Final Table 3 Handed

cfpesq · #1 08-05-2004, 03:39 PM

I would appreciate feedback on a play a friend of mine made in a no limit hold em cash tourny. With 3 players left, the blinds were 800/1600 and the stack sizes were 15,000/30,000/18,000. My friend was BB w/ 30,000 and held AJ offsuit. The button, a relatively new player to the game, made it 3200. SB folded and my friend, BB, went all in. Button held 88, called and won the hand. My friend believes he played the hand perfectly since he was the chip leader and could afford to take a chance to knock out the small stake, plus he felt Button might fold. I felt he could have called the raise which would provide him more information about the hand and his opponent. Plus, he wouldn't risk his chip status on the luck of the flop. The Button took some time to decide on calling, but he must have known that barring a higher pair, he was statisically ahead in the hand.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

GoldenHorde · #2 08-05-2004, 04:04 PM

There was 5600 in the pot already, the stacks are short compared to the blinds, and he is only facing a mini-raise I think I would push there almost every time.

fnord_too · #3 08-05-2004, 04:11 PM

I like calling here. I certainly don't fold, but I don't like overbetting the pot. I probably push on the flop if I hit otherwise go into check fold mode. The reason I take this line is because I think there is a good chance teh button will feel comitted to this handbut for 3.25 to 1 I certainly want to see a flop. I really don't want to trade places with the short stack, which I will do if I double him up. I would rather keep my big stack in tact and apply pressure when I can be first in with a bet or raise.

Having said that, there is some merit to pushing. Small stacks will take a stand with planty of hands you are ahead of, and there is a chance he will fold for all his chips. The mini raise is kind of curious with the big stack in the big blind, which would push me to calling if this was an unusual raise for the button.

SossMan · #4 08-05-2004, 04:19 PM

3 handed, AJ is a monster. I would push here almost every time, too.

cfpesq · #5 08-05-2004, 04:44 PM

I agree it is a strong hand, but with the chip lead, do you think the risk of getting into a statistically close confrontation that could make you go from chip leader to small stack is worth the reward?

fnurt · #6 08-05-2004, 04:52 PM

The pressure is all on the other guy. Does he want to play for all his chips, knowing it's a coinflip at best?

If you're not going to use your big stack to put pressure on your opponents and force them to make tough decisions, then you might as well not have one.

SossMan · #7 08-05-2004, 06:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I agree it is a strong hand, but with the chip lead, do you think the risk of getting into a statistically close confrontation that could make you go from chip leader to small stack is worth the reward?

[/ QUOTE ]

The move is mostly folding equity, but not as much as you may think. There are probably a good number of players that would call you with any ace here.
Either way, this guy needs to shwagger that big stack around a little. Force the others to play for all their chips...make them fold you their blinds.

dogmeat · #8 08-05-2004, 04:59 PM

The raise is a small one, just 1600. With this in mind, I put the raiser on a small hand (tiny pair, a-small, k-small) I think I would prefer to call the 1600 and see the flop, then check if I hit it and anticipate the button putting in a good bet and trapping him there. First place is worth half the cash, no? Why give it up to try winning T5600?

Dogmeat [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

GoldenHorde · #9 08-05-2004, 05:15 PM

Because T5600 is almost 1/10th the chips in play and even with the call from the medium pair hes 50/50 to go heads up with a 3-1 chip advantage and if he loses hes still got 12k and is very alive.

tripdad · #10 08-05-2004, 05:44 PM

i would call the bet, then...

Flop: bet around half his stack no matter the cards. this puts all his chips at risk, and he'll need to really like his hand to go ahead and push. if that is the case, you can dump and save T7000.

this turns the tables on the 88, AJ matchup. now YOU are a slight favorite, because more than half the time, overcards will flop and you'll take it down.

cheers!