AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left

19 left in a PS $11 tourney. Blinds at 6,000/12,000. I have 160,000 chips, right at the average, but one of the bigs at my table. I raise to 48,000 from EP with AK and its folded to the BB, who is the big stack at the table with ~270,000 chips. He takes a long time to decide and finally pushes all in. I hadn't been at the table long to have a decent read on him. I make the mistake of checking the payout structure for the tournament and see that 18th is a bit of a jump from 19th. I'm currently at the beginning stages of building a bankroll and the jump is significant for me. I fold. Is this a call I should have easily made and expected to see an underpair for a coin flip? Does anyone fold here? The account building thing weighed into my mind, but taking that out of the equation, easy call to hope to secure a spot at the final table?

Thanks

[gobboboy]

Only call this if you are willing to accept a coinflip, but chances are probably almost equal you are splitting or are significantly ahead. Very rarely are you behind.

[DVC Calif]

Why the 4x raise from EP? Was that the table standard? It reads like a med. pp that doesn't want to see a flop. Maybe BB has two overcards (AK/AQ) with the same read and feels like racing.

This is not an easy call but I do think it's a call. Hopefully your dominating BB's cards. More likely looking at a race against 99 to JJ.

The raises at that point were mostly open-pushes but any regular raise had been 3 or 4x.

[jaym96822]

Call of 112 to win 214 right?

Correct. Antes in there as well, but I don't recall the amount.

The real question you are asking here isn't whether or not to call, if you are playing to win you already know that answer. The question here is, are you playing to win, or trying to go from 19th to 18th? Only you can answer that one.

[jaym96822]

IMHO if you are even considering folding here you need to drop down to a more comfortable (bankroll-wise) buy-in level.

[Exitonly]

Also i wouldn't be surprised to see AQs here quite often..i'd call pretty quickly i think, but not be really happy about it.

Where'd you end up finishing?

Finished 16 after pushing with any two from the sb hoping to pick up the big blind and the antes.

I definitely see the problem was mixing the strategies of "playing to win" and "moving up the pay scale". I would call now if I had the opportunity. Thanks all for the insights.

i like your fold for the following reasons:

1) he is big stack - losing to you all in would bring him way back to below average. he will not make this play against you without a hand. you are probably an underdog in the hand.

2) if you are a good player, and i'm sure you are, wait for a situation to outplay someone and try to win the tournament, not inch up to 18th. you can't outplay them when you're guessing whether or not to call their all-in with AK

3). you simply don't have to make the call based on your M.

i wait for a more favorable situation...

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
i wait for a more favorable situation...

[/ QUOTE ]

It is hard to imagine a more favorable situation than 2-1 pot odds to call with AK against a big stack who may be aggressive. Ridiculously easy call. It would take an extraordinary situation for me to fold AK preflop with 13xBB.

A smaller raise preflop is proabably better, as you are less pot committed, although I wouldn't fold AK preflop anyway.

You could also just open push. Depending on how the table is playing, you could play for a limpraise.

I love this stage of a tournament when people start playing weak/tight.

[Chief911]

This is an automatic call spare some super read on a super-tight big stack that is a nut peddler. Must call.

Reminds me of a situation with about 17 left in the PS rebuy the other night. I was down to about 500k, and villian had 600k and knew I respect his play. I raise from LP with AJs to 120k (3xbb) and he pushed from the BB. Now AJs doesnt feel great there, but taking into account the type of play he is willing to make, I made a call, and he flips A3.

Nick

[HeroInBlack]

I call every time.

[Jurollo]

Call here, generally AA or KK (the 2 worst hands you can see) probably won't play it like this, although it is possible. You are at worst a coin flip as others have mentioned along with the good probability that you are way ahead of AQs or AQo.
~Justin

[Ond]

I like the smaller raise here, so its easier to get away from the hand - BUT - at this stage in a tournament, I dont do any really big raises unless I am prepared to call reraises (which will be allins at this point).

Without having a feel for the table or the player and all the previous action, I would call this one, but propably close my eyes.

[pooh74]

[ QUOTE ]
i like your fold for the following reasons:

1) he is big stack - losing to you all in would bring him way back to below average. he will not make this play against you without a hand. you are probably an underdog in the hand.

2) if you are a good player, and i'm sure you are, wait for a situation to outplay someone and try to win the tournament, not inch up to 18th. you can't outplay them when you're guessing whether or not to call their all-in with AK

3). you simply don't have to make the call based on your M.

i wait for a more favorable situation...

[/ QUOTE ]

You have to be willing to make this call. It sucks but its true. You'd be surprised at what he turns over sometimes.