Stars 1-table $10 Sit & Go (NLHE)

[Magician]

Situation: I have about 1,500 chips, 5 players remaining, I am the shortest stack (top 3 get paid). Next smallest is at about 2,200 or so. Blinds are 50/100.

UTG, I am dealt 77.

I raise to 400, hoping all fold, and deciding that if re-raised my decision will depend on who does the re-raising as each opponent has a different stack size and tightness level.

Folded to BB, who calls.

Flop is 2 8 Q (2 of a suit).

BB checks. I check.

Turn is a 6 (still 2 of a suit).

BB bets the remainder of my stack.

I muck.

Question: Should I have moved in pre-flop? Five-handed, isn't that more of a monster hand?

On the flop, should I have bet (so that maybe he folds and I win the pot right there)?

Or did I play this right and simply not get the flop and/or turn to go my way?

[Bama Boy]

Well, since you didn't put any more information about the "tightness" of the BB, or what his stack size is, there isn't too much to go on.

But I typically release this hand on the flop if it doesn't hit me, and would be glad for the free turn card.

[Magician]

BB was the 2,200 (after betting my remaining stack he would be down to about 600-700 chips if he lost) and he seemed to be a bit on the tight side - making my decision to muck easier.

[cferejohn]

I think your pre-flop raise was fine. You have a chance to go all-in on the flop, and hope he doesn't have a Q or an 8 (or that he will fold the 8). Once you don't do this, I think you have to fold to the all-in. You certainly would like to pick up the blinds with this, but I don't think that means you want to go all-in, since all the hands that will likely call are better than 77 except AK, which is only a slight dog).

[fnurt]

With 1500 I wouldn't raise all-in although you're getting close to that point. You don't really have a "monster" although it's likely you have the best hand. The problem is that if you get a caller you're very likely to be in a coin flip situation with them even if they have something crappy like Q9.

I think the decision is based on how the table has been playing. If most pots are taken down by a raise then 400 has a good chance of winning the blinds and I'd go with that. If a lot of raises have been called then I think all-in would be the better play.

On the flop you have a tough decision to make. If there were two big overcards (like a flop of KQ3) then I'd just check and fold, but this isn't as scary. I'd probably choose to go all-in here, yes you're gambling he didn't hit the flop, but at this stage most of the hands you play are gambling anyway.