55 in 7-handed Step 5

[DonCaspero]

First post in this forum - be gentle /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Chipleader with 2400, blinds are 100/200
Get 5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif in CO
I have a laggish image, been stealing quite a few blinds.
Both blinds in this hand have folded all blinds to a raise so far.
Button is the most aggressive player, seen him do the all-in re-steal from late position a few times. Has pretty low all-in calling standards as well (like A4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif)

Hero: 2400
Button: 1700
SB: 400
BB: 1900

I make it 500, button pushes all in, folded to me....

Basically, I can put button on any pair, any ace - maybe throw in KQ-J and a few suited connectors to get have the full range of possible hands here. He easily puts me on a steal and wouldn't mind picking up 500 extra.

How do you like the PF raise?

What range of hands would you call with here getting 2:1?

[Iamafish]

I dont know if I like your raise with a lagish image. If you think he's thinking that your trying to steal...then why raise, unless your willing to move in.

Call preflop. He may think you've got something if you just call, over cards come, and he didnt hit, you can bluff. If you get your set and he does hit something, bet, he may think your bluffing.

Those are my thoughts. Hard to explain.

With a LAG image, you're cheapleader here, one away from the money, with SB at 400, blinds at 100/200! Why are you gambling!?

[DonCaspero]

it's 7 handed (see subject) so 3 from the money - can't fold my way there.

Regarding the low-stack SB, it's highly likely he will fold a high percentage of the time

[Iamafish]

woops sorry bout that.

Thinking about it again, Id still call.

[Sam T.]

Tough hand.

After thinking about it, I kind of like the [slips into asbestors suit] open-limp. Here's why:

-You have a LAG image, and competent opponents, so it is increasingly likely that someone will play back at you if you raise. 55 is not a hand that I want to go to war with.

-One of two things can happen if you limp. On a good day, you will get a cheap flop, with two or three others in the hand. Hit a set, and you're in great shape. On a bad day, someone pushes pre-flop, and you can fold with minimal damage to your stack.

-Given your laggish image, your limp is going to give your opponents pause. Are you changing gears with a monster? Or are you on a small pair? And how badly do I want to find out?

In any case, after the button pushes, there is t2300 in the pot, and you have to call 1200. Against overs this is a clear call, but it is also possible he's got a higher pair. I'd want TT before I called.

Sam

[ChrisCo]

From your read it looks like you have to call. Chances are your not going to be in that bad of shape, or maybe a favorite if he is getting tricky the 44, 33, 22, or a very weak ace. That being said I think this would be an easy fold from someone that you don't have a read on or is playing tighter than the opponent in the hand.

[Apathy]

I think you wouldve avoided this forseeable situation by just pushing in the first place. As it is you are quite commited, the raiser is loose and winning a flip would allow you to terriorize the table until the money, so call.

[adanthar]

Raising with your image sucks. At this point, I may very well just move in to open (note that everyone else has under 10 BB).

I may also fold, because the SB has a good chance of calling if it's folded to him, which in turn means the BB will call with anything decent (he'll have the odds) and, well, meh.

More likely, I just push. Of course, datamining and knowing who your opponents are helps with this.

[DonCaspero]

Yes I think a push is a viable option here.

The limp I do not like - rather fold. The big blind is a very good player, but extremely tight in the blinds. He will not consider calling a raise or even less a push with anything less than premium hands. I really don't want to give him a free flop + i will have a hard time extracting enough money from him to justify limping for a set. Come to think of it, he will fold or push all hands here - and if this guy reraises my 500 raise, I insta-fold.

The SB I don't mind taking on in a coin-flip. I'll still be chipleader if I lose.

So the button is my only obstacle of picking up the blinds or taking on the SB - both scenarios to my liking.

My table image is loose, but only compared to the rest of this very tight table (disregarding the button - way more aggressive than I am). I have only shown down premium hands. The loose image might be from my own perspective - only i know what I raise with when I'm not called /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Anyway, against this BB, I like the raise because I can get away if he pushes (maybe his range is TT+, AK).

Against the button I prefer a push

But I'm up against both - so many descisions /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[DonCaspero]

I insta-called (not thinking about this call is bad, but I would probably have called anyway) and he showed 77.
No help, and I was down to about 600. Others at the table thought it was a pretty terrible call, but I'm not so sure.

I have to make a stand with this guy at some point, otherwise he will stop me from making blind steals the rest of the tournament - and thats pretty much my chance of winning unless I hit some real cards.

Furthermore, this seems a good enough hand to take on a random ace once I have 500 invested, and lets not forget I take out the only other aggressive player, leaving me with 4000 in chips and a tight passive table /images/graemlins/grin.gif

And if I lose, I still have 600 (3BB). Thats pretty bad, but still good enough to win the whole thing, which I eventually did /images/graemlins/wink.gif