Should I ever just call here on the BB?

[Benholio]

Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (6 handed)

Button (t490)
SB (t655)
Hero (t1180)
UTG (t890)
MP (t2290)
CO (t4495)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG folds, <font color="CC3333">MP raises to t200</font>, CO folds, Button folds, SB folds, Hero calls t100.

Flop: (t450) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/club.gif, 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">MP bets t450</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t900

Results in white below: <font color="white">
No showdown. MP wins t900. </font>

Is calling this pre-flop the right play? After I call this, I know he is going to bet out on the flop, and I'm just going to have to fold unless I hit the flop (and I might lose anyway). Should I have folded? Pushed? (pre-flop)

[poboys]

It depends. You need to figure out how you want to play this pre-flop. Do you have any read on what type of hands this player would min-raise (versus 3xBB raise)?

AJs 6 handed is a decent hand. Against a raise (even a min-raise) you may be dominated (A-K, A-Q), or you may domiante (AT or lower).

Here I think you have three choices. Fold pre-flop if you don't want to go to war with this hand.

Call and play if you hit a J or a A on the flop. Fold other wise.

Re-raise and take control of the hand. This is a tricky thing to do with AJ, but if you have a good read on the player, it may be worth pursuing.

And of course (fourth option) you could bet out the flop. See if he makes a play back at you. When you check the flop against a decent player, you have waived the white flag.

So, I'd either re-raise pre-flop, or, if I felt that the player may be bullying me around, I'd bet the flop and see what he does.