Would you call?

[novamob]

NL Freeze-out on Party Poker. 4 Players left. Top 3 are in the $$$. Fold to you on SB. You have Jc8c. You call the $50 to match the BB. BB moves all-in. You have $1,700, and BB has $1,300. Other 2 players are each over $2,000. Do you call? Why or why not?

[SpaceAce]

[ QUOTE ]
NL Freeze-out on Party Poker. 4 Players left. Top 3 are in the $$$. Fold to you on SB. You have Jc8c. You call the $50 to match the BB. BB moves all-in. You have $1,700, and BB has $1,300. Other 2 players are each over $2,000. Do you call? Why or why not?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not a remotely tough decision. Throw that hand away.

Why? Because J8s is a crappy hand and you're not doing yourself any good by doubling up the big blind. You would have to be 100% certain that the big blind was making a steal attempt with total trash to call this raise. Even then, I'd let it go.

SpaceAce

[Richie Rich]

This is an EASY fold. Understandably, you completed the small blind to see the flop with your suited cards that could possibly make a straight. But when the big blind comes over the top, what do you think he could be doing this with that you have a strong chance to beat? 23s? 47o? Don't think so. Smells like AK/AQ or pocket pair to me, in which case you're behind.

Remember, you've all made it to the final 4 with the intention of finishing in the money. Why would the BB risk all of his chips to steal your blind unless he was confident that he was ahead of you at this point? Something to think about in the future when deciding whether to call an all-in from a non-maniac when you're on the bubble...

In the future, feel free to use the Tournament Poker message board for inquiries of this nature.

[tewall]

A key consideration is the size of the blinds, which are still reasonably small. There's no need for you to make a stand yet.

If you were to go all-in with this hand, you'd *much* rather be the one moving in. You'd have to be in really bad shape, blind wise, to call with it.

[The Dude]

If you are going be coming in with this hand, you need to be coming in with a raise. J8s isn't worth only a call 4 handed, but might be worth a raise if you have a reasonable chance to steal.

Since you only called, you just invited anyone with 23o to raise you. Even so, you can't possible call since this hand is so terrible heads up. Fold and move on.

[novamob]

I was in the BB and came in over the top of the guy with K-10off. He hemmed and hawed and told the table what he had. They encouraged him to call with his J /images/graemlins/club.gif8 /images/graemlins/club.gif. So he did.
Flop came K /images/graemlins/diamond.gif4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif7 /images/graemlins/spade.gif
turn came J /images/graemlins/spade.gif
river came J /images/graemlins/heart.gif

He told me I was too loose.
I told him he was a nit for calling.
He said it was OK cuz they were suited.
I again called him a nit and moved on.

[illmatic]

He should have thrown it away of course. Easy.
You risked 1300 chips to win 100. With your K-10, he needs to lay down 80-90% of the time for your move to be right. In this bubble situation you might have had those type of odds.
The other guys wanted him to call of course to get one of you out or crippled and to be in the money, looks like it worked.

later,
illmatic

[tewall]

I don't think his call is so bad, if he knew what you had. This is because he is obviously an idiot, and he has about a 40% chance of getting you out of the way.

[The Dude]

Why would you call him a nit? Is it because you would like these types of players to stop playing, that way we only play against good opponents?

Or is it because you needed the boost in self-confidence after being drawn out on? After all, he caught a lucky card, you're in danger of him feeling better about himself than you. Can't let that continue now, can we?