Opinions Requested Also

DapperGent

Yesterday I was in a multi-table on VC, it was down to the final five $900 for first down to $260 for fifth. Blinds 3000-6000 I was pretty shortstacked with 40K but three others had 40K also and only the bigstack comfy with 100K+. Everyone playing tight.

Anyway I got dealt QQ UTG with the big stack directly to my left. My first thoughts were "Sweet. The ladies 5 handed!" closely followed "Jebus. What the fúck do I do?". It was one of the few times I've been utterly stumped for an action at the poker table. I just did not know what to do.

The crux of the matter was that I wasn't interested in stealing the blinds, I wanted to play one player for all my chips. Good idea/bad idea? I would have been disappointed with just the blinds in this situation but at 9K they were hefty enough.

I saw my options as flat call, min raise, pot commiting raise or all in. Just wondering what people would do in a similar situation.

As it turned out any action I took was pretty academic.

My actions below for interest sake:

I min raised. I saw a flat call as too dangerous as I reckoned it would have ended up 3 or 4 handed on the flop. The BB was particularily tight and so would in my opinion have folded a marginal holding to a minimum raise. At least that's the way he was playing to this point. I thought a larger raise or an all in would just get me the blinds which I didn't want having the 3rd best possible hand preflop. I really didn't want to fold AQ, AJ, A10, JJ, 1010, 99 etc. I didn't have the chips to find out if someone had AA or KK so had to work on the presumption they weren't there.

The big stack went over the top for almost everything I had. I called. He had AK and hit a King. Me losing the hand is unimportant. Not having a clue what to do with QQ has me worried.

Lafortezza

Haven't read the spoiler but in this situation I'd probably call or shove all in. Either one can be seen as a bit weak, the call just wants to see a flop the all in doesn't want to see a flop and could get called by A9 or something.
Min raise is a bit too suspicious, you're more likely to get called instead of reraised and then you'r buggered if an A or K flops.

Best to get it all in preflop and hope some is also pushing with A9 or 88.

DeVore

I'd be tempted to take the blinds with an all in and if you get called you are equally happy. (provided its not a powerhouse hand you are called by).

If you want to get frisky with it, 2.5 times the blinds raise should tempt people to call you with AT+, KQ especially BB and might net you an all in over the top from someone else (which I'd then call).



Personally I'd probably go all in and take the blinds and if someone wants to call me, ok. The blinds are important now since you are in a fight with two others at or around the 40K mark. you getting the blinds now means you take a step ahead of them, if they lose their blinds or dont contest them then they take a step back. That could easily be enough for an extra place or two.

Tough hand and will decide your tournie. I'll read what happened now...

DeV.

Hitman Actual

I'm inclined to go with a pot-committing raise or an all-in here, and with blinds that size, probably all-in. If you come up against AA or KK, so be it. Even AK isn't too bad to be up against here, although it's the worst of the remaining hands. But you'll probably get called by 88-JJ, and AQ, and maybe even AJ.

Actually, with the pot-commiting raise, you have to move all-in on the flop no matter what comes (your stack is too small), so you might as well go all-in from the start.

mewso

All-in. I don't want to limp in and see nasty cards on the flop. I'll take the blinds if nobody wants to call me and if they do fair enough.

Now having read what you did it was just bad luck that knocked you out. With another player on AK it didn't matter what you did really. The blinds don't look so un-appetising when you're out.

Obscure

Pot-commited raise (3/4 of chips)! Hopefully that will push everyone off the pot. However, if someone calls the worst you could put them on are AA, AK or KK. You've decided your pot-commit already so after the flop put everthing else in. If a Ace falls on the flop then that all-in raise could force the KK to fold and so you can win the pot with the worse hand. If they had AA or AK then there's not much you can do! If you get re-raised all-in pre-flop you have to follow.

Hectorjelly

To a good player there is no difference at this stage between a raise and an all in, because the blinds are so big your raise has committed you to the pot. I dont like the min raise because it looks too much like you want action. At this stage of the game I would be pushing with almost any PP and any two broadway cards, so Id push here with QQ, KK or AA as well and hope to get called.

Waylander

I'd probably raise to 21/2-3 times BB, and if I get a caller and a K or A comes on the flop I would seriously consider throwing it depending on my opponents. I think pocket Queens have cost me mopre then they have made me since I took up the game.

zonemelt

I probably raise to 15k (by 1.5 BB) looking for a call from the big stack or an all in from one of the other similar stacks. I think this could marginally lower the overall standard of the hands you end up seeing a flop (or an all in) with and stops the blinds having a cheap look. I agree with hector that no good player will call the raise that wouldn't call the all in so it's up to you what you think the standard of these players is...

J

Spiritus

Though there are many paths
At the foot of the mountain
All those who reach the top
See the same moon.


There is no one correct answer to your query, grasshopper


But I recommend raising.

Frankygolucky

just move in Baby !