final table bust hand

[Dominic]

last night's $50 MTT at UB...

It's down to 7...I'm in 5th with a shortstack of 4500. Blinds at 200-400. Leaders are at 20,000+. 7th pays 195...6th pays 250ish...5th pays 305. The two stacks below me are hovering arond 1500-2000.

I'm in the BB...pick up 88. It's folded around to one of the chip leaders on the button - who limps (DANGER WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!). A medium stack in the SB completes. I check, figuring I don't want to bust out in 7th on a coin flip - the Button will undoubtedly call if I push. I'm playing to flop a set.

Flop comes 247. SB checks. I figure I must have the best hand, so I push. Button immediately calls, SB folds.

Button has KK. I'm out in 7th.

A few questions:

Was my check preflop weak or the right play? Should I have pushed here? (I know, I would've lost, but I don't want to be results oriented)

Should I have treated the Button's call as suspicious? If he had any semblance of a hand, he raises to pick up the blinds, right? He's calling to lure us in with his KK, obviously. I just didn't read it correctly.

So what do I do with my 88s with that kind of flop? Make a normal bet and fold to a raise??

Help!

/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[KJS]

Not to be picky, but you say you are playing to flop a set, then don't and go all-in? This after you saw the red flag he waved with his limp. Trust your reads.

I know you only have 4500 left, but I would lead with a pot sized bet and see if I get a call. All-in is only getting called if you are beat, IMO. If he calls the PSB, you can use that info to decide if your read that he was trapping pre-flop is good or not.

KJS

[ZootMurph]

Dominic, you know when the big stack limps from the button, it probably means a big hand, but then you go and push on the flop. What I would have done is checked and see what the button will do. He's trying to trap, and knows he is in good shape, so he may give you a free card to hit your 8. If you don't hit it, check again and let him bet.

It perplexes me that you knew what was happening {one of the chip leaders on the button - who limps (DANGER WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!). }, but STILL fell into the trap.

[ QUOTE ]
Was my check preflop weak or the right play? Should I have pushed here? (I know, I would've lost, but I don't want to be results oriented)

[/ QUOTE ]
As for your preflop play, I'd have done the same in that scenario, IF the button usually comes in for raises preflop. IF he limps often, I'd have raised it all in. With no read, check in the blind is best.

[ QUOTE ]
Should I have treated the Button's call as suspicious? If he had any semblance of a hand, he raises to pick up the blinds, right? He's calling to lure us in with his KK, obviously. I just didn't read it correctly.


[/ QUOTE ]
Your read is what matters here. Again, did he limp regularly, or was he usually open raising? With no read, I treat any open limp from the button from a big stack as suspicious. Honestly, he didn't want just the blinds, he wanted more. Any big stack worth his salt open raises from the button... unless he is trapping or a really weak player, and you would pick up on that pretty quickly.

[ QUOTE ]
So what do I do with my 88s with that kind of flop? Make a normal bet and fold to a raise??

[/ QUOTE ]
In normal circumstances or these? In normal circumstances, I would go all in on that flop. However, in the circumstances you described, I would check to the button and see what he does. A weak bet would really scare me. A bet which would put me all in or pot commit me would induce me to put all my chips in. A check through would be great as I'd have another chance to hit my 8 and maybe get frightened out by an overcard /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm pretty sure not everyone agrees with my opinion on how to play this... but we'll see.

[Dominic]

no, I think you guys are right....I didn't read the Button limp correctly until AFTER he showed his KK and I hit my forehead in a Homer Simpson-like "Doh!"

I was just annoyed I didn't read the limp as a trap play when it is obvious after the fact.

Thanks for kicking my butt - I needed it!