No-Limit (daily tourney)

No-limit hold'em. Rebuy period just ended, $25-$50 blinds.


Late position player limps. A very loose player on the button hesitates, like he's thinking of raising, then calls(he loves practically any two suited, J-4s etc..). I'm in the small blind with two black kings and raise to $300.


Big blind dumps, first limper dumps, button calls(he's got me covered x2).


Flop: 10-J-Q with two diamonds(I forget which two)


I've got about $1800 and bet $600, button doesn't hesitate and goes all in.


Here are some of the lower-end hands I believe he could make this move with:


1)Outside straight with two diamonds.


2)Ace high flush draw.


3)Top pair with a king or nine kicker.


5)Pair with two diamonds.


And then there are the better hands: two pair, or a made straight. He doesn't have trip or

A-K since he would have raised pre-flop for sure.


Should I call?

Yes, without a doubt.


You say he can't have AK, so if he is ahead of you, you have 8 or 10 outs to catch up. So, when behind, you're only about a 2:1 dog, and you're getting 2.5:1 on the call.


And often, you will be ahead, even though you don't expect to be very far ahead. Again, you're getting 2.5:1 on the call, and may be a 2:1 favorite or more (like against KQ).


If you fold here, you don't have enough gamble in you to do well in tournaments. You can't avoid big risks where there is also a big reward and do well in tourneys (or high stakes games). If you do, the other times you get your money in real good won't happen often enough to make up for the lost profit you gave up on.


Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

The only hand you're in trouble against is a made str8. In all other cases you're either ahead or on a coin-flip. Since you have 1/3 of your stack already in, you have an easy call.


cu


Ignatius

I eagerly called, he had Q-J of clubs(not diamonds). So he flopped two pair and it held up.


Every time I make a call like this, and lose, I wonder if I'm playing too recklessly. Everything I read on tournaments, like T.J's or Skansky's new book, stresses survival.


Thanks for the help.

How about if I had checked the flop, and then the button goes all-in. Would that change things enough to consider folding?


[The guy I was up against has a hard time checking when it's checked to him on the button, I've never seen him check twice on the button.]

Even then you probably should call, unless there is something you haven't told us about this opponent. He is a lot more likely to have a pair and a draw than anything else. Unless he's got the made straight on the high end, you simply can't be far behind even when you are behind, and you will be ahead sometimes.


Heck, if you check to me here, I'd bet AQ in a flash, and be drawing to only 4 outs.


Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

"Heck, if you check to me here, I'd bet AQ in a flash, and be drawing to only 4 outs."


Four outs, that would be overkill against me. I routinely get knocked out of daily tounaments by 2 outers that get there. /images/smile.gif