Can/should you fold this hand - one from the money?

[plankton]

Situation: 20 player no limit hold'em live tourney. 5 players get paid. Tourney is a bunch of friends and co-workers so taking the title is more important than the money.

We are down to 6 players. 30k chips total. You are 2nd stack with about 7k chips. Chip leader has 9k. Blinds are 150/300.

You are dealt AJ UTG and make it 500. Button (big stack) calls. 2 players see a flop of A84. You bet 500, get raised to 1000 and call. Turn is an Ace. You bet 1000, get re-raised all in. Can you fold? with trip aces and a kicker? Your opponent has been very loose and crazy. You've seen him call down with K8 on AQJ8x board.

[fnurt]

You might be beat but in the game you describe I would call. If you win you will be a big favorite to win 1st which you said is what you're really after.

[ohkanada]

Calling is likely correct based on your description of your opponent. Would he re-raise preflop with AQ/AK? What type of hands has been raising the flop/turn with?

In a normal tourney, you could not make it 500 to go pre-flop. With blinds of 150-300, you would need to make it 600 to go.

On the flop with 1450 in the pot you bet 500? It is possible your small bet has mis-represented your hand.

Ken Poklitar

[plankton]

I may have the details on early action wrong as I wasn't the one with the hand. I was one of the unfortunate schmoos with a small stack.

The group who thinks about poker was debating folding on the all-in turn of AAx4.

I stated that the 2nd stack can't fold - he can dominate the table if he wins the pot. His opponent was very loose and aggressive - he used his stack to push a lot with nothing. The big stack had A4 for a full house. 2nd stack went out. My tiny stack moves into the money. I slowly built into 3rd, but lost to Q4 (big stack 2) pair vs my AQ qx4 flop.