When to go all in? (Hand Analysis)

[redsamurai]

Situation: NL Hold'em Tourney 3rd hand after color up break at a new table.
Avg Stacks: T775
My Stack: T225
Large Stack at the table: approx T1500
Blinds T25 SB/T50 BB (may not reach me again before going up to
7 players at the table
I'm UTG dealt A /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif

Questions: What is the play here? Is this a good place to make a stand and go all in or should I wait? What hands would you make a stand with in this situation and what would you throw away? Are there any hands you'd call or raise but not move all in with?

Sam

[Ignatius]

It's close. More often than not a dominating hand will be out there and ppl. will be aware that you don't need a quality hand to move in here. Still, I'd probably go for it if the table is resonably tight and ppl. would usually muck their small pairs and medium aces.

[Rickfish]

If the raise to 50/100 is coming up soon then I think this is good enough to go all in. It may be difficult for someone to call the raise with something like AT or 77. You may even be winning if someone calls with KQ but the chances are that you will be losing if you are called. I take the view that you have to play fast and loose when you are in this position (low chips, high blinds). Win a decent pot then you can play solid again.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

4.5xBB means your only plays are to fold or go all-in. Anything less than all-in would almost always be a mistake.

As for A5s, I would go with this hand. While the play is probably slightly negative EV, it is less negative than taking the blinds, in my guesstimation.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[redsamurai]

I decided to go all in for my 225. It was folded to the small blind who raised all in for 1000+ (an ominous sign) and the big blind folded. He quickly turns his A /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif Q /forums/images/icons/club.gif and smiles when I wince and shoy my A /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif . Noone improves and he wins. I'm out a disappointing 42nd place.

[Copernicus]

6 handed A5s wins 20% and ties 4%, compared to the random 16.67%, so I would take it all in here. If you get called you are probably behind, but time is running out.