Bubble situation in a 10+1

[KyleH186]

I am the big blind with 10c 10s. I have about 1600 chips going into the hand, blinds are 200/400. 4 people left. Short stack has 860 chips going into the hand. Big stack has 3500 going into the hand, and the 2nd stack has around 2000. The big stack is in first position, and goes all in, as he has been doing quite frequently over the last 15 or so hands. (I would say 4 of the last 15). The 2nd stack folds, and small blind folds leaving him with 660. Now i know I can fold and probably cruise into the money, but I play for first when I play tournies, so I called. BB flips over AQ off, and hits 2 pair to win the coinflip.


Now since I put the villain on any range of hands from Kx to AA, I figure my call was +EV, but what im wondering is if it was +$EV, since I could have cruised into 3rd and then maybe outplayed my way to 1st or 2nd?

[Meatmaw]

With blinds this big, your window of opportunity to outplay diminishes quickly. Even if the SB would have been 600, you were not many blinds larger, and 'cruising' into 3-handed play would have landed you probably with a tiny stack and a guaranteed 3rd. Better to take the very good TT and play it for all its worth now and take 1st or 2nd next time the coin flip goes your way in my opinion.

[ForumBot]

push

[hitdanutz]

Got to call with TT. Low pair fold.

[citanul]

your play was great.

note that you don't guarantee yourself at least 3rd by folding this hand, but you do almost give up getting hire than 3rd.

by calling, you risk getting 4th, but when you win, have a great chance at first.

1st ~= 4x(3rd)
1st ~=2x(2nd)
2nd ~=2x(3rd)

citanul