109 hand question

[Michael C.]

We are six handed, at level 5 (100-200 blinds). I am in the small blind with A7s and 800 chips. It folds around the the button, who makes it 500 to go with about a 1600 stack. I've played with this person before, and I think he's not completely bluffing, but that I'm probably best based on the range he'd play there. Since I'm getting 2-1 odds on my call (400 to win 800), I'm not going to fold. But here's my question: Do I reraise all in or do a stop and go, betting my last 300 on any flop. If I reraise I'm 100% sure he will call me. If I wait for the flop and it misses me, there's at least some chance he'll throw it away. Thoughts??

[bigredlemon]

I'm interested in the response as well.

My initial reaction is that given the size of the pot, I don't see anyone throwing away a hand that beats what you have. He'll have to call with any pair or Ace big kicker.

On the other hand, folding will keep him out of the danger zone (compared to if he calls and loses) so you might get him to lay down QK or weak ace that he would have had the odds to call to try and hit the turn or river.

[johnnybeef]

the 2:1 rule only applies when dealing with <1/3 of your stack. at this point in time you need to find a better situation to double up.

[curtains]

By calling preflop you open up the possibility that the BB will like his hand enough to call for 300 more.

If you raise preflop the call from the BB becomes a lot less likely, however you can't win the pot without a showdown. However by using the stop+go, I'd expect to win without a showdown well under 5% of the time. The lower the buyin, the more likely you are to get away with such a trick, but even in a low buyin it should be very rare to make someone fold betting 300 into a 1200 chip pot.



oops - thanks johnnybeef

[johnnybeef]

[ QUOTE ]
However by using the sit+go

[/ QUOTE ]

you mean stop and go? when is a good time to use such a play?


edit: nevermind, my lazy ass just searched it....see it really does work /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[EasilyFound]

[ QUOTE ]
the 2:1 rule only applies when dealing with <1/3 of your stack. at this point in time you need to find a better situation to double up.

[/ QUOTE ]

you are saying he should fold then?

[Michael C.]

Thanks for the response. I didn't mean to imply this had anything to do with the 2-1 rule, since I'm not saying I'd call with anything here. I just think based on what I know about the player, I think more often than not I'll have the better hand (maybe not a lot better, but slightly better on average- for example, he'd raise 500 with Q 10), and in fact by calling I'm getting 2-1. And with 800 left after this hand if I fold and the blinds soon moving to 150-300, I really wonder if I would get a better spot. Possible of course...

[Michael C.]

Thanks Curtins. So to just make sure I understand correctly, you think I should push here, not stop and go, not fold, correct? That's actually what I did, and it turned out villian had KJ, so I had the best hand and was getting 1100-700 odds after pushing. I do think there are some 109 players who are bad enough to fold for the 300 if they don't hit the flop, but I think you're right and this wasn't one of those players.

[Rolen]

I'm not convinced i'd be so eager to play this hand. Assuming he's playing some semibalance of a hand the only holding he could have that would make playing the A7 profitable would be A2-6. Since you seem to be suggesting he could be being liberal with his requirements, that leaves at least 75% of his possible holdings (KQ, KJ, KT, QT, 22, 33, 44, 55 etc etc) as only minor underdogs to you. To make this worthwhile he needs to have a hand you dominate and you almost certainly dont..Of course, this is all assuming he doesn't have A8, big pair..In which case you're toast.

Fold!

[curtains]

I don't know what I'd do, I was just explaining the difference between pushing and going for the stop+go, and what things you need to look out for.

If I was at a table where I knew I could steal blinds, I'd probably fold here.

[Michael C.]

Wouldn't my fold equity be next to zero though? If I fold I'd have 700 chips left, and in two hands we'd be at 150-300.