Last Hand at final table (PP 50 NL)

[Enon]

So we're down to the final 8 people out of a 900 field and I've just been cut down from about 40k to 11k after my AKs goes up against 66.

Blinds are now 5k and 10k and I'm UTG with J8o, and the next smallest stack is at 80k.

Here are my questions:

1. Is pushing or waiting simply a matter of whether my hand is better than avg and if not (taking into acct the players in the blinds have more than enough to cover them)?

2. How much does the possibility that someone will bust on this very hand affect my decision?

I've been in this situation before at a final table for the PP cruise when I had 910s UTG and pushed instead of waiting for the BB to eat me up.

Tx for any input /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[3rdEye]

Push. You'll get called, but that's what you should want, and J8o is better than a random hand, and you can't wait for the blind to eat up over half your stack. I'd say that, unless a big pair is out there, you're still at worst a 3:1 favorite to win; that's worth pushing here.

[betgo]

I would just wait and defend the BB. You will only have 1K extra after posting it, so you are clearly committed.

[Roman]

I would wait for the BB as well.

[krille]

Even if you push here, you will have to push when you are the BB as well... there for I would fold the J9 and hope to get lucky on the BB. I will then have 7 hands from which I can pick and choose and double up again.

[gergery]

[ QUOTE ]
Push. You'll get called, but that's what you should want, and J8o is better than a random hand, and you can't wait for the blind to eat up over half your stack. I'd say that, unless a big pair is out there, you're still at worst a 3:1 favorite to win; that's worth pushing here.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd fold this, but i don't think its much of a mistake either way.

J8o is better than a random hand, but only just barely at 51% equity, ranked 79th best. More importantly, J8o loses value when up against the set of good hands, which are the only ones that are going to calling you since everyone recognizes you're pot comitted. It drops to 87th rank vs. top 20% of hands, which is below halfway. You also encourage more callers by jumping in now, and J8o doesn't do well with more opponents.

Partly the answer depends on the table characteristics -- the more multiway pots are happening (J8o plays better with fewer o's), the more aggressive opponents are (someone might bust), then the more you should be inclined to fold.

--Greg

[SossMan]

You'll get called, but that's what you should want

really? you wouldn't take a fold from everyone (including the BB?)

I would wait until the next hand and take my chances in the BB. The reason is that you are going to have to defend the blind next hand anyway with over half of your stack in on a random hand. Also, with you (essentially) limping UTG, this will probably cause a limpfest (and a subsequent check down all the way) whereas if you are in the BB, someone will likely raise to isolate you with the random hand and you will be heads up (probably what you want here).