1st or 3rd - Decision to be made?

[Poker Jon]

Hi All,

Down to the last 3 in a 2 table NLHE SNG on Stars.

I have T10000 and am in the SB, BB has about T3000, and my opponent in the hand (we shall call him Busted) has the rest ~T14000.

Blinds are at 400/800.

Everytime Busted has been in the SB he has min raised my big blind. I have folded most times (as I had a poor run of cards) but when I have re-raised, he has called and then the flop has missed me. Occasionally I have defended my blinds successfully and got him to fold hands pre-flop. However, i put him on any 2 cards for any raise, as each raise is a min raise.

OK in this hand, I pick up KJo in the SB. Busted in on the button and makes his usual min raise (1600). I think and then re-raise to 4800:

Reasons in re-raise this amount and not all in
1) If he comes back over the top, i can fold and still be in the competition
2) If I miss the flop, I can either bluff/ or check fold and still be in the competition (given the size of BB stack)

After thinking, Busted calls the raise. Flop comes Jack high with two diamonds. I bet all in, Busted thinks and calls and flips over AK diamonds and hits the river flush.

Is my play reasonable here? Have I made the right assumptions about this player? I obviously know that he has a hand, because of his call of the raise, however when the flop comes, I have to go all in I believe. If I win the hand, I think I win the tournament.

I don't know whether I should have folded the hand and waited for a better spot or is that becoming way too passive short handed?

Cheers Jon

[ohkanada]

Pre-flop in your situation (2 big stacks and a 3rd shortstacked guy) I just call his raise. Although your hand is good shorthanded you still only have King high.

I can't fault you otherwise. Raising certainly wasn't terrible and your flop play was fine. You went for the win and instead got the consolation prize.

Ken Poklitar

[SossMan]

I think it's reasonable. After the flop, you're committed. Bad luck.

[gmunny]

I am pretty new to this board and have only been playing SNG's for a few months now. But my question is what is wrong with 2nd place? I think I would have waited a few deals to see if the short stack gets blinded or busted out (or you can steal his blinds), before calling an all-in with KJos against the chip leader. Although your hand is very strong short-handed and the other player has been blind stealing, I still think I would have played it safe unless I had an Ace. Maybe I'm too conservative? GM

[Al_Capone_Junior]

Well, preflop I'd have to say your play was quite reasonable, without a doubt. Let's check the flop play:

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=197956
pokenum -h ad kd - ks jh -- jd 3c 7d
Holdem Hi: 990 enumerated boards containing 3c Jd 7d
cards win %win lose %lose tie %tie EV
Ad Kd 461 46.57 529 53.43 0 0.00 0.466
Ks Jh 529 53.43 461 46.57 0 0.00 0.534

Simply put, you were 53.4% to win going all-in on the flop. But the pot odds more than made his call correct.

I can't blame you for how you played it.

al

[Al_Capone_Junior]

I'll vote for "you're being too conservative." Because the guy had been stealing so much, JK was fine to take a stand with. Also, our hero did the (re)raising, not calling preflop. Against Tighty McWhitey perhaps waiting would have been better. But you gotta play your big stack when you have it, because first is always best. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

al

[ThaSaltCracka]

good play by you all around.... is there an echo.... /images/graemlins/grin.gif