hands on bubble, better to survive?

[maplepig]

online NLHE single table tournament top 3 paid

Hand 1:

4 players left, blind 100/200, blind will not increase for another 6 hands. I have AQo on Button with T350. After posting blind,
SB: T250
BB: T1800
EP: T5300

EP call. EP has been calling with almost everything. I move allin, SB fold, BB fold, EP call, and I lost to EP's AA.

Hand 2:

4 players left, blind 100/200, I have K5o on SB with 150 left, after posting
BB: T1500
EP: T4000
LP: T2500

fold to LP, LP move allin, I call, BB call with JJ, and LP won with KQo.

comments? Is it good to go for it or better to survive?

[Rickfish]

Firstly you are not playing for 3rd place. It is a consideration but you are still trying to win.

Hand 1: no brainer - all-in.

Hand 2: K5o is crap and I wonder how this was worse than your previous hand, i.e. when you were on the BB with more chips invested. You must have started that hand with 450 and put in 200. I would have probably played that hand blind because that is effectively what you did in the SB for a smaller pot. Maybe you had a lot more chips on the BB but lost an all-in to some-one? Anyway, back to the K5, you can either call on this hand or one of the next three. You have a good chance of getting a better hand by waiting but against that you already have 100 in the pot so you stand to gain an extra 300 in this pot. But there has been a raise which must make you an underdog. It is a tough decision. If you wait someone may get KO'd before you which is what happened here. Personally I would have doubled up or gone out on the BB but now I've got past the blinds I might as well wait for a better hand.

[ohkanada]

In both cases you are very short stacked. Did you just lose a hand or have you been blinding away? You need to make a move earlier!

In the 2nd hand you need to call. You have very little chance on moving into money but winning this hand would be a good start.

In the 1st hand I likely play it the same way. You could fold your way to 3rd but if the SB wins one of his hands you will get 4th.

Ken Poklitar