To push or not to push, that is the question

[me454555]

I'm usually a limit player but tonight I decided to venture into the 10+1 SnG for a lil change of pace. I got down to the final 4 when this hand happened

Blinds are 50/100

I have 2130 and have everyone covered except BB who has 3725
Other 2 guys have 1150 and 950 respectively

I have the button and its folded to me. I look down and see K /images/graemlins/spade.gifT /images/graemlins/diamond.gif so I make it 200 to go. Folded to BB, the chip leader, who makes it 500 to go. I call and we see a flop.

Question number 1) I'm pretty sure I should play this 3 handed, but was the raise big enough or should I have pushed more? I didnt want to make it too big b/c I didn't want a smaller stack to have to fold or push pf. I wanted to keep my position as long as possible. Would anyone have called a reraise w/this hand or do I just give it up here?

Flop comes down T /images/graemlins/club.gif2 /images/graemlins/heart.gif6 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

He bets 600 into me. I think for a while to make my read.

He's beating me w/an overpair or low set. I'm thinking low set is unlikely based on his pf reraise. W/a flush draw on the board and T high flop, he could easily have 2 overcards, a flush draw, or even a strait draw here. I'm thinking a more likely scenerio is high flush draw or big overcards.

Based on my read I push remaining 1600 into the pot to protect my top pair, good kicker hand.

Question #2) Is this a good move or too risky w/4 people remaining and a comfortable chip lead? Should I have found a better spot to put all my chips on the line?

He thinks for a while and calls.

He flips over A /images/graemlins/spade.gif6 /images/graemlins/spade.gif

Turn brings the 3rd 6 and the river brings a blank.

He takes the pot and I'm eliminated.

Would anyone have played the hand any differently?

[Ajax410]

When dealing with bubble situations, I find that in most cases it is better to steal blinds. Though this doesn't apply directly to the example which you gave, it does explain why I would probably have folded the K10 before the flop. Though it is certainly a good hand, I cannot see raising in this situation for a few reasons:

1) There is a larger stack behind you who could push all-in and force you to fold.
2) There are two smaller stacks behind you who could push all-in, and probably force you to fold.

The point is, what you essentially have is a K-high. Though this is certainly a solid hand, I've found that in this situation, it is better to raise only when you have a pocket pair or an ace. You are at a disadvantage to either of these hands (albeit a small one to the low pocket pair), and calling the big stack's re-raise with your hand is risky. Personally, I probably would have either called/folded preflop. Had the bigstack raised here, I would most definitly have folded to it.

Now, once you flop top-pair with a K kicker, I think you need to play it aggressively. In a heads-up situation, which is what you have here, any piece of the board is worthwhile. Now I don't know the big stack's style, but he seems pretty aggressive in this instance. Now, if his playing style has been aggressive all tournament, I would definitly push here. If I lose to an A-10, I get a little pissed and go play another SNG. You can't assume he flopped a set, and its hard to tell if he has a PP higher than the board. So, though I disagree with your PF play, I think your post-flop analysis of the situation was flawless - unfortunately you got burned.

Hope this helped a little.

[me454555]

Yeah, it helped. I need to examine my game a lot when it comes to tourneys. I'm so used to playing full limit ring games that the weakest part of my game is probobly when it gets shorthanded. I never quite know how to adjust. I've heard something about a stratagey guide to beating the 10+1 tourneys. Can you give me the link to it?

[Jsb]

guide to beating the 10+1 on party (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=602767&page=&view=&sb=5&o =&vc=1)
read the discussion too, not just the guide.

[Tsushima]

I would have folded the KT pre-flop. With four players left, one of which has less than half your chips, its more important to get into the money than take a risk with a K-high to steal the relatively small blinds.

Nevertheless, if you are going to raise, I would have made it 250-300. Players seem happy to call a small (2xBB) raise with pretty much anything and with KT you really don't want to see a flop.

Re the situation post-flop. If this was a cash game then I would probably call, although it would depend what you knew about the player in question. In a tournament, you have to think about the overall situation. You still have over 2000 chips and someone is on 930. You are only one place from the money. Yes, you have top pair and yes he could be (and was) playing a weak hand, but do you want to take the risk of going out for the sake of the 200 you invested?

I would throw it away and wait for a better opportunity.

Tsushima.

[Tsushima]

[ QUOTE ]
Re the situation post-flop. If this was a cash game then I would probably call

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, I meant raise here.

Tsushima

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Would anyone have played the hand any differently?

Post-flop I would've probably played it the same. Pre-flop, however, you should be raising more like 3-4x BB. If you're playing no limit, why raise like it's limit? Put more pressure on your opponents.

[HajiShirazu]

You need to make a little bigger raise preflop. You're asking for a call with that size raise, which you don't want to have with KT. I think you have to raise though. Most people aren't aggressive enough in these situations, as I have learned by busting out over and over waiting for big hands. If you just wait for big aces and big pairs, you're not going to steal the blinds enough. 4 handed on the button any pair, any ace, any two broadway, and maybe some hands like K9/Q9/98s/87s/K-medium/Q-medium suited are good enough for me to raise with. You're not going to call a reraise anyway, but these are hands that can at least flop something if your initial raise is called. And if I haven't raised in a while, I'll try a total rag steal in your situation. So this is more than good enough.
I don't like calling the reraise.
This is the absolute best flop you could hope for, ten high rags, and you are totally commited to putting your chips in here. Who cares if you bust out on the bubble?
Think of it this way, you were a 4:1 favorite when the money went in here. This is the same as AA vs QQ preflop. Certainly you would call in that situation, and this is no different.