Bubble Play Advice

woodywood25

This hand is still haunting me from last night, I need some feedback. This was in a 180 player sit & go 20+2 on stars. I was 15th of 19 players left(18 places pay), smallest stack had < 1BB. I get dealt JJ on the BB UTG+2 raises 3BB folded around to me. I call, board is rags and I bet 3BB the UTG+2 re-raises me all in. He had me covered easily, my read on him that he was a good player and aggressive. I tried to wait to see if short stack (a different table) would bust, but he didn’t. I ended up folding to avoid being bubble boy.

I thought about folding pre-flop and I think I should have. How would you have played this hand? I went on to finish 8th.

Hork42

You said you were 15th of 19 left, so I assume you were fairly short-stacked... With JJ there, I'd push all-in preflop. The way the payouts go for those things, 10th-18th is basically your money back and 9th thru 1st are where the majority of the money is paid out. Don't go for 18th place, go for 1st.

WaterLooser

10 players from the $$ on Paradise. Table has been crazy, people going out all over the place. Notice the smack talk in the chat. I must say I was extatic when I hit the trips ... at least I didn't get rivered!

Table "Pina 48" (MTT) -- Seat 2 is the button
Seat 1: billyw5 (3,822 in chips)
Seat 2: flea7 (18,255 in chips)
Seat 3: Time31 (3,240 in chips)
Seat 4: RedDeer40 (6,290 in chips)
Seat 5: K.C.N. (5,235 in chips)
Seat 6: buckeyedan (7,167 in chips)
Seat 7: kenmalave (26,525 in chips)
Seat 8: GjGza (18,530 in chips)
Seat 9: flammbo69 (1,879 in chips)
Seat 10: TRizzle444 (1,226 in chips)
flea7 : Ante (100)
Time31 : Ante (100)
RedDeer40: Ante (100)
K.C.N. : Ante (100)
buckeyedan: Ante (100)
kenmalave: Ante (100)
GjGza : Ante (100)
flammbo69: Ante (100)
TRizzle444: Ante (100)
billyw5 : Ante (100)
Time31 : Post Small Blind (1,000)
RedDeer40: Post Big Blind (2,000)
Dealing...
Dealt to RedDeer40 [ Qh ]
Dealt to RedDeer40 [ Qs ]
TRizzle444 said, "yeah"
RedDeer40 said, "nope"
flammbo69 said, "like the 1st hand of a rebuy tourney"
K.C.N. : Fold
buckeyedan: Fold
TRizzle444 said, "nope"
kenmalave: Fold
flammbo69 said, "the whole time nothing but all ins"
flammbo69 said, "crazy as hell"
GjGza : Fold
flammbo69: Fold
TRizzle444 said, "no not at all"
TRizzle444: Fold
billyw5 : Fold
TRizzle444 said, "i just have a sack"
flea7 : Raise (5,000)
TRizzle444 said, "unlike you"
flammbo69 said, "huh"
Time31 : Fold
RedDeer40: Raise All-in (4,190)
flea7 : Call (1,190)
flammbo69 said, "wtf are u talking about"
flammbo69 said, "douche"
flammbo69 said, "nobody was even talking to u"
*** FLOP *** : [ 3h Qd 4d ]
*** TURN *** : [ 3h Qd 4d ] [ 2c ]
*** RIVER *** : [ 3h Qd 4d 2c ] [ 7c ]
*** SUMMARY ***
Pot: 14,380 | Board: [ 3h Qd 4d 2c 7c ]
billyw5 lost 100 (folded)
flea7 bet 6,290, collected 14,380, net +8,090 (showed hand) [ As 5s ] (a straight, ace to five)
Time31 lost 1,100 (folded)
RedDeer40 lost 6,290 (showed hand) [ Qh Qs ] (three of a kind, queens)
K.C.N. lost 100 (folded)
buckeyedan lost 100 (folded)
kenmalave lost 100 (folded)
GjGza lost 100 (folded)
flammbo69 lost 100 (folded)
TRizzle444 lost 100 (folded)

See even when you pp does hit the flop - you can still lose. I still would have pushed pre-flop with the JJ.

Flint Bones

What was your stack size? Pushing pre-flop with JJ is the best way to go. The call was weak and his push could have been a bluff to buy the pot. But make him decide pre-flop.

woodywood25

I was around 9K in chips, he was around 17k. I'm shocked so many people say push with fish hooks!

BigChrisEl

woodywood25 wrote:

I was around 9K in chips, he was around 17k.   I'm shocked so many people say push with fish hooks! 

Well what are you playing for? Are you playing to win or are you playing to make it in the money?

If you are short stacked with 9K (not knowing what the blinds are) why would you even consider just calling the raise? To me this is a simple all-in or fold situation. If you are calling the raise you might as well be putting all of your money in the middle because you have to figure no matter what the flop the initial raiser (when he has double your money) is going to put you to a decision for all of you chips, plus he could be thinking his Ace-High is good.

woodywood25

I think the blinds were 300/600.

Thanks all!! I now see how wrong I played this hand. I think folding pre-flop would have been the correct play for me. Making the money is a huge accomplishment for me in this tourney. At best he would have folded to my all in, if he called at best I was 2 to 1 shot. I know there would have been a better time later to get my money in the pot.

Hork42

woodywood25 wrote:

 At best he would have folded to my all in, if he called at best I was 2 to 1 shot.   I know there would have been a better time later to get my money in the pot.

I don't understand what you are trying to say here.

Unknown

What would you have done with two Queens? Same thing?

Jacks are a pretty premium hand in my opinion. 300/600 is applying some pressure right, are there ante's as well?

I think I'm probably a lot like you. I am relatively new to the game, 18 months or so,  but I love it, and I try to work hard to play my best. Hence, I often really question myself in these really 50/50 sort of decisions, especially as I approach the money. Cashing in big tournaments is a great thrill, but what about winning a big tournament. I'd be willing to forego double my money back for a shot at a big payout, plus the DING DING DING.

I agree with Hork as well. Being a 2 to 1 favorite is a good result. Maybe he has A10, or even Better AJ. You said your read was that he was good and aggressive. You can beat alot of hands he might be raising with here, including AK, and AQ, and 1010.

I think it's a huge mistake.

AcidJoe

It's a simple push or fold situation. A call with the JJ was weak. You now either re raise all in or fold. With one person left to bust out in a normal sng (you said <1 BB) I don't play unless I have AA. With obviously several tables going it's way to early to do that, you do have 15 BB left, while not short stacked you are getting there and certainly don't have a large stack. All in was #1 in my books, folding was #2, calling and folding was your worst situation.

SirWatts

Push preflop man, wtf. That flop fold is one of the ugliest things I've ever seen.

westside8

I would've either pushed preflop, or once the flop comes all rags, the money is going in. Stating he's good and aggressive, he could've simply be making a continuation on the assumption you missed the flop with two high cards and taking advantage of the bubble situation which he will assume everyone will tighten up.