Rate these NLHE Tourney Plays

[puppydog_ct]

Please rate these two plays (one observed, one I made) in a NLHE tourney last night...

$125 buy-in NLHE - 150 players - t$2000 to start
20 min rounds until (I think) final table, then go to 30

Case #1: 4 tables left, blinds are $500/$1000
Fairly tight UTG+2 makes it $4000 to go. All fold to the SB who calls $3100 of it with black fours. (I had a debate with my friend about whether this was a good call or not and am curious to see what other opinions are)

Case #2: Final table. 9 players left. Blinds are $1500/$3000. I have $10,000 and post the $3000 BB, and get a sparkling 85o. All fold to the SB (this guy is a good but not great Omaha/8 player in real life, not much NLHE tourney experience, but he has a TON of chips) who calls. I knuckle, and the flop comes 7-6-5 rainbow. SB bets $5000 and I raise all in for my last $7000.

Thanks for your input!

[punkass]

First hand - Your percentage win is 50/50 at best, so I'm more inclined to hate the move.

Your hand - I probably would've done the same thing. You have 7000 after your blind. If you fold, you'll 5500 in the SB. I would put it all in with the openender bottom pair. hopefully he just has an 8 and you didn't chop.

good luck to you.

[gunboat]

#1 Hmm, play the pocket pair or wait for a better chance. It cost 3100 to win 4600 when you are a slight favorite or a big dog. Heads up it is positive EV, but we haven't heard from BB yet. If he is looking like he will fold, I would play but would not be happy about it. If he looks ready to call, I muck and wait for a bettter shot knowing it may not come. If I wait another full orbit and double up I will be right where I am now. I could not fault either choice.

#2 I like this play. Just completing the SB, he doesn't have an overpair. If he has a 6 or 7, you have plenty of outs. The only killer is 89 (very possible for a SB limper) but even then you could win or chop.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Case #1: I don't like calling all-in with a small pair with all my free hands coming up. It's not total desparation time. I can still make one steal in the next orbit and keep waiting for a better spot.

Case #2: I agree with your play. He *will* call, so you'll be getting better than 9-5 from the pot and if all your outs are clean, you're nearly even money *if* you're indeed behind behind now.

[WizeGuy33]

Case #1:
I certainly would not have called all-in with 44 in the small blind at that point. Chances are you're already beat. At best, it's a coin flip. I would have waited for a better opportunity to double-up. I pass here and see if I can't get a decent hand before the blinds catch up to me again.

Case #2
Well you have low pair with an open-ended straight draw. He possibly has top pair and doesn't want to see a draw, so he basically puts you on a decision for all your chips. You have 11 outs. If he's not on the draw, this leaves you with about a 47% chance to win the pot. This, combined with the fact that he might be betting on nothing, may be enough reason to risk it all when you're so short stacked. It basically comes down to whether or not he had the habit of bullying pots during the tourney? It's a gamble none-the-less. Whether or not you wanted to save your last $5500 to move all in after the blinds pass, that's your call. I may lean towards this option, because it leaves you more in control of your fate, and it may even prove to be more profitable if you have a couple callers on your solid hand. So after all that rambling, I'm not confident either way. I guess it all depends on the man behind the bet.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

He has 13 outs (8 for the str8, 3 eights and 2 fives).

[WizeGuy33]

Yes, you are correct. Error on my part. The fact that he has 13 outs most likely makes it correct to call.

[sam h]

First case: You're getting 1.5:1 on the call, which against most "fairly tight" UTG2 raisers is probably not enough in a situation where you will be a small favorite or a 4:1 dog. With just over 3 times the BB left after folding, you still have some chance of stealing the blinds. I would probably fold.

Second case: This is an easy all-in. It's not even close, in my opinion.