Playing big offsuit cards in mid-stages.

[VarlosZ]

Party $50 NLHE Multi. I have about 1700 in chips, average is about 4700. Blinds are 150/300.

I get AJo two off the button and it folds around to me; everyone behind me has me covered.

Now what? If I raise, I'm committed to the pot pretty much no matter what, so I'd be risking 1700 to win 450. Furthermore, I'm probably a big underdog if I'm called (best case is I get the ignorant end of a coin flip).

Calling or folding seem worse still. There's such a good chance to pick up the blinds, and I'm so low on chips, that if I play I think I have to raise. Given my stack size, I think waiting for a better hand and situation is a good way to get blinded off.

Is raising all-in just the least objectionable option? What about these mini-raises I see so many get away with? Might this actually be the place for that ridiculous tactic? Thanks in advance.


Results: <font color="white">I pushed in, the CO called me w/ AQo, but the flop came with a Jack to save me.</font>

[TheFink]

I think you've answered your own question really. A call or low raise risks chips you can't afford to give up to a re-raise, so if you're going to enter the pot with an eye to safety the only play is to go all-in. Risking your chips to make another quarter of your stack seems like a very reasonable return. You have less than half the table to get past - I prefer this situation to a medium pair utg for example.

But the crucial point is your chip position - basically each round costs you a quarter of your stack, and even if you double up now you won't reach the average stack. Odds are you won't see a better hand in the next round and be down to 1300 - it'd be getting tougher and tougher to get anyone to fold to you at all. There's certainly no way you can even consider folding AJ in your position.

Another more aggressive way of looking at it is that you need to double up, and there might even be a case for putting in a lower raise here and hoping that someone re-raises you just to give you the chance of getting a decent stack together. Your chances of getting re-established in the tournament are about 50/50 anyway, so taking an even money shot wouldn't be the worst thing in the world in my opinion.

Conclusion: I'd raise all-in with the AJ and hope that AT fancies his chances from the blinds..!

[mrbaseball]

A 3x raise is more than half your stack. So you probably want to go all in. You have decent position, a short stack and an unopened pot. You should make this play with AJ or 23o. I'm finding unopened pots in late position scarce lately and these are opportunities you can't let slip away.

Don't think of it as risking 1700 to win only 450. Think of it as a high percentage play that will yeild a 25%+ return. Just because they have you covered doesn't mean they loosely toss in 1700 here without a truly premium hand. It's an opportunity play and remember the gap principle. I know if I'm behind you I'll need a big wired pair or big slick to get involved depending on our stack differentials. If there is an enormous stack yet to play he might just call you down if 1700 doesn't dent him much. Huge stacks behind you can hinder this play making the cards a bit more important.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

With a hand as good as yours, that is quite likely to be the best hand of those left, this is a very easy all-in raise. And going all-in is not what I would call the "least objectionable" option. You are in a very strong +EV spot here. This is a quite good hand to find in this spot.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[Jason Strasser]

I push here easy, but I am curious, how weak of an ace would you push? I think all the way down to like Ace Eight, I'd push in this spot. Sound about right?

[mrbaseball]

[ QUOTE ]
how weak of an ace would you push

[/ QUOTE ]

Ace? You have an unopened pot one off of the button and enough chips to see 2 more blinds. You may not get another opportunity to see an unopened pot with decent position so all you need are any 2 cards to push in this situation in my mind. The cards don't really matter although AJ is nice in case you do get called. With a very short stack in decent position in an unopened pot you have to make a play for the blinds regardless of what you hold.

[SossMan]

I'm not sure I'd push w/ 23o, or any two cards that don't add up to ten. But you are right, a push here is right with a very wide variety of hands, given the stack size/blind ratio. I would probably do it w/ any ace, any king, any two cards higher than 8, any two suited bigger than 9, any suited connector, etc...

[Tosh]

You are in a great position to steal the blinds with a push. Whatsmore you've been given a pretty decent hand. Very easy push, you're fortunate to get this position. You'd be surprised with what hands you get called with, about half the time you'll be called by a worse hand, even as bad as A3 or such.

[Beavis68]

with your stack being so small, you are very likely to get called by the BB with K-10 or A-x this is a great spot to double up.

How I like to think about this is, "what do I have to lose?" Nothing. You really are on the edge of getting knocked out anyway.