not sure how to be the big stack

[dfscott]

I'm so rarely the big stack after the bubble bursts that I'm really not sure how to play it, as evidenced by the following hand.

I'd been stealing pretty liberally from the BB during the bubble, so I was a caught a little off-guard when he called.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em 10+1 Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (3 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Hero (t4280)
BB (t2185)
Button (t1535)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/club.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t800</font>, BB calls t400.

Flop: (t1600) 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t800</font>, <font color="#CC3333">BB raises t1785 (all-in)</font>, Hero calls t585.

Should I be getting away from this once my steal attempt fails?

[boxedIn]

If you want this hand, you should raise more preflop. A min raise will scare no one. That reraise on the flop indiciate at least a pair, probably more. He's only going to go against you if he's got something. If you want to get away from this, just either play it for pair value (i.e. call preflop and fold if the flop doesn't hit you) or push preflop and don't care what the other stack does -- hope he folds, but if he doesn't, unless he holds AK or 99+, you probably have a decent shot.

As for your contention that you're the big stack ... yes, you are but only by a little bit. If you want to maintian that big stack, like literally ensure that you either finish first or third, be prepared to push every chance you get to open. With that high blinds and that short stacks, that should be a winning strategy considering people's tendencies to fold.

[Bigwig]

All-in preflop.

[lastchance]

or fold. If he's tight, All-In, and it's not close.