I was so lost in this BB hand

[1C5]

Party 22.

Big stack was not a maniac, his VPIP was low.

His 1st time stealing my blind (first chance he got also though).

Please explain your play here, your thinking and why. I am lost here and really just guessed as to what my play should be.

1 thought: He has low VPIP and has a real hand.

2 thought: He will do this with Ax and my AJ will dominate him.

So what do you do? Also notice the other stack that is my size.

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

Button (t1643)
SB (t3915)
Hero (t1362)
UTG (t1080)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises to t700</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero ?

[syka16]

You can't really play back at him unless you're sure he's raising any two. If he's not stealing a lot, you should be able to open push on this orbit.

[Sam T.]

Interesting hand - I don't think there is a wrong answer (except calling - that would be the worst play).

He ought to be raising with a wide range of hands, and you still have quite a bit of FE, so he will often fold to a push. But AJ is tough...

Do you have a read on the other short-stacks? With them sitting to your left, I'd probably fold here and steal from them until they cry. If the big stack were to your left, I'd me more inclined to push here.

Sam

[1C5]

Eastbay's tool is a fold for this hand.

[1C5]

If I am doing it right, the tool says to fold AK here also.

[syka16]

but you;re not really calling a push here... there is a slight chance you'll get a fold. That's why IMO it's closer than it looks with eastbays tool.

[1C5]

I don't think more than 1% of people would fold to my push though.

[syka16]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think more than 1% of people would fold to my push though.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's probably a good estimate and I'm not sure that even a 10% fold makes much difference unless his range is any two. It's breakeven with eastbay's tool against anytwo so since you aren't sure of his range, it's probably an easy fold.

Suppose he was pushing any two. What would you think of a stop and go? He probably wouldn't call a missed flop and maybe not even bottom pair. Just curious.

[Scuba Chuck]

I haven't read any other responses:

Here is the correct thought process:
1) Yeah, I have a solid hand
2) uh-oh, do I want to tangle with the big stack?
3) I have 5+xBB if I fold.
4) I am in a three man race for two spots, and I'm not in the lead, nor am I behind.
5) Playing this hand might be -$EV
6) Maybe I can do a stop N go?
7) Maybe I'm a fish
8) What are the reasons to fold this hand?
9) Ah, finally a question to ask myself to help me make a solid decision.

[Scuba Chuck]

[ QUOTE ]
Interesting hand - I don't think there is a wrong answer (except calling - that would be the worst play).


[/ QUOTE ]

This is incorrect, IMO.

[introv]

Raising to 700 on 200 blinds when hu says to me that he doesn't want a call but will gamble with you if you fancy it. If he's tight and not the stealing type I'd put him firmly on a low/medium PP.

He isn't folding no matter how you play the hand (well, maybe if you call and an ace flops but then you won't be wanting him to fold) and you don't want to flip a coin on the bubble with a passive/quiet big stack probably allowing you to steal your blind back next hand.

Heh, and thats only one train of thought out of many, all of which say fold.