Big stack, bubble play of small private MTT

[sloth469]

Hero is huge stack and has been opening every single hand for 600 and taking the vast majority of them down. 3 places pay and everyone playing very scared since no one wants 4th. 1st place was $270.

Does anyone else like this play to keep the bubble alive or pick up the few extra chips?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (4 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Button (t3267)
SB (t1038)
Hero (t22343)
UTG (t352)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to t327</font>, Button calls t327, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t1500</font>, Button folds.

Flop: (t2204) 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

Turn: (t2204) T/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

River: (t2204) 7/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

Final Pot: t2204

[durron597]

With that stack, absolutely you want UTG to live as long as possible. Great play.

[locutus2002]

I think pushing is better.
You are laying Button ~2:1 to call and you might not want him getting frisky with a variety of hands containing an ace king, or even a queen.
You are unlikely to lay the hand down if he pushes, so get your chips working now.

For me, there are alot more hands I would lay down on the bubble to a push than a ~T1100 pot raise, up to and including JJ.

[sloth469]

I think maybe you do fold to a reraise as he's only doing it w/ a made hand.

[SoBeDude]

FPS

If the shorty busts, you are still hugely dominating the remaining two players.

Just call, check it down and hope he goes bust. The loss of the 4th player doesn't change your situation enough to justify prolonging this situation. You have all the chips, so finish the tourney.

Now if there are 9 players left and 8 are getting paid, the idea of keeping the shorty alive so you can continue to run over the table has some merit.

-Scott

[durron597]

[ QUOTE ]
Now if there are 9 players left and 8 are getting paid, the idea of keeping the shorty alive so you can continue to run over the table has some merit.

[/ QUOTE ]

How is 9 players, 8 pay so different from 4 players, 3 pay here?

[Rick Diesel]

[ QUOTE ]
For me, there are alot more hands I would lay down on the bubble to a push than a ~T1100 pot raise, up to and including JJ.

[/ QUOTE ]

Even with the small stack already all-in? The only way you are eliminated in 4th place is if the small stack wins the main pot and the big stack wins the side pot. With the small stack all-in, if you are both eliminated, you get third place. Laying down JJ here would be a big mistake.

[SoBeDude]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Now if there are 9 players left and 8 are getting paid, the idea of keeping the shorty alive so you can continue to run over the table has some merit.

[/ QUOTE ]

How is 9 players, 8 pay so different from 4 players, 3 pay here?

[/ QUOTE ]

Button (t3267)
SB (t1038)
Hero (t22343)
UTG (t352)

Hero has 22343 chips out of 27000 in play. Thats 83% of the chips. Your opponents have no chips. Just finish the damn tourney already.

With 9 opponents it is rarely the case that u have THAT big a lead. So if everyone is playing uber-tight not wanting to be bubble boy, keeping that spot a bit longer has some merit because it gives you the chance to build that totally dominating stack. But once you have that massive domination, its time to put them away.

-Scott

[2005]

There's really not all that much value to keeping him alive IMHO. You have 110 BB 4 handed, you'll still have it 3 handed. You can continue to run over the table whether he's still around or not. Also, the next level is 200/400 and everyone will be near desperate at that level. We don't need to keep him alive, just pound the other guys to death.

Gavin

[2005]

SoBe just said this in a much better way than I could in my reply. Just finish it already.