Wrong time to push?

[Jonsan]

PokerStars $5+$.50 No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t150 (5 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

MP (t5600)
Button (t1965)
SB (t1825)
Hero (t785)
UTG (t3325)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Button calls t150, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t785</font>, Button calls t635.

Final Pot: t1645

[sng-sam]

I don't like pushing into a big stack with those cards

SAM

[Jonsan]

5 and 4 handed play is consistently my weak area. What kind of hand selection guidelines are useful at this stage? I had 5 BB left, at what point do I need to push before I have no fold equity? Do you think his call was good?

J

[Wes ManTooth]

I would fold, you can wait for a better hand, QJ is not that great.

[Jay36489]

Actually he can check. I would check and open push any Q or J being that short stacked

[proell]

check this and see a flop.
you will have position on the SB after the flop. If the roles were reversed (you were SB) I would push, but no need to do that yet from the BB.

[Jay36489]

No, villian is button so you do not have position. The more I think about it, this isn't such a bad push (depending on opponent). I think I would still want to see a flop though.

[liucipher]

IMO this push is fine.

1.) 5 handed with Hero at less than half the next stack.
2.) Hero has only 4xBB after posting. When he is button he will be pushing into the two largest stacks and raising 2.7xBB when the smaller stack has 20xBB.
3.) Villain and SB are the only two he will have ANY FE against. Not a bunch, but if Hero's instilling fear in anyone, it's Villain.
4.) Villain limping from button feels weak, looks weak, smells weak. Could be a monster, but I take a dog for a dog.

That being said, if you seriously believe Hero has low FE against Villain, it's a stop-and-go on any flop. 1/3 times Villain won't hit the flop and will suspect low pair but begrudgingly lay it down.

I think I could do this with much worse cards. The only other alternative is to sit back and pray for a miracle.

[wuwei]

The key to this push is whether or not you have any folding equity. Is your opponent a habitual open limper? Has he open raised a lot from the button?

My sense is that most players who limp here are going to call your push, so you might as well just see the flop for free. I would consider a SNG unless I think there's a good chance he's limping a monster.