Isolation: PPs vs AK(etc)

[orange]

I recently watched the WSOP episode 2, where Howard Lederer re-raises all in against a PFR (Barbra enright) with 77. This is of course, an isolation play, which attempts to 'isolate' the PFR (who generally has AK,AQ,etc) and race (in which the PP is a small favorite).

Although I viewed this play in tournaments, I also see it in ring games as well. The same idea stands- isolate the PFR (usually done in an all-in),and attempt to get it HU, where you are a small favorite or small dog (race).

This does not refer to when the PFR makes the standard 4xBB raise- only when one is short-stacked and pushes PF.

My standard is to generally flat call the PFR's all-in.

Help me understand the uses and advantages of the isolation RR all-in move- to me, I see more advantages calling, instead of re-raising. You risk fewer chips, and if you have someone behind you 3-betting, you can safely fold. For instance:

You hold AKo in MP. EP pushes his short-stack in (20BBs).You raise all-in and everyone folds.

or

You hold AKo in MP. EP pushes his short-stack in (20BBs).You raise all-in and LP calls you and the SS. He holds a monster.

In the above perhaps standard examples, I just can't see the risk/reward of you being called by a better hand, when you have no chance of getting away from it. Sure you isolate the PFR, but at the risk of putting your stack in danger.

Does anyone use the isolation tactic? This is a weapon I'd like to use more frequently, I just want to understand it a bit better. Care to explain?

[ghostface]

For 20BBs I'll just fold if I think I'm gonna be against a PP.

[aces_dad]

The isolation re-reaise is most likely done in tournaments, as you say. The reason to want to race HU with a mid PP or AKo only HU, which could be close in equity to the original PFR, only makes sense when the original PFR has a smallish number of chips (say 10BB's or less) compared to the BB's.

There are other stack size considerations, such as if you are the large stack on the table you're re-raise isolation is much more likely to work as the players behind will only call with hands like AA-QQ and AK for example.

In a ring cash game pushing pf vs a small PFR with marginal equity (not to mention players behind you left to act) is just unneccessary gambling IMO. The dead money from the blinds is the main difference here.

[orange]

What if there is alot of dead money in the pot, thus increasing your odds? For example:

You(120BBs) hold 77 in MP. EP pushes his short-stack in (20BBs). EP calls. MP calls. You...

Would this be a better spot to reraise all in, due to the dead money in the pot? Even in this spot, I think I just call, hoping to hit a set and stack 2 players.