my first 11: push or not push on the bubble?

[liucipher]

This is my first $10+$1 after playing 100 or so $5+$1's and building up a $400 roll. I'm wondering if this push was right given the chance to get ITM w/ another short stack on the lifeline.

Just for reference, Villain had been playing big stack oddly and limping into hands instead of pushing us around. The previous hand I had seen him limp from the button, call $300 on the [ A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q /images/graemlins/club.gif 7 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif ] flop and then fold to an $851 all-in on the 4 /images/graemlins/club.gif turn.

I'm pretty sure I misplayed the hand either way, since I think pushing was only going to get called by a hand that beat me, i.e. A w/ a better kicker. But if I had checked and then been bet into, what to do? Make my stand or fold? The shortstack had been irritatingly persistent, tripling up from ~300 in chips and some how stealing blinds to stay alive. If he made it through the next round of blinds, it was going to be me on the lifeline.

Any thoughts? My bubble play is either too tight or just terrible. For example, I know I should be pushing w/ hands like K5 on the button, but I'm paranoid of getting busted when a little patience would have allowed me to coast ITM.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t300 (4 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Hero (t1275)
UTG (t3922)
Button (t602)
SB (t2201)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG calls t300, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero checks.

Flop: (t750) K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG calls t975.

Turn: (t1725) 6/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

River: (t1725) T/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

Final Pot: t1725

Results in white below: <font color="#FFFFFF">
Hero has Ah 2h (one pair, aces).
UTG has Jc Jh (three of a kind, jacks).
Outcome: UTG wins t1725. </font>

[lastchance]

Well, oftentimes here, I would check, and bet any flop in hopes that a hand will fold (JJ should almost never fold). So, for a changeup, betting out is not that good. But also, there's the other short stack out, and you have a hand (the more important consideration). The board is scary, so I check and call a bet.

[liucipher]

Sorry, I'm pretty confused by your suggestion. I have 3X BB, so if I check and take a bet, I'm pretty much pot-committed, no? At that point, I'm praying he has 1.) Qx 2.) ace with a low enough kicker that we push 3.) K7 4.) a pocket pair that hasn't hit a set (which is unfortunately what he had).

I think my central question is, I read all these posts about being willing to die on the bubble in order to have any sort of meaningful chipstack when it gets to ITM. And I think in any chipcount situation, I'm pushing w/ top pair on the flop, no matter how crappy my kicker is. I mean there's 750 in the pot and I only have 900. I NEED those chips if I want to finish anything besides 3rd.

But is this a situation where you slow down and hope the shortstack doesn't double up again? I dunno. I'm still a n00b and have no idea how to play when it gets to &lt; 6 handed.

[Sam T.]

Welcome to the Show!

I'm okay with the push. The limp pre-flop could mean anything. With a board like this, I wouldn't push with any two cards (which I might on a very ragged flop), but you've got top pair. Push and hope he's got a K or J, and puts you on a steal.

Sam