Mid pairs: medium stacks: what to do?

[theredbaron]

PartyPoker - NL Texas Hold'em $10 Buy-in + $1 Entry Fee Tournament | Level: 3 - 7 players

Chip Counts:
Button: 1760 Chips
SB: 455 Chips
BB: 790 Chips
UTG: 725 Chips
UTG+1: 2455 Chips
MP1: 1175 Chips
Hero: 640 Chips

Hero is CO with 8d 8c
Blinds are 25/50

PreFlop
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds,

Hero ????

10 bb or less, I autopush this. Here I have 13BB. SNGPT says its a good push.

I know it's read dependant, but what do you do here? And please feel free to explain your reasoning.

[proell]

I make a standard raise of 150 here. That way I can make a read-dependent move if someone comes over the top. Not sure I want to risk 13BB on this hand for 75 chips. And open-calling is asking for trouble imo.

this is how I play the mid pairs at this level in a typical game. Not saying it's right, but I don't like my other options.

[schwza]

[ QUOTE ]
I make a standard raise of 150 here. That way I can make a read-dependent move if someone comes over the top. Not sure I want to risk 13BB on this hand for 75 chips. And open-calling is asking for trouble imo.

this is how I play the mid pairs at this level in a typical game. Not saying it's right, but I don't like my other options.

[/ QUOTE ]

[rvg72]

I think you have to push here... a standard raise takes out 25% of your stack and if you are called then surely there will be overcards on the flop making this really tough to play.

You are over 10BB but also a short stack with a good hand that likely takes 75 chips (or about +12% of your stack) or has a reasonably good chance of doubling up.

rvg

[jt1]

I voted call just because I want to push should someone else raise. I'd hate to push for just 75 chips.

I usually push depending on the table. Calling is very risky. If you have a pretty tight table, you might want to do a min. raise and follow up with a bigger one post flop depending on the cards. Tighter players will play bigger cards and will call just to see a flop but will fold if they don't hit. With a looser table, you might want to hold off until you get a better hand for your money.

[45suited]

I suck it up and push. If someone has a higher PP, well, they have a higher PP.

Maybe this is a leak, I dunno. I think you gotta make a move. I just busted out of a game where I pushed from the button with 66 (blinds 25-50, I had t650). BB had KK. But what the hell else you gonna do? I don't think you can actually fold. Standard raise, then 3 overs flop. Standard raise then fold to a push? That sucks too, IMO. I think sometimes you're just destined to go broke.

It's a tough spot, but I think you just have to push.

I'd be interested to hear other opinions on this though, as I'm open to the possibility that I'm very wrong here.

[pooh74]

[ QUOTE ]
I voted call just because I want to push should someone else raise. I'd hate to push for just 75 chips.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like that too...but how do you proceed with say, 3 in the pot on the flop? (SB and BB, you're in position postflop) With two overs and checked to you? 1 over?

say 2 overs, and BB bets 100?

I know these are very general questions, but I wanted a general feel of how you proceed when its call, complete check...fold, complete check etc...because I dont think youre getting action enough here to warrant an 8% limp.

[jt1]

easy fold with 2 overs and someone bets into you
pot size bet if checked to u

level 3 sux

[pooh74]

[ QUOTE ]

level 3 sux

[/ QUOTE ]

thats sort of what I was getting at...

[DyessMan89]

If you would have followed Phil Helmuth's top 10 hands guidline this wouldnt have happened.

[lastchance]

I like making it t125 and hoping button doesn't call you.

So many ways to outplay people in position....

[fnord_too]

That's right on the border between pushing and standard raising for me, and if the table is nice and loose/passive pre flop I will limp here. (I have this odd theory of seeing an extra flop when I have an inbetween stack like this if it seems viable.)

[Matt R.]

I like opening for t125-175. Bet on the higher end if those left to act after you are looser, bet less if they are tighter. Basically, I don't mind trying to build a pot up with 88 in the CO when you only have 640 chips left, so I usually like this over pushing. If you're called, I would generally move all-in no matter what the flop. There are situations where I wouldn't push after the flop; i.e. the flop is bad, you get more than one caller, and you're bet into. But, most of the time I'd put the rest of my chips in.