Re: 55 UTG, FT on UB
 

I hate this hand. To me it's like having 88 or 99 UTG when you have 12-15 BB's (Do you fold, make a raise 3-5BB's, or push?)- I still don't have a default play, but I lean towards folding.
I also think that this 55 hand is a definite fold. Is this thinking in both situations too weak tight?

yabastid

Re: 55 UTG, FT on UB
 

Oops, I misread. It's UTG. Anyway...
I think that makes a push even more imperative. You're about to lose a large chunk of your stack through the blinds. Your folding equity is higher now and you have a pair. That's good enough.

Re: 55 UTG, FT on UB
 

NO SITUATION IN POKER SHOULD HAVE A DEFAULT PLAY, well may be one...thats calling and an all-in when you have the nuts. Every situation should be taken with situation of the tournament...lets say your table is loose, pushing w/ 88 may not be your best idea if you know two people will call you, however if blinds are high and the table is tight, then push and try to take the blinds. However, in this situation w/ everyone afraid of the big stack calling and causing all the other players to lose their chips. If you call you're probably 50/50 if you look at what little math I could do for you.

Re: 55 UTG, FT on UB
 

I push this. With an M under 5 you have to go, and you still do have FE as a lot of players don't adjust to the antes and will be afraid of your 8 to 9 BB raise (and if BB calls and loses he has roughly the same number of chips as you, this isn't an autocall situation for him).

Fold: 34500
Push, no call: 43300
Push, BB call and win (if non-BB player calls you'll be slightly better off chip wise): 74200
Push, lose: 0.

I think most often you will win the pot w/ no call. I think if you get called, more often than not it will be with high cards and you will be a slight favorite. I'd expect something like:

no call: 60%
call where you are slight favorite: 25% (so you'll win about 13.5% of the time in this situation and lose 11.5%)
call where you are dominated: 15% (so you'll win about 3% of the time in this situation and lose 12%)

So in my book EV(34500) < .6*EV(43300) + (.135+.03)*EV(74200).

Chip values aren't linear, but if they were the LHS is 34500 while the RHS is 38223. So is a certain amount worth passing up an expected amount 10% more? Especially considering you are about to hit the BB and lose another 4400 in chips on the next hand?

Re: 55 UTG, FT on UB
 

I would lean to folding here and waiting for a better spot.
sometimes The final table payout might change my opinion on the best play.

Re: 55 UTG, FT on UB
 

I don't understand the people saying wait for something better. Isn't 55 in the top 10% of possible hands for this situation? You only have 5-7 hands before eating 2 blinds and being way out of contention, so isn't it against the odds that you'll get a better hand?

Also, you need to take into account apyout structure. If 3rd-7th is fairly flat and then it jumps for 1st, I think that adds to the argument in favor of pushing now.

Re: 55 UTG, FT on UB
 

While 5s are nice hands to have but top 10% is pushing it. I'd say that they are top 15% but I digress. Here I would say push it b/c he is short stacked but normally I play 5s with a lot more care. I usually just call may be raise if I'm in late position or blinds with few limpers in front of me. Then if I flop a set I'll usually bet. Otherwise I will concede the pot to any decent bet. May be this is wrong but it usually works w/ pairs 7 and under.

Re: 55 UTG, FT on UB
 

Unless the blinds are just about to go up for your turn (you know have ~9BBs), I'm laying this down. The range of potentially callers is too big and you'll still have some play in LP after the blinds pass.