Dumb move w/ 4 left?

[WarDekar]

Blinds are 100/200. I'm on the button, I have ~380 left, UTG has ~215, SB and BB are about the same. UTG calls, I'm dealt 1010. I go all-in, my thinking being I'm gonna be in the blind in just a sec, and if I raise hopefully I'll isolate the small stack. Obviously if the other guys are good tourney players one of them is going to call me unfortunately, but even still I should have a decent advantage on them and will be in the BB soon and lose my stack - this is probably the best hand I'm going to get. OTOH, if I fold, chances are I'm guaranteed 3rd.

Well, SB folds, BB calls, UTG folds with almost no chips left. Flop comes 3108, looking good right? Turn 9, river 7, guy holds 56, I go out in 4th and the low-stack goes out very next hand.

Clearly, I played this wrong as I should've just kept waiting for the short-stack to lose all his chips, right? Although I don't know what he had on that hand, so had I folded I don't know what would've happened, but unless the SB raised instead of me I would imagine the BB had the hand won.

Just a bit unnerved right now as I just finished my 7th tourney in a row, 4 4ths, 2 5ths, 1 3rd.

Question about the one that just ended, I was dealt KK, 55, then 99 in a row. KK I double up to ~1000, other guys have ~2000, ~2000, ~3000. I raised the 55 UTG, had to toss it on the flop after a bet with a big board. 99 I raise on the button, both SB and BB call, I lose with a Q hitting the flop. This tourney was limit, BTW.

[Bremen]

Most people here would tell you to play for first rather than limping into 3rd. All things being equal its about 50/50 for the other small stack to double up or bust. His limp might indicate a better than average hand and therefore a better chance to survive however. Anyway, you have a real hand, your chance of doubling up vs busting is much better than 50/50 and also the more chips you get the other small stack becomes more desperate as he can't depend on you to bust out.

[adanthar]

^With 380 left and the SB and BB at 3500+ apiece, he's playing for third.

IMO, this is the rare time you should *limp* instead of raise all in.

Reasoning: UTG has an extra chance to fold, which you don't want him to do when you, yourself, are trapped in the hand. The BB is (almost) guaranteed to call your all in, clearing the way for UTG's fold. But if you just limp, the worst that happens is that you let SB into the hand; with no chips left and clearly playing for third, I'd take this risk. More likely, SB will fold, BB will raise, UTG will call and *now* you can safely call, locking all three of you in...but if UTG folds, or if BB checks, then bets into you on the flop and UTG folds, you can fold too and let UTG try to survive the next two hands blind.

Of course, if BB bets into you, you flop top set and UTG folds, you call and then lose anyway, but such is poker.

[WarDekar]

Now that I look at it after it's over, calling was clearly the right play and then the BB will almost always raise anyway, UTG will most likely call, if he folds I can just fold with him.

If the BB didn't raise though, as you said I still would've been screwed into 4th as UTG likely didn't hit anything and would hope for me to go out.

[Bremen]

[ QUOTE ]
^With 380 left and the SB and BB at 3500+ apiece, he's playing for third.

[/ QUOTE ]
He's in very good position to double up plus some to about a 1000 stack. IMHO thats not 'playing for third' but I do agree with your line though :0)