Short stacked with pocket JJ

[citizenkn]

This is my first post...please be gentle...

I'm in a home tourney, top three pays. There are four players left; two with giant stacks (T3000+ each) and two with tiny stacks (each at T600 or so). I'm one of the tiny stacks, and the two of us are playing a war of attrition for third place. Blinds are 25-50, getting ready to jump to 50-100.

I'm dealt pocket Jacks on the button, and put in a raise 2x the blinds, hoping to steal and stay alive for another round. The BB (generally a very tight player) re-raises me all in. If I was already in the money, I'd go with these jacks all the way, but with another player also on the edge of going out, should I fold and continue my war of attrition with the other small stack?

[foobar]

Hey there,

I'd push in w/ your jacks preflop as you're committing 1/3 of your stack in what looks like a weak steal. This invites the big stacks, who have you covered by a long shot, to play back at you (like they did). Pushing in preflop, you can be comfortable that you're ahead and don't have to worry about making a decision if somebody plays back at you or you see scare cards on the flop.

Additional incentives to push preflop in this specific situation are...
-You've committed 1/3 of your stack to this hand, which means if you fold you're down to T400, leaving you w/ smallest stack. Blinds are going to eat almost half your remaining stack in 2 hands, and you're gonna be forced to push in with likely a much weaker hand to win a smaller pot.

As the hand played out...
If I had to guess, I'd say big stack is pushing you off your hand w/ Ax on his re-raise. I think your call here is a no-brainer, as you stack is tiny, and you're coming considerably ahead to all but 5 hands: AK, AQ, AA, KK, QQ. Of those 5, you're still a 54/46 favorite to AK, AQ.

Just my 2 cents worth. This is my first reply to somebody elses post...please be gentle /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cheers.

[Edge34]

Hey citizen,

In general, i wouldn't expect a raise of 2x the BB to steal too many blinds, especially coming from a short stack. The only option you really have here is to push PF - not only would this make the decision marginally tougher for a reasonable blind, but would also take away all decisions such as the one you're faced with. Down to 4, this may be the best hand you see for a while, and chances are good that you're ahead, so you've gotta make the play.

Welcome to the forums!

-Edge

[citizenkn]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey there,

I'd push in w/ your jacks preflop as you're committing 1/3 of your stack in what looks like a weak steal.
(snip)
I think your call here is a no-brainer, as you stack is tiny, and you're coming considerably ahead to all but 5 hands: AK, AQ, AA, KK, QQ. Of those 5, you're still a 54/46 favorite to AK, AQ.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, the blinds were only 25-50 at this point (we were two hands away from 50-100), so with my minimum raise I had only commited 1/6 of my stack.

Even with my small stack I had been trying to vary my play; all in with A-J, minimum raise with QQ, half my stack with A-10. The big stacks to my left had been pretty nice about giving up their blinds to me, even though I was sitting with a puny pile of chips. So when I was re-raised all in, I figured he must have had a solid hand. But I did go all in, and he turned over A-K. Ace came on the turn, and I was out.....

[Utah]

Push in Preflop - there are only 3 hands possible that are better than yours QQ- AA.

With allin, you either steal or you are getting the best of it and therefore getting a great chance to double up.

Don't play the attition game and keep your eye on winning the whole thing, not just getting third. Attrition players never do well imho.

Also, I hate the 2x raise unless I can set up the BB to think I am weak and therefore come over the top of me when I have a premium hand. With a 2x raise you are letting the blinds come along too cheaply.


btw - 3000 is not a huge stack and 600 is not a tiny stack. You are only two hands away from passing one of these stacks. In your hand, If you double up to 1200 the other stack goes to 2400 and you are only one hand away from passing them.

[foobar]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, the blinds were only 25-50 at this point (we were two hands away from 50-100), so with my minimum raise I had only commited 1/6 of my stack.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry about that...my mistake. Still doesn't change the way I'd play the hand though.

[ QUOTE ]
Even with my small stack I had been trying to vary my play; all in with A-J, minimum raise with QQ, half my stack with A-10.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure that I'd recommend this type or variance preflop as I think it's a difficult way to play effectively. You may be further ahead playing w/ a standard opening bet (ie. 3xBB) and always opening w/ that bet on a variety of hands. This style is easier to play, and makes it hard for opponents to put you on a hand preflop.