Step 4 Satellite Hand

[Prickly Pete]

This hand (and the other one I'll post) may be obvious to satellite veterans, but I'm still wrestling with some of the finer points.

Anyway, this is a Step 4 tourney, 10 left, 8 get a Step 5 seat.

Minraise has been standard and preflop raiser hasn't played often. What should I do with QQ here?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (10 handed) converter

SB (t1735)
BB (t1410)
UTG (t1850)
UTG+1 (t2005)
UTG+2 (t2035)
MP1 (t3030)
MP2 (t1525)
Hero (t2305)
CO (t960)
Button (t3145)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+2 raises to t400</font>, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, Hero ????

[Irieguy]

Min raise being standard means that you all are letting each other play too weak-tight... which isn't surprising since there isn't a big stack at the table. This is an easy push.

The bubble in step 4 is a very tactically reactionary time. If there's a big stack who's a pro, you won't be able to get away with much. But if the big stack is on "post and fold," you can fill his shoes and steal tons of blinds if you are a medium stack.

If everybody is waiting, you shouldn't wait. If some are getting desperate, stay out of the way. If you are chip leading, it's party time. If you are the dog, pick your spot.

The structure is beautiful for colluding and opportunism. Hope you aren't the victim of the former, and perpetrate the latter.

Irieguy

[captZEEbo1]

I doubt he's calling anything but AA or KK

[Daliman]

[ QUOTE ]
Min raise being standard means that you all are letting each other play too weak-tight... which isn't surprising since there isn't a big stack at the table. This is an easy push.

The bubble in step 4 is a very tactically reactionary time. If there's a big stack who's a pro, you won't be able to get away with much. But if the big stack is on "post and fold," you can fill his shoes and steal tons of blinds if you are a medium stack.

If everybody is waiting, you shouldn't wait. If some are getting desperate, stay out of the way. If you are chip leading, it's party time. If you are the dog, pick your spot.

The structure is beautiful for colluding and opportunism. Hope you aren't the victim of the former, and perpetrate the latter.

Irieguy

[/ QUOTE ]

Well said and spot-on, Irieguy.

Also, it's not the worst thing in the world if you lose here, as it STILL gets you a reroll.

[texasrattlers]

Easy push. Unlikely to be called -- I've been in a few staellite bubbles on Stars recently and it is unbelievable how tight the play is. I never feel too threatened because if I begin to fall off the bubble I know I can find a spot quickly for an easy steal.

Even though you are 3rd out of 10 here, you are not in third by much. If you do not make any moves you may soon find yourself on the brink. And how many better hands to make a move with than QQ?

[Prickly Pete]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I've been vastly overvaluing my position as medium stack in these and trying to skate through. I folded this one (ugh), but won't make the same mistake again.