22 hand in final 3 of $5+1 Party SNG

[jwp]

Played my first SNG at PartyPoker last night. Play was awful, as I heard it would be via these forums. One guy playing with any A or K. Finished 2nd by biding my time. With a tiny stack and 5 left, I watched the chip leader take out two guys at once, and I thanked him. I picked up a few chips and 2nd place (in chips) eventually went down too in the hand in question.

In the hand where 3rd to last player eliminated, blinds are 200/400. I'm in SB w/ 1500, BB has 2300, and Button has 5200. Button raises to 1200 -- he has been ultra-aggressive since taking chip lead, raising every flop. I look down at 22 pocket pair. There's been no tactical/strategic conflict avoidance by anybody (except me) in this tourney, so I fold hoping BB will compete and lose whole stack (which he does). Flop comes K27. D'oh. Turn: 2. River: didn't see it, too busy shaking my head. Would have made quads and taken commanding lead.

Does anybody play this any differently? Is there a case to be made for playing the 22? It just seemd like a hit the set or go out 3rd moment because I was not positive I could get it heads up. I believe I made the right move, especially given the propensity for the other two players to fire chips into the pot, but I wanted to hear confirmation or dissension on the way I played it.

Thanks,
jwp

[jedi]

First off, don't play the $5+1 at Party. You're better off playing the $10+1, or going to Stars or UB to play in the $5+$0.50.

As to the hand itself, know that I'm no expert on this one but here are my thoughts in a general sense.

There's a good chance your 2s are the best hand at the moment. Of course any card could kill that. The bet is 1200, there's 600 more in blinds. You can't call. It's either raise all in or fold. You folded, basically hoping to move up to 2nd place if the BB busted out and he did, giving you $15 instead of $10. I however, would have pushed all in, and taken the chance that button only had overcards and none would fall. Given that you know he's ultra agressive, he'd probably make this move with any Ace or King (or even any 2 big cards). By pushing in, you give up the almost sure thing at finishing 2nd for a chance at finishing first. Since it was your first SnG, you did well but a case could defintely be made for going all in here, regardless of the end result.

[jwp]

Let me clarify. It was my first SNG at Party. I have 6 months of experience with $5 & $10 on Stars. (My money finishes in $10 are 50%.) I was merely playing Party to see what it was like after reading about it, and that's why I decided to give up the $0.50 (5+.50 vs. 5+1) on Party.

I understand what you are saying. If I was certain that it would be heads-up after my push, I would have taken the (assumed) coin-flip. My main fear was that if I pushed it would be no prohibitor for BB also pushing, and I'd be looking at 3-way pot holding a 22 (about a 31% chance of winning against representative hands of the two players according to twodimes.net). This, coupled with the tendency of the other two players to go at it, made me fold for the quick chance at 2nd.

Thanks.
jwp

[jedi]

Oh, got it. Well I can't argue with your thought process. My style of play would have been to push and hope though.

[ QUOTE ]
Let me clarify. It was my first SNG at Party. I have 6 months of experience with $5 & $10 on Stars. (My money finishes in $10 are 50%.) I was merely playing Party to see what it was like after reading about it, and that's why I decided to give up the $0.50 (5+.50 vs. 5+1) on Party.

I understand what you are saying. If I was certain that it would be heads-up after my push, I would have taken the (assumed) coin-flip. My main fear was that if I pushed it would be no prohibitor for BB also pushing, and I'd be looking at 3-way pot holding a 22 (about a 31% chance of winning against representative hands of the two players according to twodimes.net). This, coupled with the tendency of the other two players to go at it, made me fold for the quick chance at 2nd.

Thanks.
jwp

[/ QUOTE ]

[Guy McSucker]

22 is either a coin-flip or a 4:1 underdog. In the coin flip scenario, it's sometimes the slight favourite, sometimes the slight underdog (eg. versus JT).

Not a good time to be committing all your chips. Since there is no chance he will fold if you move in, this is a clear fold in my opinion.

By folding you achieve two things:

- you give yourself a chance to find a hand to attack with. Raising is much better than calling (or raising your last few chips).

- you give the other player a chance to knock himself out.

I don't believe many experts would push in here, but I could be wrong. This decidedly non-expert player wouldn't.

Let's hear from the experts now!

Guy.

[CrisBrown]

Hiya jwp,

I've no problem with your fold here. I faced a similar situation in a tourney yesterday, with 33 on the button. I raised, and the SB pushed. Buh-bye, 33....

On the other hand, lucky ducks were my thing yesterday in that tourney. In one case, I raised with 22 from the CO and the SB called. Flop was 10-10-2 ... and he had T9s. I doubled up and crippled him. About 10 minutes later, he types "nh cris, I was too stunned to say anything til now."

Later, at the final table, I limped in with 22, ready to lay it down to a reraise. Both blinds called, and the flop was Q-10-2. SB thinks for a while and checks. I figure he's got something, but I want to tease it out slowly, so I check behind. Turn is a 4. He makes a small bet, I make a small reraise, he pushes in, and I call. He had QJ and I busted him.

In your situation, I think 22 is an easy fold as you don't want to play it for your entire stack.

Cris