Push or Call

[BradleyT]

$10 SnG on Stars. 4 players left and on the lovely bubble. I have 1600, villian has 1550, the other two players have the rest of the chips (duh who else is going to have the rest of the chips?). Chip leader is extremely tight.

Blinds at 200/400 + ante and I'm in BB. Folded to SB who min raises. He had been min raising a lot so I put him on a semi-steal. I have J9o

My thoughts were:
1. I'm getting 3:1 on my call
2. If I do hit my hand is probably good
3. If I call and miss the flop I have $200 SB (and ~600 chips left) and can move in on tight chip leader next hand
4. The bubble sucks - especially when your stack is dwindling down and your opponents aren't gambling it up against each other
5. A win here will put me in good position to steal from chipleader for the rest of the tourney
6. J9o isn't a hand I want to get all my chips in with, so there's no way I'd re-raise all in before seeing the flop

Thoughts?

[PrayingMantis]

I understand you have 1600 before posting, so:

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1. I'm getting 3:1 on my call


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Odds are pretty much irrelevant, if you are going to call PF for 1/3 you stack, and then fold if you don't like the flop. This is not reasonable.

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2. If I do hit my hand is probably good


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In this stage of the game, it's not about hitting hands, it's about being aggressive and getting chips and folds.

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3. If I call and miss the flop I have $200 SB (and ~600 chips left) and can move in on tight chip leader next hand


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This is bad thinking. In a tight game like this you should attack and steal, and not trying and seeing a flop for 1/3 your stack, then fold, and only then move in on tight chip leader. You got it a bit backwards: your moving in on him will work better when you have MORE chips, not less.

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4. The bubble sucks - especially when your stack is dwindling down and your opponents aren't gambling it up against each other


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If they are not gambling - obviously YOU should. Take advantage of their tight game.

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5. A win here will put me in good position to steal from chipleader for the rest of the tourney


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True, but you don't need to "see" a flop to win pots and win more chips.

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6. J9o isn't a hand I want to get all my chips in with, so there's no way I'd re-raise all in before seeing the flop


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Then fold. You have basically 2 options here: re-raise all-in or fold. Unfortunately, calling is not an option.

That's my opinion.

[Jason Strasser]

Calling is a move you can NOT do under any circumstances. Here is my general thinking when it comes down to the bubble, or shorthanded in a sng: I want to have a stack that doesn't have to defy probability in order to have a chance.

By posting 1/4 of your stack, then calling another quarter of your stack you'd have half your stack in the pot. You can not fold here, so why call? This is a clear all-in or fold situation. If you are the only short stack, I think all in is a +EV situation. You are getting good odds on your call and there are antes and the SB's money to boost your odds.

I would fold if I was in a situation to wait out another small stack. Having read your post to the end (I guess I should've done that before I responded), this is a fold for me. Wait for the other stack to bust/double up, then play it from there. I don't think you are giving up too much by folding.

Calling is completely out of the question.