Is This Stupid?

[bluewilde]

All right, just called 2 all-ins with hands I normally wouldn't touch cause I started "thinkin" (big mistake).

1) lvl 1, drunkard raises all-in first three hands, 4th hand I get AJs, guy pushes again, I think about it, decide I don't want someone else to get his stack and that AJs is good enough against a random hand so I call. Shows T2, and I am suddenly very aware that I'm not as much of a favorite as I would like to be, and that, indeed, most of the time, I won't be as much of a favorit as I want to be.

2) Don't play another hand till lvl 3 when I limp with TT. After a total of 4 limpers, BB (chipleader) bets his whole stack (2500) and everyone folds to me. I "think" about it:

He's not playing a premium hand this way, nobody bets 2500 into a 120-chip pot with AA/KK/QQ/JJ, at least not with the blinds so small--they want action. Maybe he has AK/AQ...but this raise still seems foolish. Hence: he probably is playing a smaller pair than mine and just wants everyone to go away. I call, he shows AA, I feel a bit foolish.

Were either of these calls OK, or should I stick to ABC "don't-piss-away-you-chips-moron" poker?

[BadMongo]

I think you pretty much answered your own questions.

There is no need to be calling off your stck in either of these situations. Don't try to get fancy and outplay your oppoenents at the lower limits - you outplay them by folding.

[durron597]

Hand 1 fine, hand 2 is easy fold.

[bluewilde]

[ QUOTE ]
you outplay them by folding.

[/ QUOTE ]

never thought of it this way; people have been saying it on the forums for a while, but the way you just phrased it struck me as incredibly insightful. Thanks

[Madd]

Would have played it the same.

1) You are 65% against his random holding. You can't expect a much better chance to double up.

2) Yes, I would have called, too. IMO, you will be shown 77-99 more often than a premium hand.

[XXXNoahXXX]

Everyone once in a while you're gonna fold to his 37os and 9Js only to be fed up and take a stand with AJ...only for him to show a monster. However, as previously stated, you're a big favorite against a random holding, and its all up to whether or not you want to roll the dice. The only real danger is deciding to take a stand with AJ and having someone behind decide to take a stand...with AA.