Is This A Bad Call w/A7o Heads-Up?

[Aloysius]

14 player live NLH tourney, everyone starts with T1000.

I'm heads-up at the end with a crafty, strong player, someone very capable of making a move. For the time we've been heads-up (maybe 20-30 hands) he has displayed selective aggression, but not employing an "all-in every time" strategy or something similar.

Blinds 200/400. I have about T4000 and Villain has T10000. I'm on the button and look down to see A7o. I make it T1200 to go (first mistake?) Villain pushes.

I think about it for a second and call. Heads-up, I kind of like this hand. I don't feel like Villain needs a premium hand to make this move. I feel like I need to take a stand at this point.

He shows me pocket 8s, I don't suck out on him, tourney over.

My questions:
1. Did I overvalue A7o in a heads-up situation?
2. Did I have enough chips to get away from this hand? (I feel like I did, but decided to take a stand with A7o).
3. Considering Villain was a strong player who could (and had during our heads-up session) make that move with any 2 cards, can I lay my hand down?
4. What factors should I have considered (other than the ones I did) when making this call?

[curmudgeon]

WSOP 2002
TJ Cloutier goes all-in
Chris Ferguson calls with A9
(chips about equal?)
TJ turns over AQ

flop comes XXX, turn X, river 9
Jesus is world champ

Considering the chip positions and aggressive style of play, you must PUSH with a variety of hands to try and double up.
A7 in your chip position is fine.... ya just got beat.
Congrats on your finish. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[300CE24]

I disagree with curmudgeon.

There is a big difference between the WSOP example and your situation. I would say that you either shoulda:

1) Allined PF
2) Folded to his allin

BRGDS

[MLG]

First of all, at the WSOP Jesus put in the last raise with A-9 he didn't call. Your situation is very different. With 200-400 blinds it would seem that you can't just push all-in with 4000 because winning 400 hardly seems worth it, as its the classic only get called when you're losing situation. On the otherhand with 4000 chips you almost pot-commit yourself with any raise (1200 is over a quarter of your stack), so if your going to raise and have to call the reraise you might as well just push.

Both options have serious weaknesses. If you just raise and don't push then in my opinion you will never get him to lay down a better hand before the flop (something like A-8 or pocket 7s) and if you immediately raise all-in you increase your stack by a relatively small percentage (1/10) and when you get called will most likely only have 3 outs. Therefore I propose a third option. Just call before the flop it allows you to see a cheap flop if he doesnt raise (one that if you hit a pair on I would think you could get all your chips in) and if your opponent raises off the big blind you can then move all in. This kind of play represents extreme strength to your opponent and might well get him to lay down a better hand. At the same time when you get called you will be in practically the same situation you would be if you just moved in immediately. In my opinion this is your best option with moving in as your second choice.

[Rick Diesel]

What a stupid, irrelevent post. The answer has absolutely nothing to do with the question asked.

The problem with hands such as A7 in a heads up situation, is that most of the time you figure to be a small favorite, or a big underdog. I think that folding to the reraise is the right play, because most of the time it means a hand that you are a big underdog to. That being said, if you are going to play it, push it in preflop.

Rick Diesel

[hockey1]

[ QUOTE ]
The problem with hands such as A7 in a heads up situation, is that most of the time you figure to be a small favorite, or a big underdog. I think that folding to the reraise is the right play, because most of the time it means a hand that you are a big underdog to. That being said, if you are going to play it, push it in preflop.


[/ QUOTE ]

If you fold with hands A7 or worse everytime you get re-raised HU, and if you never re-raise HU with hands that would make A7 a "big underdog," you'll get absolutely run over by any decent shorthanded player. This is very weak tight. Especially getting almost 2:1 on your call, and in a situation where if you don't call you'll have only about 1/4 the chips of your opponent, this is a clear call.

That said, you probably should've raised all in preflop.

[gergery]

I would have bet ~2.5xBB which is usually enough to make him fold without a reasonable hand. I’d only call his all-in if 1) I thought he was making a play (which it looks like he isn’t), or 2) I though he was at least a decent chunk better than me (you didn’t say).

If he’s good and not playing out of line, I’d put him on JJ-22 or a better ace for hands that beat you, and two suited face cards for hands you are ahead of. That makes you a likely underdog given likely distribution and odds of winning.

But if he’s pretty good and got you outchipped 2:1, sometimes its better to put him to the test, so calling is not terrible. Pushing all-in preflop is ok but not great since I don’t think it pushes him off too many hands that are better than yours as I see him calling with higher pairs and AK-AT or so. Even if he calls with KQ-KT you’re not a huge favorite. And you risk 10x what you stand to gain.

--Greg

[SossMan]

[ QUOTE ]
Therefore I propose a third option. Just call before the flop it allows you to see a cheap flop if he doesnt raise (one that if you hit a pair on I would think you could get all your chips in) and if your opponent raises off the big blind you can then move all in. This kind of play represents extreme strength to your opponent and might well get him to lay down a better hand. At the same time when you get called you will be in practically the same situation you would be if you just moved in immediately.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like this play the best.

[VarlosZ]

I also like limping preflop.

In general, although I'll mix it up with not-infrequent raises, I like limping w/ low to medium aces playing two or three handed. Aside from the advantages mentioned by MLG, it's a simple way to get your hand paid off when an Ace flops -- hey, if you had an ace, you would of raised preflop, right?

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Aloysius:

You're describing a good player. That means he should push all-in with a moderately wide range of hands in which your hand is either better or plays reasonably well against a only a small proportion.

In addition, you still have enough chips to damage his stack if you call his all-in and win the pot. So based on your description, you probably should have folded. However, against a more reckless player you might need to call.

Best wishes,
Mason

[patrick dicaprio]

looking at my trusty chart from the work of others on this site, containing the heads up odds, it appears that against a player who will push in with any pair, any ace except A6o-A2o, KQs, KJs, KTs and QJs, the A7 wins only 36% of the time. So unless you think he woudl raise with a wider group of hands than thse described above you should fold.

Pat

[Aloysius]

Thank you very much for all your great responses. I felt, after he re-raised me, that 1) my decision to raise was questionable and 2) I should probably fold to his re-raise. But I obviously didn't have a focused game plan going into the hand, and also overvalued my hand.

Thanks again, it was very helpful.