55 in BB vs. "Steal" raise from other big stack in SB

[sethypooh21]

Home tourney they other day, 9 entries, top 2 pay, VERY top heavy (2x buy in to 2nd, 7x to first)

5 left, blinds are 75-150, I have about 2400 before the blind. SB has ~3000. UTG, MP and Button all have 1200 or less.

SB and me are the two best players by a bit in my estimation

Folded to SB who makes it 550. I have presto. Call, raise or fold?

I called thinking that even if I miss, I can fold and still be healthy (just under 2000), whereas if I spike a 5, I stack him and am in the drivers seat, since He is crippled, and the other 3 left will be both weak and short stacked, but would welcome other opinions.

[ChrisV]

Calling is the worst play, you must go allin or fold. The problem with your theory of spiking a 5 is that it is simply not going to happen. You only flop a set 1 in 8.5 times. Even when you do you may not bust him.

Meanwhile there are 1100 chips in the pot and there will be even more when SB takes a stab at it. Are you really going to let that go without a fight? Supposing the flop comes 832. Are you just going to let him have that? How about when the flop is J82?

If you think about it you'll realise that your plan is (or should be) really to give up on the flop if the board is scary enough. In other words you're going to give him a shot at flopping a pair and if he manages to he can have the pot. If he has a bigger pair already you'll go broke whenever a non-scary board flops anyway.

Don't let him outflop you. 700 is a lot of chips. I would move in and commandeer them. Stealing chips from SB is great because it moves you closer to your final aim of being the big stack vs two other equalish stacks in final 3. Then you can bully them.

This all assumes SB is capable of folding to a reraise. If he isn't, it might be more prudent to fold.

[patrick dicaprio]

if it is really top heavy there is a good chance you can steal here and if he doesnt have a high pair you will likely be a favorite. so all in or fold depending on your read of him. calling is the worst because you will often have to fold on the flop and are susceptible to any big bet even with 72 since you cant really call if overcards come.

Pat

[BigHobo]

[ QUOTE ]
if it is really top heavy there is a good chance you can steal here and if he doesnt have a high pair you will likely be a favorite. so all in or fold depending on your read of him. calling is the worst because you will often have to fold on the flop and are susceptible to any big bet even with 72 since you cant really call if overcards come.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree completely. It depends on your read of the other player, but fold or push are the only viable options that I can see. Unless you can tell by his bet that he either 1) has high pocket pairs or 2) will call no matter what, my preference would be a push.