Leaving Enough Chips To Bet Opponent Out

I may have played this NLHE small-tourney hand dreadfully but maybe not. 100-200 blinds, NO antes, blinds double every 30 min, 30 players left, only the top four spots pay much.


I have a very good table image. There's been a lot of limping and I've been biding my time, waiting for a steal opportunity. I'm in the SB, 2100 in chips, about 75K chips in play.


Two mid position players limp, a somewhat tightweak player(who has twice folded to my re-raises) makes it 400 in the cutoff, the loosest of gooses calls on the button. I look down and see 22 and immediately say "I raise". This was mistake #1; I should have paused before doing anything, as a famous player once advised me to do in any NLHE situation.


I intend to go all-in, but get somehow discombobulated by my 25 & 100 chips being in separate stacks and windup making it only 1100 to go.


Everyone folds to cutoff who thinks a long time then mucks. Button thinks a long time then calls. Flop KdKhTh, I go all in, button calls for last 600 w/Ks7s, turn's a 7, sigh. Button insisted after the fact that he'd've folded preflop if cutoff had called(true) and called even if I'd've gone allin pre-flop(doubtful, but not impossible; I've seen him do similar).


Cutoff, who had 88, said he'd've been more likely to call if I'd've gone all-in preflop, figuring me for a steal with a lone Ace(maybe. I had him covered, too.)


Button would fold if the flop missed him, but would likely call if the flop was as little as Jd7h3s(an ace might scare him). Question: Are there enough flops where button would fold(and I'd want him to fold) to justify not going all in preflop?


FWIW a very good player said going all in is best.

Four people have already voluntarily put some money in to the pot when it comes around to you pre-flop. It seems unlikely to me that you can raise everyone out ; worse than that, if anyone does call either they have AK or you are in big trouble against a pair.


I would fold straight away. If you must play then yes, go all-in.


Andy.

If you HAVE to play go allin. A raise that leaves half your stack left to be bet is awful. If someone had reraised you would have had to throw away.


But really either call the 200 more and pray for a set (not a great move) or make the best play and FOLD. If you want to steal wait for a hand like KQ, or AT. This way you at least have a realistic chance of making the best hand if called.


The blinds are not huge, and you will have plenty more opportunities to steal (or even play a good hand) that should not cost you your entire stack if you mess it up.

Ks7s is about 51-49 over 2d2h preflop, while being about a 54-46 dog to the ducks after a JdJhTs flop. Plus only about 36% of the time will the flop come with no K's,7's, and 1 or 0 spades, and only .4% will the flop have a 2, a K or 7, and 1 or 0 spades.


Good idea, bad execution by me. I've made this mistake before(cost me $2700 btwn 1st & 3rd once, when I folded to his re-raise w/AA; my 64o woulda hit runner runner two pair), probably still gunshy from the time I reraised allin from the button w/KQo, guy called w/KQs and made the ~14-1 flush; or the time I reraised allin from the button w/AT, guy calls w/T6o and spikes a T; or the time.. /images/smile.gif

If you think folding 46o to an allin reraise from AA is a mistake you are being very results orientated. The other day i folded 27o and would have filled to crack KK and AA. Does that make calling allin preflop the right play?