Out on bubble PP $250k qualifier on first try

[NajdorfDefense]

Did I misplay this, misplay horribly, or okay?

Well, 4 hours into it I played absolutely dumb. 28 players left.
Blinds are 1500/3000. I am BB.

I get 44. I have 5965 after posting.

Folded around. Button calls. He has 16,500 left.
SB who has 3000 left folds.

I figure Button will fold if I go all-in, so I raise all-in. [This is the maybe very stupid part <-------]

He calls, with 55, shockingly. IGHN.

I think I may be irretrievably stupid. Within 3 hands, 2 more players bustout after having less than the BB. At that point, there are 4 players left who cannot post a BB.

Granted, I am very very stupid and inexperienced on the bubble in my first online MTT [played 2 in AC]. But is Button also a moron for calling an all-in on the bubble with 55, when a loss will take him down to >2 orbits max?

Oh yeah, 25-27 got cash. 28 was the ultimate bubble - 4 hours and received a generous $0.00 in payout.

I think I made a sleepy-induced raise. Yeargh, as Howard Dean would say.

So, before the button came back around, 7 hands later, I would have been in had I put the computer on 'auto-fold' and went to bed.

Q: But, of course, the small stacks could have won and doubled up to 5k, and then my 5900 would be down to 1400 after the blinds again. So, am I irretrievably stupid? What hands does one play in the BB there?

The above analysis is results-oriented, 7 hands later, all the small stax coulda doubled up and put me in the low spot. [or real close.] If I do autofold, I still might go out 25-27, definitely a possibility.

I think checking and then folding 44 to any bet would be optimal, but what hand does one play there? I can only see like 8 more hands, max, without busting. [Assuming it's a real tourney, not playing for a 250k seat, what do you do there? /images/graemlins/confused.gif]

Is it me, or is button a moron for calling an all-in with 55? After all, I coulda had 66 just as easily. Or AA!

any thoughtful replies welcome.

[NajdorfDefense]

No one wants to take a crack at this? You have 44 in BB, folded to button, he limps, SB folds. You have 8 hands left before busting out if you don't double up by then - 5900 chips. Button has 16k chips after limping. Pot is 7500.

What's the move here?

Naj

[DVC Calif]

I don't think either of you misplayed your hands. You had a small pp and pushed to a limper.

Button also had small pp (Presto) and only had to call t5965 for a t13,465 pot, giving him a little over 2:1 on his money. He has you covered and will still have over t10k after calling. I think it was agood call.

You might have tried a stop and go, simply checking your blind and pushing any flop. If he doesn't make his set and there are any overs on the flop, he might have folded to your raise.

It is frustrating to get so close and bust out. Better luck next time.

PS - You had less than 3xBB. I would have either started pushing earlier or shut down and coast through bubble.

[Noel Montgomery]

The button isn't a moron for calling a desperate short stack on the big blind. He figures to make the money regardless and is looking to up his stack for a run at the final table.

I would go all in in this situation...but I definitely would have gone all in earlier, before you got ridiculously short-stacked. I have found the 10x BB rule to have a positive effect on my results. In the hands prior to this one were you stalling/folding just trying to make the money? You should be more aggressive up to this point of the tourney and try to take advantage of players with this just-make-the-money strategy.

I guess, if you get to this point and are just trying to make the money, you fold. But, I think you'll have better results if you play to win come bubble time.

[drewjustdrew]

I think this was a satellite. 25-27 got cash, 1-24 got an entry. I don't think the 10 BB rule would apply here.

[Noel Montgomery]

Well, then...

I've never played one of those before. Maybe adjust it to a 5x BB rule? I still wouldn't want to get that short-stacked...

[lastchance]

If it's a satellite, this check is pretty easy. Otherwise, I think the push is pretty nice, or stop and go.

[adanthar]

You played that hand horribly unless the blinds were *definitely* going to go up before they hit you again...and I would probably still check/fold any flop without a 4 in it due to you having at least 10 more hands.

It's OK, though, because the button played it so much worse that he's a textbook example of people who shouldn't play satellites.

[NajdorfDefense]

You played that hand horribly unless the blinds were *definitely* going to go up before they hit you again...and I would probably still check/fold any flop without a 4 in it due to you having at least 10 more hands.

Okay, but I didn't have 10 more hands, I had 8, max before blinding out. This is not a full table. After I post the SB, I have 1400 chips left and blinds are 1.5/3k.

And I still think the button played worse, even if I massacred it.

Naj