Single table freezeouts.....

[bigfishead]

Been doing well on UB singles for the most part. Playing in both 10 handed and 5 handed tables. All NL.

Question is: In a 10 handed table, down to 5-6 players,
You have say 1800 of 10k in play, blinds are only 20-40.

A player goes all-in with about 400t. You have 44 or 55.
How often will you be beat by the river? Expect that player will jam with any decent Ace-x say A9 up, Any suited ace, and all pairs. Also he'll jam with KJ, KQ, but not say QJ 10J (unless suited) where he'll limp or small raise.

My thoughts are and have been to fold these small pairs and wait for a better time. Yet I see others do it. even 55 against 44. (1 of the reasons I'm posting this. No I wasnt invloved)

Now ? #2.

You have 66 utg 4 handed. U have 1/2 the chips on the table. (6k in play) blinds say 75-150, Obviously playable.
I raise to 400T , Good bet?

button decides to go all-in for 780, SB goes all-in for 540.
what do you do. How often will hand hold up?

Didnt know these players yet. they were seeing alot of flops. I was totally dominated. But that was hindsight. I did call. But I wondered about it before making the call thinking I'm beat already.

Thoughts?
Thanks

[MtSmalls]

#1. You have about an average stack (10K/5 players). The blinds are essentially irrelevant. With 44 or 55 you are in the classic, small favorite, big dog position. I.e you are either a small favorite with your pair against his overcards, or a big dog to his pocket pair (drawing to a 2 outer). Do you want to play this for 20-25% of your chips? I don't think so.

#2. You are the chip leader, probably by a big margin. I don't like the size of the raise (though raising is ok). If you raise 400, you are making the button either push in, or fold. He has to commit half his chips to call, so he should either raise all-in if he has a decent hand or fold if he doesn't. Assuming its going to be heads up, you are back in the position of #1. Instead, either make the raise 800 and force HIM to make the close call decision, or muck.

Once BOTH players shove all in, there is about 2K in the pot. If you win, you will have a 9-1 advantage heads up, virtually guaranteeing you the win. If you lose, one of the two small stacks will be out, and you will have about 2200 of the 6K left. you are getting roughly 5-1 on the call, but against 2 players, I don't like those odds, unless you think the SB is desperate and could call this kind of raise with any two cards (I don't think so yet). Chuck it.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

Basically, all of his unpaired hands (except A2, A3, and A4) are slightly behind you, and all of his pairs exept 22 and 33 are way ahead. Adding up all the possibilities and weighting their occurrence rates, it is about neutral whether you call or not.

However, this assumes you're the big blind, and nobody else is left. If you're not the blind, just sitting behind this player, that changes everything. Just calling this guy is still close to even money if everybody else goes away, but what happens when somebody behind you wakes up with a big hand? Now you might get reraised and have to fold. Even worse, you might get reraised by AK, fold, and then see two guys with AK split your money (when you would have been the significant favorite to win).

So, if you are the big blind, call or fold, no real correct or incorrect play here. If you're not the last to act, I think it's a pretty clear fold.

As for 66, this may be the spot to just put them all-in, as the other reply suggests. The main reason to make it 400 is so you can (correctly) fold if the BB goes all-in for his 1700. If you know he would have to hold an overpair to make this reraise, then your initial raise to 400 is perfect. You are pot-committing the other two if they play, but giving yourself an escape hatch from BB if they play for everything.

However, if BB is aggressive, and may try to "resteal" this pot from you with a variety of hands, then your raise is begging for him to do so, as he might raise with 32o if he thinks you will fold preflop. If he's tricky, then just bet all-in and leave him with one decision.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)