Fold AKo on the bubble?

[Sykes]

4 handed. I have 2500 or so, sb has 1500, bb has 3k. Other short stack has 1000.

I get AKo on the button with 100/200 blinds. I raise to 600. Sb folds and BB pushes.

I think for a while and call. Correct play?

I've finished on the bubble or 3rd 7 times out of 16. Am I playing incorrectly by trying to play for first? Usually I push my decent hands when the stacks are about equal for me and other short stack with same amount of chips.


I'm seriously confused on how to play after today. I'm currently even after 10sngs and it's all these bubble plays that are killing me.

[fluorescenthippo]

easy call. shortstack isnt short enough to consider folding. push next time to avoid this

[The Don]

I'm calling unless the BB is a real rock.

[Nick M]

I don't think there is enough in the blinds to push really. 300 no ante, you have AK and 2500. I think raising to 500 would be better, but I like raising.

And yes I call the re-raise.

[THATWACOKID]

I haven't read much on this forum, but this is how I'd play it.

In these kinda situations I like to push so the big stack cant push me off my hand. If you don't plan on folding why not push?

[Nick M]

If you don't plan on folding, how could you get pushed off your hand???

[THATWACOKID]

[ QUOTE ]
If you don't plan on folding, how could you get pushed off your hand???

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, that really doesn't make much sense. I just push in that situation so the big stack won't try to make a play at me.

[Nick M]

make a play post flop i guess you mean. Yeah I hear ya. A lot of people push this to avoid rag flop play.

[THATWACOKID]

[ QUOTE ]
make a play post flop i guess you mean

[/ QUOTE ]

No, I'm talking pre flop. It also depends on what kind of player he is. If he's good and is well aware of bubble concepts he's pushing your 3x raise raise with a lot of hands. At this point I'd be happy with taking down the blinds, or another player calling.

[Nick M]

So you're saying you wouldn't call an all in raise from the BB?

[THATWACOKID]

I wouldn't have to because I'd be all in. If I did raise 3x and he pushed, yes I'd call.

[Nick M]

hahahah so if you'd have to call, how could you get out played preflop???? Do you see what I'm getting at here?

[THATWACOKID]

LOL. I wouldn't want to be all in against him with AK because he can knock me out. Assuming he's capable of making a 'play', he couldn't make this 'play' if I was all in. Do you see what I'm getting at?

[Sykes]

I called. He shows AQ and hits an Q on the flop for me to get knocked out in 4th for the 3rd straight time.

[joeblo]

What level is this at?

If its at the lower levels...I think even a push preflop would have gotten a call from the BB with the AQ. But I would have pushed preflop rather then try to min raise, cause no matter what, it seemed like you planned on calling preflop on a push...so I think it would have been better not to give the BB an option to reraise you, just in case he is a smart enough of a player to make a play on your min raise.

[Sykes]

[ QUOTE ]
What level is this at?

If its at the lower levels...I think even a push preflop would have gotten a call from the BB with the AQ. But I would have pushed preflop rather then try to min raise, cause no matter what, it seemed like you planned on calling preflop on a push...so I think it would have been better not to give the BB an option to reraise you, just in case he is a smart enough of a player to make a play on your min raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

hm. It was an $11 so.. the verdict is still out on whether or not he would of called me. My money is on yes, since he was so eager to put it in with AQs against another big stack. Also, I raised 3x, not min-raised.

[Nick M]

sounds good to me. nice call for you...

[ace_in_the_hole]

You should be jumping for joy whenver you can get that much money in the middle when your opponent is drawing to three outs. Keep it up and the results will come naturally. I elarned the hard way that playing tight/overly cautious around the bubble is probably the #1 leak in most people's SnG game.

[rydazzle]

[ QUOTE ]
Usually I push my decent hands when the stacks are about equal for me and other short stack with same amount of chips

[/ QUOTE ]

What is a decent hand? If the BB sees you pushing with hands like KJo then he might have reason to come over your 3x BB raise with not much...if you feel he has this image of you (and you feel his re-raise requirements have dipped due to this) then I would come back over the top - most likely all-in. Your M is less than 10 so you'll need to make a move soon and your stack will seriously sting him - he'll have to have a great hand to call.

ironically enough, I just posted today about me folding AKs to an all-in from a chip stack about my size on the bubble. There was a player left with only 500 chips though, and table was generally tight (and I wasnt playing very many hands) so situation was different.

[Sykes]

rydazzle: You're situation is very different because of the short stack opponet with 500 left.

To the others, I thank you for your words. I'm just having a streak occuring on the bubble and I'm not quite sure if I'm playing correctly. I have been getting sucked out on a lot of times and not sucking out.