3 Very Tough Hands in a Super Satellite

[9cao]

The situation is that the top 3 finishers all get tickets into a $2650 NL tournament and 4th gets $1200. All of these hands were tough decisions for me and I would like to hear any thoughts. There were no antes in this tournament.

Hand 1:

12 people left (6-handed at each table) and I have 24,000 TC. Average stack is 15,000 TC. Blinds at 800-1600. UTG moves in for 4,000 and UTG+1 moves in for 10,000.

I look down at pocket jacks. My reads are that UTG is too tight, UTG+1 is too loose. I also have chip leader to my left who is playing a ton of big pots.

Hand 2:

5 players left. I have 30,000 TC. Blinds 2000-4000 Chip leader has 50% of chips so the average for the other 4 of us is 22,000. I am UTG and I look down at pocket 9's. Chip leader is in small blind. Thoughts?

I will take this one step further and let you know I raised to 10,000 and the very aggressive chip leader moved all-in. Easy lay down?

Hand 3:

4 players left. I have 19,000 in TC. Blinds are 3000-6000. I am small stack and player to my right is next with about 25,000. He posts big-blind. I look down at AT of spades.

Here are my reads. If I push there is a good chance that chip-leader (SB) will call just to try and end this thing and I will be a slight favourite against his calling range. However, when I factor in the chance that the other two players pick up a big hand I think I am <50% when called. The other short-stack in the BB is very tight and if he gives up his blind we will have the same stack with me posting the BB next hand.

[Crispy]

Hand 1:
Tough one. You can really put UTG with having any Q-A in his hand. UTG+1, im putting him on AJ-AK, 99-AA. I like a fold here because i think you are coinflipping against 2 opponents.

Hand 2: Without knowing how much the normal raise is that steals the blinds it is kinda hard to tell here. If I am villian i might be pushing with any two if there is another player is about to bust, cause i know you wiill fold all but premium hands.

Hand 3: Easy push.

I think the problem with your hands is that you are being too weak tight. You want someone else to get blinded away and have the ticket to the tournament given to you. You gotta be aggressive during the end game, because many other people are thinking exactly what i mentioned. You push, they fold.

[Exitonly]

hand 1 push because they're both short w/ these blinds, and you said the bigger of the two was too looose, so you're likely ahead, good chance dominating him. So even if you lose to shorty, you still win.

hand 2 raise to 10k is real bad idea, if Chipleader has 50% of chips he's going to put you in w/ any two because you're on the bubble of a satelite.. Well maybe not any two, but close. Push. ( you only have like 8 BB's anyway)

hand 3 push.. ATs 4 handed w/ those blinds is golden. + you have to double up/steal lots to get the seat.

[9cao]

I folded in hand one. After thinking about the hands later I realized that I should have called, mainly because UTG+1 was too loose and he was the bigger stack. They showed K9 and KT.

In hand 2 I raised to 10,000 and folded to the big stacks reraise. I announced "I can't race you here and finish 5th" and folded and he showed AK. I think the making it 10,000 play is ok, because if I raise any more I have to call any reraise and it should get respect. Even though the big stack had 90,000 I don't think he would play back with just any 2 since I have 30,000 and with 5 remaining and only 60,000, his position wouldn't be that dominating. I also think folding in that spot wouldn't have been terrible.

In the third hand I pushed. Big stack called me as I expected, but he actually had a hand, with JJ. I don't improve and finish 4th. I think I would make the same play with further thought but I don't think waiting to play the other short-stack in a blind-battle is far behind. If things work out I would most likely get into a 50/50 with chance at a seat versus a 60/40 (in my favour assuming big stacks calling range) where I go to 46,000 but still have to play for the seat.