QQ utg

Lex

Playing the Ladbrokes Cruise weekly final last night. 160 runners with 20 cruise tickets available.

After missing absolutely everything in the first hour I became shortstacked but clawed it back and built up a decent stack later on to break into the top 10. In quick succesion I got three playable hands and lost a chunk of my stack on missed boards where I couldnt call all-in bets. This meant I slipped below stack average (roughly 10k) with 7k.

30-something players left and blinds (400/800) were going up in a few mins. I knew I'd have to get involved in another hand in the next orbit or two just to stay afloat. At this stage I've very little room to manouver and didnt fancy letting the blinds run through me again.
Stacks at the table ranged from about 4k - 14k with about 5 players having me covered. I have less than 10BB and know that when we are down to only 3 talbes it will tighten up even more as the majority of these guys are satellite qualifiers like myslef and would sell their granny for a ticket on the cruise worth 5k.

I picked up QQ utg.
When I've let myself get this low is it a definite push? i.e hope for a double up or be happy with the 1200 from the blinds that will be gained if its folded around.
Or is there any validation in flat-calling/min-raising? I dont think so as I'll prob be sticking the chips in to a raise pre-flop or on the flop anyway.
As far as I can see I'm probably getting called with a small/med pair or AJ-AK and definately getting called with 1010-AA.
What is the right move here? Off to the races?

Norwich Fan Rob

im all in here with QQ with less than average stack.

ntlbell

no brainer imo

push

Jaden

Welcome to pushville, population - you.

Slowplaying QQ has done me more harm than good, although you might wanna take the chance. You don't want to be taken out by a 9,10 os limper hitting two pair. I'd do the same with JJ.

In late position, maybe a different story. UTG - push, every time. Blinds are worth it.

careca

I would be inclined to raise to about 3600. you might get someone with a small pocket pair along for the ride. If you are reraised it has to go in but if not you can bet the lot on the flop (you have position) and whoever called would need a hand to call the bet. The problem with going allin is that I don't think 1200 will greatly increase your stack and you might frighten some players out (7K is still a considerable raise).

Culchie

I'd push 7 times out of 10 here when down to less than 10 BB's.

Only thing I'd say though ....it depends on the table and your image.

I'm sure there may be worse stacks in play, so if I was pretty sure that someone (probably shortstacks) was going to make a move at the pot either by going all-in or raising, I would sometimes just call here.

Very Very rarely when it gets down to the business end of a tourney will somebody not make a move at the pot in late position.

However if you image is one that a call utg screams 'monster' then you are better pushing as it looks suspicious , and let them guess what you have.

So, 7/8 times out of 10 I'd push, but just take in to account your table image, and the sort of action that you are expecting if you just called.

Culchie

BTW ... 160 runners, 20 tickets .... that's great odds !

Samba

Really need an idea of exactly how many big/small stacks there are.


It's getting down to the money and people really start to tighten up around this point of a tournament generally, in fear of bubbling or going out.

There are a few things we must look at.

1. Your table image.

2. Your stack size and the number of smaller & bigger stacks.

3. Are their calling stations/Gamblers who have taken on small stacks with a view that it's a chance to eliminate a player.

4. Is there prominent bb thief at the table?

Have your raises been respected by the players at the table up to this point? If so, i do not think you are going to get action with an UTG all in as it stinks of strength out of position, you could afterall halve the big stack with this hand and the smaller stacks may well recognise that an all in bet means you are strong.

If someone at the table has been constantly raising with position & uncontested I would very much be inclined to limp in here, your bb stealer may be suspicious of a limp however, smaller stacks might see chips on the table and think, this is the time to make a move.

With so many players behind you to act, it's a judgement call as to whether or not someone behind you will kindly raise the pot for you, making the hand easier to play.


If you want to double up here I think you should limp as it sounds like it's a very tight table with few flops been seen. If you want the blinds, push.

Lex

Culchie wrote:

Only thing I'd say though ....it depends on the table and your image.

It was generally an extremely tight game. No-one was consistently stealing. There was one agressor who was pushing on the flop a good bit if he sensed any waekness. But he had busted out 20 mins prev when he pushed pre-flop in the SB with KK and the BB called him with AJo!!!

In the previous hour or two I'd shown down very few hands. And hands I'd showed down, I won (except for one I think). These hands were AKo, AJs, 99 etc. I called two all-ins which cost me a 3rd of my stack in the BB with KK which held up against 33 and AKo.

Some players were prepared to put their stack on the line with AJ-AK so I was thinking I'd be called if someone held this. Game was extremely tight and I'm sure I'm prob only getting called by a big Ace or a medium/big pair.

The big stacks have been only calling pushes from the small stacks with big hands as they are all fearful of doubling some-one up.

As I said in the OP stack sizes ranged from 4-14k with about 4 or 5 players having me covered. To be honest I think I was happy with getting the blinds before they ran through me again next hand. Hence the push.

As it happened it was folded around to the BB who called with AA. 4 hearts fell on the board but neither of us had one so I didnt improve. Out in 33rd. I think I got unlucky, but that's not really the point obviously, Its to debate if my decsion was the right one at the time.

I checked back on the game an hour and a half later and it was still going with 22 players left! :eek:

There was a good overlay allright Culchie. Half an hour beforehand there was only 130 players but there was a few late buy-ins to bump it up. I think next Sun is the last week and there are 25 ticks garaunteed! But it's frikkin Christmas day!! :mad: