caught on a semi-steal and pot odds

[A_PLUS]

Ok, there are about 50 people left, top 10 pay.
I dont want to get to the final table short stacked, and am willing to risk not cashing to do so.

I have apx. 4800TC (slightly below avg, abv median), blinds are 200-400. I raise to 1000, in an unopened pot from the cut off with QTs. The button is very tight, and SB has 2300TC, BB (also very tight) with 4200. The SB reraises all-in.

My read is not that strong, there 3900 in the pot, and 1500 for me to call. I have been making these types of calls lately for two reasons. First, I have a loose image, and think he is just making a move on my steal attempt. 2, the 2/1+ odds the pot is laying me. I am worried that this is to large a % of my chips to make this call, especially at a tight table where my aggression will win me a large number of uncontested pots.

Any thoughts?

[Martin Aigner]

I´d call, just because of the odds. If he has AK, AJ... or any PP below TT the call is way +EV. Anyway, I don´t like that mini raise with QT. Raise at least 3 times the blinds, so that the others know that you are potcommited anyway and therefore won´t play back at you with hands like A7.

Furhtermore: You said you have a loose image, and later you stated that your aggressive play will win you a lot of pots later. Well, a tight image would make it even more likely to win pots uncontested. If you create an image you should play against your image later on.

Best regards

Martin Aigner

[ZBTHorton]

I call this pretty easily.

If your willing to not cash, this is one of those calls you have to make.

Also, I personally like the raise to 1K..a 2.5BB raise works well for me later in tournaments.

[ZootMurph]

Two reasons for me to call:

1) Because of your loose image and SB's less than 10BB stack, there are a wide range of hands SB may make this play with. Against that range, the pot odds are good for a call.

2) You'll still have enough chips to work with if you lose the hand. It'll be a little short, but with tight players behind you, it's easy to rebuild your stack a bit.

[A_PLUS]

[ QUOTE ]
Raise at least 3 times the blinds, so that the others know that you are potcommited anyway

Furhtermore: You said you have a loose image, and later you stated that your aggressive play will win you a lot of pots later.


[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the comments. I dont know if anyone is really distinguishing a 1000 from 1200 chip raise at this point in the tournament. It represented enough of the remaining players stack, to commit them if they call. They know that to cal the raise means most likely playing for all of their chips, and that is the message I want sent.

As for my table image, I dont think the two are mutually exclusive. You are right that with a Harrington tight image you dont have problems stealing blinds, but you cant have the ultra tight image for long if you are stealing often. I knew, b/c of my image that it was more likely that I would get plaed back at with A7 than the guy two my left who was playing 5% of his hands, but with the stack sizes and compisition of my table, I still didn't see that happening very often without someone having a true hand. Although it may be 5X more likely that I get played back at with A7, it may only raise % from 5 to 15%.

I do agree that you should play counter to your image, but you have very limited options in later play. The blinds would be 300-600 next round, which is apx 25% of my stack. Trying to take advantage of a LAG image with tight play is sure death in that spot. Even if I do it for a round, I cost myself 600-900 chips, and my odds of getting AQs or JJ arent that good.

I was reading some of Fossilmans old posts on here last night, and he talks about this situation. Basically he agreed, especially if your goal is to win, with the risk of not cashing. He had some good posts, very thoughtful player.