AK vs. short stack

[rjc199]

Here is a hand relatively early in a $5 SNG. I really didn't like it when UTG came over the top of me, but he was short stacked and most of the time I'm a coin flip against him plus I have a nice overlay. I pushed to force MP2 out of the pot, and that worked.

Question: Was pushing correct?


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (8 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Button (t1065)
SB (t1290)
BB (t4755)
UTG (t480)
UTG+1 (t1655)
Hero (t1000)
MP2 (t1205)
CO (t2050)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="CC3333">UTG raises to t60</font>, UTG+1 folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t110</font>, MP2 calls t110, CO folds, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, <font color="CC3333">UTG raises to t480</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t1000</font>, MP2 folds.

[willperkins]

I can't fault your play. I think UTG has TT, JJ, QQ, or AK. He could have AA or KK, but since you have AK, I like the odds against that. Even if you lose the coin flip, you will still have t520 and the blinds are still relatively small. In order to make ITM finishes in SNGs you have to push your good hands and get lucky.

[Lori]

This is certainly a hand where I see monsters, but once again (as with another hand recently) I take your line of play and just hope he has QQ or JJ instead of AA.

This play smells of AA quite badly, but having him covered by so much, I think you have to make it as there are enough other hands he can have to make it worth playing.

Lori

[sloth469]

Am I wrong to think that early in a $5 SNG he may make this play w/ any 2 high cards? How often do you see ato or kjo make a play like this early on. I like the push/call Unless he has aa or kk, you are at worst a coinflip.

[Saint_D]

Early in a $5 SNG your opponents can and will do anything. $5 sng is the cheapest way to lose at hold'em.

So basically, your oppenent could make this call on any ace, any suited any PP or any connectors. You have the advantage, and a big overlay. If you get sucked out you don't care much. The sucker will mentally note you as a "fish" and when you go all in on AA he will pay you off. You should still be able to get into the money with 500, and I have won with as little at 140. A big comeback is never out of the question.

Until you make the top 4, you can't give your oppenents any credit at all.

That said, I am struggling with what to do with monster flops early in the game. I think my new strategy is to try to win a few hundred chips with them. A 200 chip advantage is nice, but a 100-200 chips deficit isn't that big a deal. On the other hand, getting sucked out in level one just stings.