Need advice on a hand...

[nemaj]

Party 10+1 SnG. 5 players left, I'm on the button. Blinds are 50/100, 3 hands left in round. My stack is T1300 and 3 others have comparable stacks. Big stack, immediately to my right has T2800.

Read on big stack is loose aggressive. Have seen him catch a runner runner flush (facing strong betting), betting K9 hard against a raise, among other loose plays.

I'm dealt Ah10h. Folded to big stack. Big stack raises to T325. I call, blinds fold.

Flop comes AJ7 rainbow. Big Stack bets 325. I push all-in. He calls.

Please advise on my play before considering results (he showed 77 for bottom set and I was out). Should I have pushed preflop, folded to the raise preflop, folded on the flop raise...? Trying to improve my game and would appreciate some feedback. Thanks

[zephyr]

Here's my very novice two cents,

Given your read it would seem to me that it would be hard to make your opponent fold postflop, especially after he raised the pot pre-flop. Perhaps you could make him fold postflop if he was purely on a steal preflop, but in that case he may try to steal the pot postflop with a bluff or semi-bluff.

Given this flop, and your read, I would push this flop every time. Not to mention the 1125 pot. What do you think your opponent would have done on the flop had it been AJ6 instead? If you think he'd have bet then this is exactly why a push is correct.

So I think your raise all in post flop is good. But what about your preflop play?

Three options:

1) Fold

I don't much like this as your hand is strong, and doubling up puts you in too good of a position at this point to pass. If your opponent is raising with K10 or Ax and such you may have a dominating hand.

2) Call

This seems reasonable as you can see the flop before making a decision, but you're commiting 25% of your stack to do so. If you miss your hand on the flop, or flop a draw, and your opponent bets into you, do you fold? That's giving up a lot dont you think? What do you do if the flop is KT3, and your opponent bets 325 into you?

3) Push Pre-Flop

This most likely puts you into a coin flip situation (you'd probably be a slight favorite given your read on what he may be betting with). Also, this gives your opponent the opportunity to fold, probably what you want to see him do most here. Also, if you get called and double up, you're now the big stack, and with the blinds moving up momentarily and current chip standings, you should be in a great position to steal alot of chips. I'd push in this situation.

Ultimately, in this instant, a push preflop would have likely resulted in the same outcome. But what if your opponent held QJs or Ax, or what is he was on a steal. In this case you may get him to fold preflop and find yourself 475 chips richer. Of course, he may hold AK-AJ or a big pocket pair, but this is less likely.

Just my opinion,

From the more experienced players, how'd I do?

Zephyr

[HUSKER'66]

Fold.

A/T suited is not a hand that can handle a raise, especially for 1/4 of your stack. I understand you have seen the raiser play borderline hands, but you have to use this information to your advantage when you have a hand that will benefit from that knowledge.

Play well,

Husker

[NotMitch]

Given you read on the big stack I lean towards pushing for two reasons. First of all it seems very possible he will call with a dominated hand. Secondly if you call even though you have the button since he is aggessive I would much rather be in his shoes post flop, since he can bet any flop and know it will be hard for you to call if the flop missed you. A lot of time the first chips in take the pot.

If I didn't push preflop I would fold, AQs I push, AJs is tougher, and ATs is even tougher. What is your image at the table? The more I think I can get him to fold the more I like pushing.