Minimum Hand needed to call here? (Small Blind vs Big Blind, late on in MTT)

[I, Zimbra]

This occurred to me just before the final table.

I'd lost a pot against a shortstack (Seat 1) just a few hands earlier, he blasted his 4xBB with 8-9, my A-T was ahead, but an 8 on the board knocked me into the red.

Here's the situation: 10 players remain in the comp, so just before the final table (although not on the bubble, as only top 6 get paid.), and I am now 9th out of 10.

Stakes: 300/600

[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Hand Start.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 1 : has $3,800
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 3 : SMALL BLIND has $8,240
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 5 : Zimbra has $4,910
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 6 : has $15,230
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 9 : has $9,570
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : ...is the dealer.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : ...posted small blind.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Zimbra posted big blind.  <<<(600, so 4310 left to play with)
 
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Game [90] started with 5 players.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Dealing Hole Cards.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 5 : Zimbra has ?? ??
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : folded.
[Aug 21 21:48:36] : folded.
[Aug 21 21:48:38] : folded.
[Aug 21 21:48:40] : SMALL BLIND called 300 and raised 7,640 and is All-in
 
[Aug 21 21:48:16] : Zimbra ??

My question: given that I will be out of the comp if I lose the hand - but will be 3rd or 4th in chips if I win the hand - what's the minimum type of hand you guys would call with in a spot like this?

Opinions please

[GlasgowBandit]

TT, AJ, AQ, AT, KJ, KQ,

I would reckon your up against a low to middle pair.

[Dale]

I guess it depends what range you put this guy on.
He could very easily be pushing the top 60% of hands here (that's 22+,A2+,K2+,Q2+,J5o+,J2s+,T7o+,T5s+,98o,96s+,87s ).


In this case I think you'd want to be calling with about top 14/15% of hands (33+,A7o+,A4s+,KTs+).
Then your range has 65% equity against his ranges 35%. That's the sort of numbers

I'd personaly call with a tighter range than that (maybe even as tight as top 7%.... 88+,AJo+,ATs+), I certainly lose a bit of value doing that but I like to be the one pushing rather than calling where (oppponent tightnes dependant) I can gain that lost value back and more.

To sum up.
How I play this hand you posted depends on the pushing range you put the villan on.
and
How tight the rest of the table is, will I be able to steal easily?

[I, Zimbra]

To sum up.
How I play this hand you posted depends on the calling range you put the villan on.
and
How tight the rest of the table is, will I be able to steal easily?

I can answer the second question first: There is an absolute maniac with a whole lot of chips to my immediate left (Seat 6), he called off half his stack with 4-4 earlier with 4-4 vs. an obvious big hand (K-K) and then got the chips back from another player. Earlier in the comp he was raising virtually every hand. He also calls raises with anything; as witness the player who raised with an A-4 and got a double-up from his Q-5 on an A-A-J board.

Stealing is not much of an option.

The 'villain' in this piece has not been that tight, especially early on. Right at the start he has been seen limping and then calling big raises preflop - only to fold on the flop when he misses. On Level 3 he was still limping off a 3k stack (30 BBs) and minbetting flops or checking and folding.

[I, Zimbra]

I should point out that my analysis of the villain in the above post was not done at the table, but just now from hand histories of the event (I have not seen him before, but we'd been on the same table the entire time)

[Dale]

If fold equity is likely to be low/none for the next couple of rounds then I call with a wider range here.
I really do think his pushing range is huge here so if you have a top 15% hand go ahead and call.
You might end up looking stupid sometimes when he flips over a monster but so be it if that's the case, you're not folding into the money that's for sure.

So what did you have and what did you do?

[I, Zimbra]

I'll give it a day or so to hear a few more opinions, after which I will post the full HH and let everyone out of their misery

[I, Zimbra]

12 hours later, and no further opinions... (weep)

Come on guys, I really need the help... even if it's just to say "I agree with Dale" or something!

[I promise there isn't a bad beat story at the end of this one...]

[mjrevie]

I agree with Bandit and Dale. TT+, AT+, KJ+. Anything in this range I call. Probaly wouldnt call with QJ but possibly depending on the rest of the table.

I think Dale has given an answer with enough detail that no one can really extend on it.

[SupaMonkey]

If he is as loose as you say i would probably call with any Ace, any 2 cards above 10 and any pair. I'm more likely to lose but i can do more damage on the final table with 10k.

[ACE2M]

i call A10+ or 77+, maybe KQs but i would expect to be behind with it (but the gods favour KQ over any other hand online in my experience so i would probably call in an instant).
He has something as he is in post double up happiness bubble and could avoid the move if he so wished.

[I, Zimbra]

i call A10+ or 77+, maybe KQs but i would expect to be behind with it (but the gods favour KQ over any other hand online in my experience so i would probably call in an instant).
He has something as he is in post double up happiness bubble and could avoid the move if he so wished.

Good point actually, I didn't mention that the small blind is the player who doubled up with the KK vs the maniac's 44 during the previous level, but perhaps I should have.

Here is the full HH then:

[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Hand Start.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 1 : has $3,800
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 3 : SMALL BLIND has $8,240
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 5 : Zimbra has $4,910
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 6 : has $15,230
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 9 : has $9,570
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : ...is the dealer.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : ...posted small blind.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Zimbra posted big blind.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Game [90] started with 5 players.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Dealing Hole Cards.
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : Seat 5 : Zimbra has
[Aug 21 21:48:35] : folded.
[Aug 21 21:48:36] : folded.
[Aug 21 21:48:38] : folded.
[Aug 21 21:48:40] : SMALL BLIND called 300 and raised 7,640 and is All-in
[Aug 21 21:48:16] : Zimbra called 4,310 and is All-in
[Aug 21 21:48:16] : Showdown!
 
[Aug 21 21:48:16] : Seat 5 : Zimbra has
 
[Aug 21 21:48:18] : Seat 3 : SMALL BLIND has
 
[Aug 21 21:48:27] : Board cards [ ]
 
[Aug 21 21:48:27] : SMALL BLIND has 3 of a Kind: 5's
 
[Aug 21 21:48:27] : Zimbra has Two Pair: Queens and 5's
 
[Aug 21 21:48:27] : SMALL BLIND wins 9,820 with 3 of a Kind: 5's
 
[Aug 21 21:48:33] : Stakes: 300/600 Current level: 7 Level up in: 10 min. Break in: 37 min. Players : 10
 
[Aug 21 21:48:33] : Hand is over.

Not a bad beat, I was indeed behind - although in a reasonable pre-flop shape, and I felt I was most likely in a race, and there was even a small chance that I was dominating a hand like QJ or KJ or KT. I've even seen people stick it in with JT in situations like these, although the fact that the SB has been fairly passive all game meant that I was expecting 8-8 or A-x before something like J-T...

Usually I avoid playing KQ like the plague - especially for a call, rather than a raise. But under the circumstances, I felt like the call was correct...

[NoflopsHomer]

I'd call with any pair TT or above or AK or AQ.

[I, Zimbra]

I'd call with any pair TT or above or AK or AQ.

But you'd pass KQ?

[NoflopsHomer]

I'd call with any pair TT or above or AK or AQ.

But you'd pass KQ?

Yup, it's a dog even to A2.