leaving yourself with around 17 big blinds. While certainly not a short stack, this is also not a big pile of chips either. IMO, better to go for a double up here with a hand as good as JJ rather than toying with the danger of getting short stacked during the next few orbits.

ScottyZ

SirWatts

Given that you raised from the button, and you'd be dong a lot of that, and he'd been aggressive the whole tournament, I think this actually is fairly automatic on your stack, though you should always take a second to think before you do it. His range here is likely VERY big and you must be a decent favourite against it. It's just so likely he's coming over the top with anything decent here since he thinks you have nothing and he wants to get you off his blind.