A9s on the button. Is this a clear push?

[chipolino]

***** Hand History for Game 2675977716 *****
100/200 Tourney Texas Hold'em Game Table (NL) (Tournament 15554871) - Thu Sep 08 11:59:50 EDT 2005
Table Table 13773 (Real Money) -- Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: brett1212 (420)
Seat 4: RMAW007 (1345)
Seat 5: southie77 (1710)
Seat 6: HERO (935)
Seat 8: IWANTITBAD2 (1265)
Seat 9: imasap (2325)
IWANTITBAD2 posts small blind (50)
imasap posts big blind (100)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to neumoyka [ 9s, As ]
brett1212 folds.
RMAW007 folds.
southie77 folds.
HERO ???

Do I push here?

The way I see this, is either a fold or push. But I'm leaning more towards the push. Rasing to $300 is out of the question because if one of the blinds goes all in I'll have to call anyways.

What you guys think?

[Chief911]

If you dont push here, you should stop playing.

Dont be results oriented.

Nick

[durron597]

[ QUOTE ]
If you dont push here, you should stop playing.

Dont be results oriented.

Nick

[/ QUOTE ]

[OatmealJoe]

Although a push is certainly reasonable, I'd prefer to make a normal raise ($300) and, if I get a caller, push any flop if checked to. You could get a better Ace that missed the flop to fold. Sometimes making a normal raise will convince the blinds you have a better hand because you didn't push to start with - it looks like you wanted them to call.

[Maulik]

[ QUOTE ]
Although a push is certainly reasonable, I'd prefer to make a normal raise ($300) and, if I get a caller, push any flop if checked to. You could get a better Ace that missed the flop to fold. Sometimes making a normal raise will convince the blinds you have a better hand because you didn't push to start with - it looks like you wanted them to call.

[/ QUOTE ]

just push, if the villian makes the mistake of calling with a lower ace, great. taking down the uncontested pot is important.

[citanul]

[ QUOTE ]
Although a push is certainly reasonable, I'd prefer to make a normal raise ($300) and, if I get a caller, push any flop if checked to. You could get a better Ace that missed the flop to fold. Sometimes making a normal raise will convince the blinds you have a better hand because you didn't push to start with - it looks like you wanted them to call.

[/ QUOTE ]

are you calling any preflop push? what if both blinds call? what if it's not checked to you?

creating a strategy whereby the optimal strategy for an opponent is just:

1) call preflop
2) bet whenever he misses
3) check whenever he hits

is pretty nasty to do to yourself.

anyway, this strategy is not as great as you'd like to think because most opponents who hit the flop are going to check.

also, you get into more (as in >0) more difficult spots with 1/3 of your stack in the middle by not pushing preflop.

i echo the earlier sentiments that you need to push this here. the opponents who are more likely to call a push than a standard raise are not that common.

citanul

[chipolino]

[ QUOTE ]
Although a push is certainly reasonable, I'd prefer to make a normal raise ($300) and, if I get a caller, push any flop if checked to. You could get a better Ace that missed the flop to fold. Sometimes making a normal raise will convince the blinds you have a better hand because you didn't push to start with - it looks like you wanted them to call.

[/ QUOTE ]

What if it's not checked to you and you missed? I think raising to 300 is a bad play. The Blinds can call with marginal hands and hit the flop, now you're in trouble.

[chipolino]

I totally agree with you. I'm just making sure that I'm playing correctly.

[OatmealJoe]

I think part of my decision about whether to raise or push depends on your reads of the opponents and previous action at the table. Although I see nothing wrong with pushing, I will sometimes just make a normal raise to mix it up.

Also, against tighter opponents, I would be more inclined to make a normal raise and against a looser opponent I would be more inclined to push (and never just raise). Maybe that is backwards thinking? (although it seems the consensus is just always push..)

Is there a hand in this position with about 10BB that people would ever raise with, or is it always just push or fold here?

[chipolino]

I think you can just raise with big pairs AA-QQ.(I could be wrong here) My reasoning here is that I'm gonna go all in on the flop anyways and I'd like to get a bit more action with AA-QQ. I will tend to push any other playable hand.

[OatmealJoe]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you can just raise with big pairs AA-QQ.(I could be wrong here) My reasoning here is that I'm gonna go all in on the flop anyways and I'd like to get a bit more action with AA-QQ. I will tend to push any other playable hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

But if you are only raising big pairs (instead of pushing), doesn't that imply that a normal raise (when you are in a push-or-fold position) shows a better hand than otherwise?

Knowing that, someone could hypothetically call a push with something like AJo, but fold to a normal raise.