Mini Step 5, Level 4 AQ Decision

[USGrant]

I made it to Step 5 in Party's Mini-Step format. At the beginning of Level 4 my stack is about 1200, and there are 7 players remaining. Top 5 get paid, with $200 for 5th compared to an original $6 buy in. I didn't have to take any steps back, I went straight to Step 5.

Blinds are 75/150. I am dealt A /images/graemlins/diamond.gifQ /images/graemlins/diamond.gif at the cut off, but UTG+1 pushes for 975 ahead of me. He has barely played until now. I put him on AK or middle pairs JJ, 10, or 9. Possibly AQ or AJ.

I fold. I would never fold in the normal $10/1 game I play. But then again, I am only really gambling $6 at this point: or is it the $200 and more that I could win (up to 2K) if I take a risk and see if my AQ holds? Is this a "take a gamble if you want to win" v. "make the right math move" question, or is it a money management question? Am I a sally with this fold, or just a cheap bastard looking to make at least $194 from a $6 investment?

[schwza]

[ QUOTE ]
I didn't have to take any steps back, I went straight to Step 5.


[/ QUOTE ]

we're happy for you and all, but this is completely irrelevant to anything.

i would call here. usually people who play v. tight will open up their pushing range a lot once the blinds get big. there's too big a chance villain has KQ/QJ/A8/etc to fold here. he only has 6.5x and he'll be down to 5x if he folds his blinds.

[USGrant]

A little d1ckish with the first comment, but I see your point on the second.

[Tru]

This is very boderline and read dependant. If you're gambling it up for 1st, then call. With your stack, it's not so bad to wait for a better oppurtunity. Even if he's pushing something like a pocket pair or KJ, you can still lose here. Most players play well at the top of the minis. It's not a mistake to wait for a better spot.

Tru

[freemoney]

folding is def a very big mistake, im sure hes a below average player at this stage and he has a big hand when the blinds are big against a villian who will be pushing a rather large range, its a real real easy call.

[jaym96822]

I've played a lot of these and there are two distinct types of players: those who REALLY REALLY want to make the money and those who play for the top 2 spots. Interestingly, the distinction seems to correspond with the step level at which they bought-in.

The questions are:

Which type of player is the villian?
Which type of player are you?

[USGrant]

a big disadvantage for me is that I bought in at $6 and worked my way up to step 5. I wanted that $200 for 5th. I know that I could win 1st, but not getting measly 5th, which I knew I could make, would have been worse case scenario. My guess is that at least half of the players, prob. more, at step 5 are buying in at step 4 or 3, which means they are rolled way better than me and will gamble for top two. so there's your answer I guess. I won the $200, but now that I won it I'm calling with that hand next time . I don't think the game is that much tougher at the higher levels (I would have called that hand 10 out of 10 times at the 10/1 tables), but it's the bankroll pain threshold that is the difference maker.

[Jay36489]

You say its level 4 but blinds are 75/150?

This really depends on your read on the player. You aren't really that short stacked, and neither is he, so he isnt desperate. You say he has been tight until now. He is pushing UTG and I don't see him pushing a lot of hands that you dominate here if he is anything but a laggy donk. I also really don't get your range here. Is he folding AA, KK, and QQ? Even given your range you have only mentioned one hand you dominate, AJ, a bunch of coinflips, and one hand that has you dominated. you aren't desperate, there are a few players left to act behind you. You can fold here.

[nWirb]

Avoiding the censor will make citanul mad ;/

[citanul]

playing in the style you describe wanting to play - basically a hyper scared bubble mentality - is the absolute worst thing you can do in a sng. it is also because there exist players who go in to these tournaments with that mentality that the very best players excell. they pick up on who is scared, and whittle them down.

if you are going to play step tournaments, you have to be willing to play properly at all the steps, instead of just all but the money round. if you allow the number of zeros on the end of your prizes to make you change the way you play, you're only really going to win when you luckbox your way through.

citanul

[USGrant]

I hear what you're saying. I don't think it applies to this particular hand situation though, I just put him on AK or a middle pair and that was my read. may have been too tight at that juncture, but I wasn't playing "hyper scared" for the game. throughout the game I stole some blinds with moderate ok hands and pushed a few times...I mean, there's no point in entirely changing my game that got me to this point, I just didn't like the feel of this hand calling with AQ.

re: other poster, yes, AA, KK and QQ were all of course considerations, but I wasn't putting him on those b/c of the push. Maybe a push with QQ there (which is NG for my AQ), but not with the other two.