2 $50+4 hands I lost sleep over

[Tilt]

Ive been testing the waters at somewhat higher limits than I usually do on the weekends. I played a $50 last night, and there were two hands that troubled me. I might be making some very basic strategic preflop mistakes.

Hand 1:

We are 8 handed. Starting stacks are 1500 where I play. BB on my right is a maniac. Blinds are at 50-100, I have table covered with 2800 chips, BB has 1600. Dealt AKs, I make it 500.

Too much? My table image should be rock solid at this point; and I was sorta testing the fold equity at the table for later at this point. There was one semi-loose player with a stack of 2600 and I wanted to narrowly define his hand if he called as well.

Folds around to BB who pushes. Its 1100 to me and pot is 2350 after he pushes, I'll have 1200 left if I call.

I know he does not have AA/KK. I probably have him dominated, and I am a coinflip at worst. Is there any question I should call? I insta called, but wondered later whether it was worth the suckout risk, given that losing meant I would lose a lot of future fold equity due to stack reduction.

Hand 2:

Blinds are at 100-200, I have 1600 chips. We are 7 handed with no huge stacks at the table. I have made 3-4 successful push steals in the last 25 hands. UTG+1 with AJ and I pushed. Mistake with 6 to act?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[kyro]

Hand 1: UTG, I like a >3BB raise, especially with looser players. I'm willing to get dirty with it, but they have to know that they're not seeing a flop without paying a good portion of their stack. Once maniac BB pushes, I'm touching myself in a sexual way and calling. There shouldn't be much discussion about this.

Hand 2: I HATE situations like this. A decent but not great A, you've got a decent but not good stack (8BB) and everyone left to act. Yuck. Regardless, I push and hate myself when/if someone calls with AK because that's what they always seem to have.

[lutefisk]

I like the call in the first hand. I don't think it's correct to make a fold based on the possibility of a suck out. I may be wrong about that, but that's my opinion.

I think the second hand is much more difficult. The stack size of the blinds are something that would matter in this situation. In the general case, I think I agree with the push. Hopefully though, you'll have a read on which players are more inclined to fold to your pushes etc. Barring small stacks being desperate, I think you're in trouble if anyone calls you, so it's a bit risky. On the other hand, with that many left, and only 8BB...I think you have to do something. I would've pushed, but would love to hear a good argument if somebody out there disagrees.

[hummusx]

1) This is a definite call. If we assume that he does not have AA or KK, your pot equity is at least 45% against any hand out there and against a range of hands tighter than what this guy is playing you are 55%+. You're only be asked to contribute 30% of the pot at this point, so you are happy to call (someone else put it more...graphically than I ever could).

2) In my opinion, this is a bad push. It's one of those nasty situations with so many people left at this point, but I think you're in that chip range where you want to step lightly. With fewer chips I think it's a fine push. But with your stack where it is, I'd just chill out and wait for better position. There's a line where you cross from 'decent stacked' to 'no man's land' before you get to 'desparate'. In that zone I play a little differently, and this is one of those cases where I just fold and wait. You've got a good chance of someone busting soon, and better position on the way. You also have quite a while before you are desparate.

[Tilt]

I know its common wisdom to call that first hand. I really am not sure whether the suckout risk is worth it though. Pot odds, I agree, make it an easy call. But I wonder whether winning the hand at this point may increase my implied share of the prize pool only marginally while losing may drop my share drastically in a game like this.

On the second hand, you are right about the time between decent stack and desperate. But when does desperation begin? If I fold this and fold through my blinds, when the blinds go up, I'll be down to 4BB with 5-6 hands to be dealt to me.

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]
I know he does not have AA/KK. I probably have him dominated, and I am a coinflip at worst. Is there any question I should call? I insta called, but wondered later whether it was worth the suckout risk, given that losing meant I would lose a lot of future fold equity due to stack reduction.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you don't hink he has AA/KK this is an autocall. Folding here might make people think they have folding equity if they come over the top, which could hurt your folding equity almost as much as losing.

Hand 2: I'd usually push as well.

[Tilt]

[ QUOTE ]
Folding here might make people think they have folding equity if they come over the top, which could hurt your folding equity almost as much as losing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a very good point.