How bad a play was this?

Playing an online tournament last night and we are down to 4 players (3 to get paid). Blinds are now at 200-400. UTG has around T1700, button is at T300 (Can't get through the blinds again). I am SB at T2400 and BB is the chip leader at T3600.


My head is saying fold anything and wait for the small stack to fall but after fold-fold I get pocket 8's and just instinctively raise. BB calls. The flop is Q-Q-6. I'm thinking only a Q can beat me so I bet out BB calls. A 2 on the turn (no flush) so I bet again and he raises. Uh oh. I called all-in at this point (he had run a semi-bluff like this earlier with A-K and that's what I was hoping for). He of course had the Q, and the button with his T300 went Phew!!


I think I misplayed this at almost every point, but my question is really pre-flop. WOuld you fold pocket 8's in this situation and just wait?

Play before and on the flop were fine. The goal, however, is to make it to the money, which you quickly lost sight of. If you were going to take this hand to the river, check-calling would have been more prudent after he called your flop bet. Once he pops you back on the turn, he pretty much told you what he had.


spanQy

Pre-flop the question you need to ask is how often will the BB fold when you raise. If the answer is never then in this situation I would only call. If you feel he will often fold then raising is correct. I don't think I would fold since that seems a tad passive.


Ken Poklitar

ohKanada@hotmail.com