on the bubble versus 3 solid opponents

[DrewOnTilt]

Tonight in a Party $10/$1 I found myself on the bubble versus 3 solid ABC poker players. In most of the tourneys I have played thus far, there is one weakie who lasts until the bubble somehow, or somebody is shortstacked. In this tourney, we were all within 100 chips of each other in stack size.

We went through 10 or 12 orbits of blind stealing and folding to the big blind. From my read on my opponents, it was obvious that I was going to have to either get lucky or outplay them.

In the BB I am dealt J /images/graemlins/heart.gifJ /images/graemlins/club.gif
UTG calls
Button folds
SB completes

If shortstacked, this is a no-brainer allin. Facing a weakie I would also push, as a 2-3BB raise would eat up more than half of my stack. But these guys are solid players, and I've got to trap somebody.

Is my thinking wrong here on the need to resort to some trickery or creativity? How should I proceed with this hand? Also, any comments on this situation in general - on the bubble against good opponents with stack sizes about the same - would be appreciated.

Thanks,

DOT

[ShaneSpear]

Assuming the blinds are around 200/400, and the opponents are as solid as you think, I can't think of a way to trap. If you just call or make a minimum raise and an opponent goes all in, do you think you can get away from JJ? Worse still what if you put 20-35% of your chips in before the flop and Q, K, or A comes? You've missed your turn for the blind steal, putting you at short stack.

Push in, and pray that somebody gets jumpy with AJs or worse.

[gergery]

So you have about 1800 in chips with blinds at 200-400 -- so, this pot is worth 800. You'd be happy to take it down now, and happier still to get allin with him. Push in and hope his TT-55 or Axs calls. Get fancy once you're in the money.

The question is not "Does he have a better hand or will he suck out", but instead, "how good is this oppty to get chips vs. the next one?"

[Hood]

I don't see a trap possibility here.

If they're playing ABC poker, then both players have got reasonable hands. They'll play the flop straight - if they hit the flop they bet - if they don't, they'll fold to your bet.

With JJ, if A, K or Q comes on the flop, I wouldn't feel comfortable if the SB bets out. If 3 cards lower than J come, you'll probably bet and take down the pot.

So I see no advantage in just calling here. Push pre-flop. If you're called you're a big fav. to 1 overcard and a cointoss to 2. If they're trapping with a higher pocket pair then good for them, you're gonna lose all your chips. But chances are you'll take it down now. A decent sized pot.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

a 2-3BB raise would eat up more than half of my stack.

There are 3 BB in the pot right now. Thus taking this pot right here increases your stack size by more than 50%.

We went through 10 or 12 orbits of blind stealing and folding to the big blind.

Therefore, the table is playing very tight, bubble-scared poker.

1) the table is tight
2) you describe your opponents as playing ABC poker, thus UTG is unlikely to have a big pair.
3) winning what's in the pot increases your stack by 50%
4) you hold the 4th best hand in hold'em

How much more of a no-brainer can all-in be?

[Prickly Pete]

[ QUOTE ]
it was obvious that I was going to have to either get lucky or outplay them

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that applies to us all.

As for the hand, if it is indeed something like 200-400, I'd go allin. The one caveat is if UTG has been raising big every time in and now limps, it can be a big pair red flag. Granted, I doubt that's the case in too many 10+1s. So, I'd push.

[DrewOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]
Therefore, the table is playing very tight, bubble-scared poker.


[/ QUOTE ]

"tight, bubble-scared poker" - I like that. And I wish I had thought "tight, bubble-scared poker" instead of just "tight poker." I did manage to steal from the button with some marginal hands. Next time I detect "bubble-scared poker" I will steal more.

In the end, I limped with the jacks and saw a flop of
9/images/graemlins/heart.gif J /images/graemlins/spade.gif 8/images/graemlins/club.gif

SB called, I pushed with my set, UTG folded.
SB called and turned over Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif T/images/graemlins/spade.gif for the queen high straight, and the turn and river were blanks.

Ouch. Lesson learned the hard way. Next time, I'm pushing.

[Beavis68]

Funny, I was just thinking, if you want to trap, you want to limp in with something like J-9 or Q-10 to do it.