Call all-in with KQs?

[AliasMrJones]

Party $10+1 SnG NLHE. 8 players. Blinds at 25/50. I'm in 3rd position with 1,195. Leader has 2,625 and 4th position has 670. Short stack has 100.

I am dealt K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

UTG chip leader folds, EP(660) calls 50, I raise to 200, folded to short stack CO (100) who calls all-in, SB(610) calls, BB folds. Now, EP limp-reraises all-in to 660.

It is 440 more for me. 2 people already all-in (one for only 100). Call?

Results later.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

If you call, you certainly expect the SB to overcall all-in, and the pot will be giving you something like 4:1 on the call, if I counted correctly.

You're behind, of course, but potstuck for that amount. Call.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[Scooterdoo]

I don't see this as an option. He's facing at least two good hands, perhaps 3 with a possibility of being dominated by AK or KK on one of the hands. Without calling he's still in okay shape. With calling, he's probably going to get all of his chips sucked in as you mentioned.

Playing around with the range of hands he's facing 4-handed he's somewhere between 30% at best and 10% at worst. Even if it's 25% and he gets his +EV why risk the tournament on a 1 in 4 chance of winning when he can easily fold and live to see another day? This is time for a big gamble, why make it?

[DrPhysic]

Fold it. You are out $200, but you have $995 left which is still 1/3 of chip leader. Good hand or 2 and you're right in the action.

You have at least one, maybe 2 good hands out against you, I'd bet money on at least one ace and a pair better than 8s.

I sometimes will MAKE a big raise (40% of stack) with KQs, never with KQo, but I will never call one. Only make one in LP or to press a short stack.

Of course, KQ is my personal nemesis. I could lose money with KQ if I were the only one at the table.

For what it's worth.

Doc

"If poker is the answer, what was the question?"

[AliasMrJones]

Well, as Greg suggested, I was looking at the pot odds with all those chips on the table. I was also looking at all those folks already all-in and the fact that I had no A and any Ax was better than my KQs.

But, then what Scooter said started to dominate my thinking. This is a $10 Party SnG. The players are generally pretty bad. I'm probably behind and my strategy this early in a Party SnG is to survive while the really bad players go broke trying to pick up small pots or big pots when I'm a big favorite.

I folded.

As Greg predicted SB did call. Hands were CO K/images/graemlins/heart.gif 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, EP limp-allin-reraiser had 66 and SB had A/images/graemlins/heart.gif Q/images/graemlins/club.gif so I would have been dominated.

Board was T/images/graemlins/spade.gif K/images/graemlins/club.gif 5/images/graemlins/club.gif 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif

So, amazingly, even though I was dominated, I would have pulled it out.

[curtains]

IMO it was a poor decision to make it 200 with this hand in the first place.

[Moonsugar]

Should have passed at your first chance. Pass now. Much too early to be playing with KQ out of position.

[esknights]

nevermind. CO was short stack at 100.

[SaintAces]

he had 2 pair, you woulda lost... right?

[AliasMrJones]

Didn't notice that...he did have 2 pair and I would have lost. I'm button-3 which puts me squarely in middle position. Fold, limp and you don't like KQs? I'd normally play KQs in MP and I generally come in for a raise if I'm going to get involved.