Help. Did I do the right thing?

[franco]

Live tournament at my local club.

Final table, nine handed (66 players), payout to top seven. I have 9,000 in chips, two players have about the same, two others below 5,000, one has a mountain of chips, three others have between 15-25,000. Blinds are 800-1600, ante is 200.

I am on the button. UTG folds, UTG1 folds, UTG2 calls, UTG3 folds, UTG4 (big stack) folds, utg5 folds. I have A-J unsuited. I push all-in. SB, BB and UTG2 all go all-in. I'm against a-k (SB-7,000), a-q (UTG2-7,000) and K-7 (BB - 2700). BB wins main pot with straight and UTG wins side pot when he pairs his queen. My thinking...

1. The blinds were coming at me soon.

2. A-J is not a terrible hand - not the best but not terrible.

3. Everyone was playing tight due to being close to the payouts.

4. I figured the BB would call and I would only be in for about 2,700.

5. UTG2 had been limping and folding to strength.

6. SB had about 6,000 in chips and would only stay with strength.

I don't see calling. But I had enough to sit through more hands. But my position helped here. Should I have mucked?

thanks

Confused

[lorinda]

It depends almost entirely on the skill level of UTG2 and the pay structure.

Personally I fold here with no further information. I'm pretty sure that many people here would raise though.

Lori

[lorinda]

"5. UTG2 had been limping and folding to strength. "

I missed this, stupidly first time around.

Yes, it looks like you played fine as long as this read is definitely correct and you're not trying to fool yourself.

Lori

[franco]

he had played six hands before this, limped twice and folded to triple BB bets. I think I had him read right. but just then he had a hand to play back at me.

thanks

franco

[pooh74]

When you have a maniac in the early rounds you must be careful...they may not play "correctly" but they arent all just braindead. If they have lost a a few limps to raises they may limp again when they get a really good hand hoping to be raised again so they can push/reraise. Its a good way to exploit their table image and I see this a lot.

[pokerlaw]

While I don't hate your play, in a bubble situation like this one, I would like to a) only enter pots when I can be the initial raisor; or b) pull the all in with a hand better than AJo.

I would like to avoid playing with this position and let the other smaller stacks battle against each other on the coinflips. While, given the read on the limper, your move is acceptable playing, it is the more risky style I feel...how much is winning this hand and knocking one person going to help you?? It might guarantee you $$, but then again, even if he calls with K10, you are still in trouble of being the shortstack in a bubble situation - which sucks (especially with these high blinds).