Big stack confrontation short of the money

[happyjaypee]

Hi all,

Pokerstars tourney, 20$+2$ NL Hold'em, 174plrs, 27 left, 18 places payed. Table is 7 handed.

I'm 2nd leader at my table and 4th overall whit 18,800$. Chip leader is at my table whit 22,500$. Leader (CL) is a very agressive player. He just won a big pot when he 48o all-in bluff made 2 pair vs QQ.

Blinds are 200$/400$, 50$ ante.

I get A /forums/images/icons/spade.gif 8 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif UTG and open raise to 1200$ (about half what anyone as left except the CL). All fold to CL who flat call. From is previous play, I'm sure he's gonna raise me big on the flop, maybe set me in, so I don't really like my hand now but I can flop big.

Pot is 3350$
Flop: 4 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/club.gif 6 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif

I got 2 over cards, a gutshot and the nut flush draw. I decide to got for it and try to win big. I bet out 2000$, ready to re-raise all-in if he raise me or call if he goes all-in (He did it really often to other plrs so far, that's why I'm expecting it.)

He does move all-in and I call for all my chips.

He got 9 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif T /forums/images/icons/spade.gif so my read was good.

The 8 /forums/images/icons/club.gif hit the turn to make is gutshot and I'm busted...



Was my hand worth making such a move this late in the tourney against the leader??? Even if my read was good, should I have just set him in myself on the flop, largely overbetting the pot?? I could also have been wrong and he may be betting a set and I'm in trouble. The move is something I make often in ring games but does tournemant strategies dictate otherwise???

I'm split between the thought that I played it correctly and got unlucky or that I misplayed it by not betting an big enough amount, like 2x or 3x the pot, ence commiting myself and signaling that an all-in raise as little chance of making me lay it down.


Comments welcome.

BTW: Whe chated after the hand and he was realy surprised I called. When I asked him, He admitted he flat called me planning for such a move whatever the flop may be thinking I would'nt whant to get involved agains the only stack that could bust me. He also told me he belives I should have set him in myself.

-Happy /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

[Greg (FossilMan)]

If you really wanted to win this pot, then betting all-in on that flop is the way to do it. If you want to maximize your chances of winning this event, then getting him to go all-in when you're the 3:1 favorite is even better.

Don't downplay the significance of this. Even though losing (25%) means you get nothing, your average win from this point forward is certainly higher by playing it out all-in, as opposed to betting all-in on the flop and getting him to fold.

It was tough luck, but not a mistake. Once he raises all-in, you've got an automatic call. He has to have a set or a made straight to be more than a small favorite, and with 2-pair he's barely a favorite at all. Basically, unless he shows you 3s5s, you've got the odds to call, and when he's bluffing, your fold would be horrible.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[ohkanada]

Post-flop I agree with what Greg says.

Pre-flop with a very aggressive chip leader acting after you I would muck A8s UTG.

Ken Poklitar