99 UTG

[ChipLeader]

Lately ive been getting all these mid-pairs in the UTG or UTG+1 spot and im not sure if im losing value or doing the only thing i can with them. Here is a very common example:

#Game No : 2492680673
***** Hand History for Game 2492680673 *****
NL Texas Hold'em $30
Level:3 Blinds(25/50)
Seat 4 is the button
Total number of players : 6

Seat 4: jondavid999 ( $1045 )
Seat 6: lovelyxyz ( $585 )
Seat 8: cosmos69 ( $2528 )
Seat 10: kevinmaher ( $1060 )
Seat 9: Hero( $600 )
Seat 3: tappio ( $2182 )
Trny:14621566 Level:3
Blinds(25/50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Hero [ 9c 9h ]
Hero is all-In [600]
kevinmaher folds.
tappio folds.
jondavid999 folds.
lovelyxyz folds.
cosmos69 folds.
Hero does not show cards.
Hero wins 675 chips

My thinking is that a 150 bet from UTG has very little chance of thinning the field, and if i play this hand i need it to be heads up unless i hit a set. Also, any reasonable raise (150-200) will be commiting 1/3 of my stack. I felt like i had to push and steal or limp and hope, but neither seemed appealing so i pushed to save the headache and hopefully if i get called i wont be behind to an overpair.

I could be playing this horribly, but with such a small stack i am not sure how else to play it.

[Scuba Chuck]

Well, you've taken one of the only two lines worth taking. You're right that raising is trouble.

[Nick B.]

Why won't an UTG raise thin the field. You can steal the blinds for 150, and you are putting 600 in. I think this is a hand that you can make a normal raise and call an all in. I would fold if you raised, there was a push and a call before you. Adding 75 to your stack really isn't going to do anything for you, you need to get chips. By pushing, you are pretty much guaranteeing that you will only get action from overpairs that have you crushed, you MAY get TT to laydown, but that is about it. If you make a normal raise, you are allowing hands that you are beating to come over the top of you. You want action from AJ and 88, as this is a good spot for you to get a bunch of chips and takeover the sng.

[ChipLeader]

It is a rarity to have a 150 bet thin the field to 1 opponent. Also, i feel i have a damn good chance of being called by AK-AJs or at least AK-AQ, as well as 88 and maybe 77, though i am usually stealing a lousy 75 here.

If i bet preflop to 150, i leave myself 450. That isnt enough to make a continuation bet so im basically relying on my opponent missing the flop, or folding and leaving myself unbelievably crippled if i see a scary flop. Im not sure if this is a better alternative to stealing though, since often times the flop will miss my opponent and i will take it down... more feedback would still be appreciated.

[jgunnip]

This is a push for me. I don't fear pickingup just the blinds here since it'll pay for the upcoming blinds and still leave me with some FE for level 5. I'd rather raise and push out any hands that are going to beat me after the flop. If some one calls with an overpair so be it, you weren't going to fold to their reraise anyway. There are some overcards hands that will still come along as well as some underpairs. I suppose raising with the intention of pushing any flop would be a consideration but do you really feeling good doing this on an Axx or broadway flop?