In the Money $50+5 Bounty Bonanza on FTP

[gcoutu]

384 Started and 36 paid.

We are down to 34 people with 500-1000 Blinds and 150 ante (I think that was the ante could be off by 25 +/-)

I have been shifted all over place and have no real reads on my current table. I am below the average chip stack of 17K with about 11K after ante and posting BB.

Villian in the hand has about 24K and raises in MP to 4K.

All fold around to me and I have ATo.

1. I had a friend that bought my buy in when we were down to 85 people for half my action so I am freerolling at this point.

2. I hate AT, but there was a lot of blind stealing, but I have no read on Villian since this is the first table I have played with him.

Whats your line here? I thought it was a clear fold or push situation.

There is about 2800 in the pot and 3K to call. Do you call here? If you do call what is your line if you hit or miss the flop and you are first to act?

This was one of those moments that make or break you in that stage of the tourney and I (despite playing lots of mtt) froze up big time.

P.S. I didn't care anything about moving up a couple of places. I was final table or bust, so folding just to move up isn't any advice I'm looking for.

[kuro]

With no reads, this situation is tough. If you go all-in most hands that villain would call with are going to either dominate you or be a coin flip. So you're banking that an unknown villain will fold to your push (a play that alot of people would make with pretty marginal hands in this setting). If villain raised from small blind or the button, I'd be more inclined to gamble that villain is raising with any two cards, but with villain raising from middle position and no read I'd fold. You're not short stacked and not desperate yet.

[youngin20]

I like a call here...if you miss, you can still lead for a small bet and hope he did as well...its quite possible you have the best hand right now.

[Avgard]

For odds purposes, your post said there was T2,800 in the pot and T3,000 to call. The pot is T5,800, with T3,000 to call.

You are on the verge of being short stacked. So I don't mind your thoughts about push or fold. But there is option three. Stop and go.

The reason a stop and go is a good option, and perhaps better than pushing is you can usually get hands that beat you to fold after the flop rather than preflop. If the vilian is holding JJ and the flop comes KQ and you go all in, it is a tough call for him. For this reason, and when the situation is right to use a stop and go (like here), I prefer it to a push.

I think on this hand you are behind. It might not be much, and of course you could be dominated, but you are behind. You probably can find a better spot for your remaining 11K.

[gcoutu]

[ QUOTE ]
For odds purposes, your post said there was T2,800 in the pot and T3,000 to call. The pot is T5,800, with T3,000 to call.

You are on the verge of being short stacked. So I don't mind your thoughts about push or fold. But there is option three. Stop and go.

The reason a stop and go is a good option, and perhaps better than pushing is you can usually get hands that beat you to fold after the flop rather than preflop. If the vilian is holding JJ and the flop comes KQ and you go all in, it is a tough call for him. For this reason, and when the situation is right to use a stop and go (like here), I prefer it to a push.

I think on this hand you are behind. It might not be much, and of course you could be dominated, but you are behind. You probably can find a better spot for your remaining 11K.

[/ QUOTE ]

If not in the blinds I would have folded, but I decided to stop and go. I felt that was the best way to take down the pot and the all in on the flop would be enough to make him fold if he doesn't have a huge hand or hit a big hand.

I think that was a good play, but after lots of thought a fold might be best since I have no read on him.

Results: Flop came T 7 3 and I was very pleased (since I was pushing anyway)

He called immediately UH-OH. He hit the set with 77 and 7 on the river for quads. OUCH!

I think he may have still called if he doesn't hit the set with that particular flop hoping I had AJ or KQ maybe. If he doesn't hit then I'm good to go and if KQA come then I think he will fold. He hit and that happens.

I had played 12% of the hands total up to that point, so AT is obviously not a hand I play often, but with being in the blind it mad it difficult to drop. I still think without a read the best play is to fold since I am likely handcuffed post flop. If he had been playing with me long enough or in the past a pre-flop push would likely have gotten him off the 77. Thanks for the feedback. It was a really sticky spot for me at that stage with that stack.