Party Step 2 NL Hold 'Em MTT-----UTG AJs

[coolhanded]

Thought I'd throw this one out there for some feedback.

Situation: Tables of this Step 2, 2-table tourney have merged. Now 9-handed. Top 4 advance to step 3, #5 and #6 play step 2 again, #7 takes $30. 5 players have >2000 chips left (1 with >4000 and another with >3000).

Blinds are 100/200

Hero is UTG with 1200 chips and A /images/graemlins/club.gif J /images/graemlins/club.gif
Villian is BB with 2200 chips

Hero raises UTG to 800
All fold except Villain, who calls

Flop: K /images/graemlins/spade.gif T /images/graemlins/heart.gif 3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

Villian bets 400 (puts me all in).
I call.

Thoughts?

[Rushmore]

Why yes, I do.

[ QUOTE ]
Hero is UTG with 1200 chips

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
Hero raises UTG to 800

[/ QUOTE ]

Guess what my thoughts are.

[drexah]

You have 10xbb and you're raising to 3/4 your stack with AJs utg? I'd probably call and hope to take a cheap flop or raise to 400-600. Out of position theres really no need to raise to 800,if you get re raised you probably are beat and if you get called and miss the flop you are left with 400 chips. Why not push PF if you're going to raise 3/4 your stack off? Villain has KQ and you're beat? Not really sure why he didnt just re-raise you all in here.

[nsj]

Push, limp, or fold the flop.
There's a case to be made for all three options.
Don't do what you did.

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
Push, limp, or fold the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]
Just push preflop. With a bigger stack, you could limp.

I like the call on the flop. You are getting 6-1 pot odd. You might hit an ace or a queen or be ahead with ace high.

Pushing is better, but raising 2/3 of your chips is pretty much the same thing. You are pot committed and have to put the rest in to a reraise or on the flop.

[Pat Southern]

Push preflop

[Potowame]

I cant see how you can fold this on the flop or any flop, you gave yourself 2bb to bet, and your going into the blinds the next two hands. You have outs Q for sure A possible J could be a out to a small pair here 99-88. You could be ahead of a call with QJ.

[coolhanded]

Thanks for your responses.

In hindsight, I agree I should have either called or pushed all-in UTG. The 800 bet seemed strong enough at the time, leaving me a few chips to possibly hang on through 1 round of blinds and fold my way into #7 (small cash consolation prize) or even #6 (reload Step 2) if big showdowns knocked a couple of people out over the next 9 hands.

Given this, calling the raise was a virtual coin flip------5.7-to-1 odds of pairing the Ace or landing a queen for the straight versus 5.25-to-1 pot odds. The chance that he was going after a straight like me drove me to call.

Results below:



<font color="white"> </font> Villain showed KQo. Turn was a blank. Ace on river gave me the pot. Breathed sigh of relief. Eventually advanced to Step 3.