Calling a steal all-in with AJs

[TylerD]

Should I? $27NLHE turbo on Stars. Blinds are going up in 1 minute to 200/400 ante 25. The SB has once called to me in BB and I took it down post flop, next time it was folded to him he went all-in (i mucked 84o). I don't think he'd do it with complete trash, so there's a decent possibilty he'd have Ax (but not better than AJ) and a fair chance he'd have a pocket pair (but not better than JJ).

So the question is should I call here with possibly a dominating hand or possibly a 50/50 shot and give myself a good shot at winning, and a 95% chance of moneying or should I fold, steal some antes and wait to be the aggressor?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (5 handed) converter

SB (t1830)
Hero (t2455)
UTG (t745)
MP (t4395)
Button (t4075)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG folds, MP folds, Button folds, SB raises to t1830, Hero

[PrayingMantis]

Tough spot. I believe it is very much depended on the texture of the game, and your read of SB during the whole game. Did you see him pushing against others? bluffing? How do the rest of the players play? Are they tight enough to let you steal from them later on, when a few steals can be very important? With a smaller stack than yours, I think this is definitely a call. But since you're in 3rd position... And without an accurate read of SB...

I would say that against the range of hands he'll push here, you are probably around 3:2. So if the 2 big stacks are pretty good players, I'll take it. Otherwise - I'll have to think about it a few more seconds... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[SparkMan]

If you think he would do it with a hand worse than AJs. I would definitely call. There are only a few hands that have you dominated. And even if he has a pocket pair smaller than Jack's you have the proper odds. Lately I've been playing the $15+1 turbos on PS and been doing well. I find the players are willing to go all-in at this point in the tournament with lesser hands than they do in the regular SnGs.

[PrayingMantis]

[ QUOTE ]
And even if he has a pocket pair smaller than Jack's you have the proper odds.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, if I know for certain he has a pocket pair lower than JJ, I'm usually not calling here. It's not a matter of odds. If I know I can outplay my opposition and win the blinds which are to come (which is the normal case), I'm not to happy to take a coin-flip at this stage and stack. With a shorter stack - it's a completely different story.

Other hands: If I know he has Ax - auto call of course. However, if he's doing it with only PP or Ax - more chances it's a PP. But there are probably some Kx in the range, which I'm not too enthusiastic to see either (except KJ).

Anyway, it's a close one, IMO.

[patrick dicaprio]

given the stack size and the blinds going up in one minute i have to think there is a good chance you are ahead. he might even be making this raise with less than you think because he is short and once teh blinds go up he is in big trouble. i would have a tough time folding here. to cash you are going to have to play a hand anyway.

Pat

[AtlBrvs4Life]

Very strange I was just in a Party tourney at level 7 with 5 people still left and this EXACT same thing happened. I was the chip leader at the time, called and he showed me AK. I was crippled, but managed somehow to get 3rd. The guy in question was doing a lot of stealing, but I guess I caught him at the wrong time.

[TylerD]

I called. I figured I was ahead and even if I lost I wasn't out completely. He had K4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] I was a bit dissapointed it wasn't A4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] but I was still a 62% favourite. Flop didn't help him, neither did turn, river completed my flush and MHIG.