blonde poker forum

Haven't done one of these before so please be patient with me.  This is the situation....

You are average chips at the final table (35,000) of a MTT, the blinds are 1200/2400 but are about to move to 1800/3600 within the next minute.  Nearly all the stacks are even with 6 out of the 9 being on 35,000 or thereabouts.  One guy barely has enough for the next BB and will be all-in next hand.  There is a huge chip leader with 120,000 and one guy to your left with about 55,000 (2nd in chips).  The payout structure is such that 9th-7th are not much different and i feel that top 3 is decent money for the outlay (fairly top heavy as always)

The action passes around to you 2 seats from the button with the biggest stack and the lowest stack already folded.  You have JJ, whats your move?

This was a situation i encountered about 10 minutes ago - i am now out of the comp and want to know if i played it correctly.

thanks in advance!

I've voted for calling the re-raise, but that is in the absence of any info on the re-raiser. If he's a tight player who is unlikely to be making a move on me then I pass. Moving in is also a valid option here I think.

As JJ has such a terrible history for me i never know what to do!!, seeing a flop with them is very difficult after raising.
You don't give the option of calling then calling a raise?
I would try that in this situation as i just can't lay down JJ to a reraise!! (this would be cheaper).
So for me it's flat call, call a raise then bin it to a raise on the flop.

I'm content to just pick up the blinds with JJ. I move all-in and make sure I show if they all pass.
If my stack were less than 5 times big blind, I'd play it a little slower, gambling for a double up.

Bah hambug, flat call did you say? Give the blinds the option of a free flop with K2o. Brrrrrrrr

Is that a joke?

I think you have to raise, standard play. Flat calling IMHO is horrible here

If you have to pass to a re-raise from a tight player so be it.

You still have time. Chances are (although obviously not in this instance, Junior's out!) you pick up the blinds, which is an acceptable outcome

I would move all in and show them my hand should they fold.

The way you played 10-8 os at the Midlands Masters, Junior, im sure you would know how to play this better ;-)

Next hand we have 10 times big blind or thereabouts.

We don't have the kind of stack that we have the luxury of being able to pass to a re-raise and our hand is far too good/ prize structure too top heavy for doing that.

I understand we may not want too much action with jacks in a tournament, if that's the case, then it's all-in. If you want more gamble then a 'come over the top of me' raise is ok too.

Yes but 10x BB is enough at this stage.

With his chips you have two moves...a standard raise now and then if you lose than pot/have to pass to a re-raise then the next raise becomes an all in

IMHO People panic too early...why put mit all on the line here? you may be able to pick up the blinds here without being risked by being called all in by AA,AK,KK,QQ etc (which is clearly what happened)

I voted for all in but I think fold is a close second. Anything else not an option. You are not passing this to a preflop reraise and seeing a flop could bring all kinds of horrors. Make your opponents make the decision as to whether they want to gamble their tournament life. They are most likely folding two over cards (depending on your table image) and that includes AK. If you walk into AA KK QQ well that happens occasionally but the odds are that you are in front.

Only 4 players yet to act.

18-1 ish that one of them will have QQ,KK,AA. This is an acceptable risk in my opinion.
If you raise, you make AK,AQ have a very easy desicion, if you go all-in, it's tougher for them.

ok then additional info. -

Of the 4 players left to act after me I have only knowledge of two of them as the rest came from the other table.  I know one to be very solid and likely not to make a 'move' without the goods so is probably gonna wait out and try to ladder and the other is a 'gambler' - he is only playing for top 2 positions and would re-raise with muck.


hope that helps

who are you? and how dare cast aspersions on my character?! - i fold 10-8 everytime  :D

p.s. i really don't know what your talking about - enlighten me.

ifm - please vote other and i have noted your idea.
thanks

so you go all in or you make a standard raise for him to move over the top then you go all in and be ahead when the cards get turned over

I still like the standard raise!

interesting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- obviously i will reveal what happened for those that care

the problem is the blinds are such that it is likely to be an al-in reraise not a reraise that i cold then go over the top of once more and get my oppo to fold.

I had a go at a much longer response, but in writing it I realised that the decision is hugely player dependent.  If you know a lot about the players still to act a standard raise is best as your knowledge will allow you to make good decisions for the rest of the hand.  If you have little info all-in is the best play, as this will stop you folding the best hand.

push, push,push,push,push,push,push

I know, weak easy poker move, but I like it!!!!!

Good luck Junior, cant wait for the grand prix to be on TV 8)

that's my point...you make a standard raise, Mr re-raise with muck thinks "great, I'll go all in, hell fold"...you call, chances are you are ahead

it's a form of double bluff

you go all in straight away, he's folding, you can't say you are any nearer making the top 2

The problem with a standard raise is not so much what to do when reraised but what you do if called and an overcard hits the flop, which it will do about half the time.

but then you've still got c10x bb if you have to fold post flop...why panic?

and I haven't the energy to do the maths but the likelihood of someone behind you calling, or calling with a better hand than JJ?

I'm sure that I would move allin here, but I think there's a case for a minimum raise too.

depends on how many redbulls I have had 8)

Lets say the BB is "Mr I will never fold an Ace in the BB".  If you have that info, it is easy to check/fold if an Ace hits the flop.  Lets say the BB is the Camel - easy call of a reraise.  I just think that you need this kind of info to standard raise or your increasing your chances of a big mistake.

I'm all in.

I always play this all in at a final table from any position if the pot is un raised (if i am average or low stack). At two final tables yesterday i didn't and got pushed off the pot when overcards came on the flop and was shown bluffs after. I would rather take the blinds than play a flop, 3 hands beating you and thats just unlucky if someone has it. Otherwise your a small or decent favourite in a race or dominating an overpair.

Deep breath and shove em in.

The players to your left will recognise that you're raising with a hand as the big blind is going to be all-in. Therefore, I suggest a below standard raise.

If you get reraised, then you can make a decision. I think pushing all-in preflop is slightly unnecessary, especially when the blinds are still at 1200/2400.

good point - best way to play JJ is scared.  _ I did push all- in by the way (and still think its the right move as i would have called a re-raise) - and why giv mr. mover the chance to hit his muck because you had to call all in - may as well just push the lot IMO

I have posted similar problems before and stated that i was happy to go all in - Ironside rightly pointed out that if you were happy to push them all in make sure they know that by... pushing them all in.

it was early on in the 300 comp at the walsall masters.  i think you hit a straight playing 810os.  The guy had 2pair A and 9 i think.  I wasnt criticising, you played it well - no one on the table put you on it :-)

The guy to the right of you had busted out with KK twice in 3 hands at the time.

I voted for standard raise but I think the all in works better. Unless it has a J on it, you wont like most flops for JJ.

My move here depends on my table image,

1. lets say that your seen by the table as a solid tight aggressive player, you make the standard raise and mr loose goose pushes then its an easy call for all of your chips.

2.  However if your seen as the loose goose push and hope for a call from someone with ace rag. if no ace on the flop then move in. if an ace does flop pass in a flash.

Personally i like the standard raise here, i dont mind getting called as im looking to get myself into a better chip position ready to win the tourny.

If you push pre flop and dont get called all youve gained are the blinds which arent at a critical level yet. Just my opinion but i guess most pro's dont push in this situation.

steve read

 

ok, this is what actually happened - i promise this isnt a bad beat story.... well, err..... anyway.


the maniac gambler who had 19 rebuys @ $27 each!!!!! (not an exaggeration i promise) - called with  Ac Qc for pretty much his entire stack. The first card down was  Jc to make my set but went on to help his flush! - i incidently thought this was a terrible call by him.  I made the all in so that AK, AQ and even QQ would pass as i didnt want a coin flip with them and i think making this move makes even the QQ fold for their entire stack - i thought realistically i would only be called defintely by 2 hands (AA and KK) and maybe by AK or QQ.

I think it was the right move but was interested to know what everyone thought.
thanks for the contributions

p.s.

would the rock who said 'fold' please make themselves known to me - i will never call one of your raises ever!

i didnt really think it was a realistic option but ones own opinions are valid opinions

How many clubs on the flop?
If only 1 then my play was the winner

he only had to wait until the turn for the flush so he wasn't going away with your play ifm.  :D

this on bluesq junior?

Its an insta call for the bb on there... i voted standard raise! i want the guy to move allin with ace rag... i'll take my chances!

And yet you FOLD TT if the geezer to your elft - admittedly a world-class player and all-round good egg - makes a tinsy RR?  All mouth & trousers, these damn yanks.

it was an bluesquirrel yes atit but he wasnt the big blind he was on the button which makes the call even more terrible - he had nothing invested and two more players behind him. - grrrrrrr!

the afternoon comps are good on there, have'nt played them for a while! i might play a couple this afternoon!

That call has just reminded me of why i like them... the thing is greg so many players on bluesq will move in with any 2 so aq seems an auto call for alot of players no matter there position

get in the 3.5k g'td at 2pm - i'm there 'fihs4nuts'

greg

HAND OFFICIALLY REMEMBERED ON THE WAY TO THE CASINO LAST NIGHT - IT DOUBLED ME UP AND MADE ME THE CHIP DADDY ON THE TABLE - SB VS BB - HOW COULD I FORGET?!!