JJ on the bubble (PP $11)

[Huckle]

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200

SB (t3000)
BB (Hero) (t1400)
UTG (t1300)
Button (t2000)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, J/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
Utg raises to 500, Button folds, SB calls 500, Hero?

Both guys were pretty decent but didn't impress much. The big stack had just knocked out two smaller stacks, so no real short-handed play yet.

I probably had the table image of a lag-donk, drawing out with pocket 5's vs aces and AQ vs AK.

I put UTG on something like a weak ace, any pair, any two face cards, maybe even suited connectors 8+ and SB on pretty much the same, maybe a bit looser, so at worst I'm at a coinflip here and at best 45% to win or something.

To the question: is this a push every time or should I fold it and hope the short stack loses to the big stack? I figured that I'd still get third place for having more chips if big stack took it down, and if smallie won I'd be the small stack even if I folded.

Thoughts?

Play for 1st- Easy push IMO.

[beetyjoose]

I'm pushing all the time here. If you're up against a bigger pair so be it. If you're laying this caliber of a hand down you may not even make it to third.

The only way I'd ever fold this is if I had some unbelievable read on the players. Even still, laying down JJ 4 handed for the possibillity to net $9 is just way to weak tight in my opinion.

[durron597]

Since you have UTG covered, I am pushing here. Was the SB playing aggresively preflop, or had he shown a tendency to call preflop raises with nothing?

This pot is already huge, and you probably have the best hand. A lot of the time you take it down, a lot of the time the SB and UTG both have an ace, making it even more likely you win. I think if the SB is trapping with an overpair unless I have a specific reason to believe that he might do it I have no problem pushing.

[2Fast2Furious]

small raise from UTG is kinda weird - it's almost half his stack and commits him to the hand in my mind given that he's got the BB coming soon - would he be trying to steal pot with that low a raise assuming you had nothing or u think he's trying to induce a call with a monster? I want to say push but am confused with the bet. If he had small pair - AJ wouldn't he just go all in here to steal?? Even if he's got something like KQo-AK you're still slight favorite but it's basically a coinflip. Other option is to stop and go and see what hits on the flop too.....if you push would guess big stack would have FE and fold so he can watch you & shorty fight it out so at least you can isolate.

[Huckle]

SB was pretty tight-passive. Think I only saw him raise PF once, with KK or something. Did call a lot though, busting the short stacks he called two all-ins with QJs, thats why I put him on a weaker hand than the raiser.

Bah, I guess I did right, probably just a bad beat post.

[2Fast2Furious]

hadn't read the other posts before I got mine in but as I suspected I'm playing way too tight on the bubble in these things and correct play is to push knowing small stack is going to call and go to showdown (with EP large stack most likely getting out of the way). Still isn't small raise a bit scary???