Strategy post - short stacked in the big blind

[Newmanseye]

I have been in this situation a lot as I play a very aggressive game and I always run in to a mug to cracks my aces with a set or makes 2 pairs from junk.

2 weeks ago in the Cincinatti room I had 1 BB and £100 chip left so I was goosed, Under the gun I had  and I flat called, I was raised from late position and I threw in my 100 chip. 

Flop

 

At this point I managed to make 5 times my stack cos it was called round to the raise.

Next hand I was still very short stack and I see  Ah . again I am called untill the cut off raises.

I throw in all my chips.

Flop

 

I have the other 2 short stacks ready to bubble and I take 4th place to make £50 profit for the tourney.

It pays tgo gamble sometimes, I just prefer to pick my spots no matter what the pot odds are.

[thetank]

At this point I managed to make 5 times my stack cos it was called round to the raise.

My point is this,

With an ace in your hand, there was no way you weren't going to chuck in the 100 chip if someone bet, either before or on the flop.

Those that called round to the raise would also call for the extra 100.

When the late position player raises they have all put in one big blind (lets say it's 600 chips) but they fold to that raise. You win your 700, the raisers 700 and the 600 from the 3 other players for a total of 3200. Had you not saved that chip you would have won five lots of 700 for a total of 3500.

After the next hand that would make the difference between having a 6400 stack, and a 7000 stack.

[Darkhorse]

If i'm that short stacked i'll just put all my chips in and wait until the showdown before i see what i have. would prefer not to look down and see             i prefer to think happy thoughts like  As  Ah

[ifm]

A similar situation at Southampton last week in the Sunday Freezeout.

I was chipped up and made a button raise (3BB) with A3 suited.  BB is short stacked with about 9/10 BB.  He calls.

Flop came A45, he checked and I put him all in.  He passed, showing queens.

I said 'Why didn't you re raise all in pre flop', his reply was 'Well I was right not to because the Ace came!'. 

Fact is, if he had pushed pre flop, I would at least have thought about passing and if not he would have had a huge chance as favourite to double up with an excellent starting hand, thus selling his hand for the most amount, just like Tank says push them in pre flop and hope to get lucky.  If he had doubled up he would have been back in the comp.  If I had passed, he would have about 14 BB.

That's different, he may have made you pass......not the same thing at all.
As it happens he was right to fold and therefore made the right play, had he pushed he most probably ended his comp right there

[thetank]

True, I was referring to situations where the short stack has so few chips left that there is no possibility that he could push anyone off any hand.

As an aside, yes the QQ should have got all his chips in pre-flop.

[vampitup]

I didn't mean it was exactly the same situation - what I was getting at was selling your hand for the most chips.

I agree with Tank, he should have got all his chips in pre flop as a good favourite, whether I call or not.  If and when the ace came, he would have been unlucky.  But if it hadn't he would have been back in the comp.