Limit Hold'em Tournaments - Defending Your Big Blind

[adios]

This situation comes up all the time that is you're big blind is open raised by a late position player or the SB. Early in the tournament I try not to gamble too much and probably let my blind go too easily. The reason is that I don't want to gamble all that much as I figure I can make some hay against the poorer players (as long as I'm not one them /images/graemlins/smile.gif). Later after the blinds move up I try and defend much more liberally. In limit hold'em tournaments I think it's more of a crap shoot than a no limit or pot limit hold'em tournament because you have to gamble in the big blind more often on perhaps some pretty thin edges. Maybe I'm thinking about this wrong, any comments appreciated.

Here's a hand from yesterday's WCOOP event that was iffy. I think there were about 300 players left and some very aggressive player was to my immediate right. We both have decent size stacks and won't be going broke or close to it on this hand. I had been moved to this table recently but had a chance to observe the play for an orbit or so. I'm in BB and the super aggressive player is in the SB. Folded to SB who raises, I've got ATo as suits aren't important in this hand. I three bet, SB 4 bets and I call. Flop is K,Q, 2 and the very aggressive player leads into me. Your move.

[fnord_too]

I'd raise.

[eric5148]

I'd fold. You're either slightly ahead or way behind. From the way you describe his style, it looks like you'll have to showdown the best hand to win. LAGs get dealt good cards just as often as anyone else. Just because you're not in a desperate stack situation, doesn't mean you should push small edges like this.

[Tosh]

He has 4 outs to the nuts and odds of 9/1. He also figures to get paid off big when he hits, folding is an error.

[adios]

I called. Raising may very well have been the right play. I wasn't sure I wouldn't get 3 bet on the flop with nothing. I felt I was definitely committed to seeing the river. Folding would be a bad play for the reasons Tosh mentioned .

The turn was a Q so the board read K,Q,Q,2. My opponent led into me again and since I thought seeing the river was essential of course I at least called. Perhaps I should have raised on the turn? I called, the river was a blank my opponent checked, I checked (perhaps I should have fired one) and my unimproved ATo was good.

[Tosh]

Well played.

[balt999]

AGainst this type of player, I think a raise is the move

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]
AGainst this type of player, I think a raise is the move

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I prefer the line the poster took. A raise might very well knock the aggressive player off his hand if he is bluffing, but isn't gonna make him fold a better hand. Let him bluff off his chips into a hand you want to see a showdown with cheaply.