FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

My first final table in a large buy-in MTT. My image thus far has been tight, with none of my open pushes called. What would you do in this situation? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t4000 (10 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

MP1 (t36574)
MP2 (t123628)
MP3 (t17536)
CO (t56434)
Hero (t32938)
SB (t23383)
BB (t26123)
UTG (t57590)
UTG+1 (t39632)
UTG+2 (t103162)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
3 folds, MP1 raises to t8000</font>, 3 folds[/i]</font>.

Hero?

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

what about villains image?

i think i'm pushing here, but that very well might suck.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

I think he had been raising his fair share of pots, but not open pushing. I'm not really sure though.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

I like to call here, i wana know if the smaller stacks wana play here, if they are they will probably push. if the fold i got position after the flop. if you push here and the blinds fold your giving him 1.6:1 odds to call which are good odds if he has a decent raising hand.
I wana see the flop here before i commit to the pot.
if he checks after the flop i probe bet 1/3, regardless of what comes. if you hit something then play accordingly.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

Less than 10 bb, I'd push without a read.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

If I call, the pot is almost going to be as big as my stack. If rest of table folds, and flop misses me completely, what do I do then, say, if he bets the min into me? I really thought the only options were push or fold with my stack size and I just didn't think I had very much fold equity. Any thoughts?

Results
 

I thought long and hard before folding, which may have been too weak tight. I just thought I could find a better spot where I had more fold equity.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

you definitely have FE here. if MP1 is stealing w junk, there's no way he's calling at a FT. he'll be calling 25k to win a total of 72k, not even 2:1.

it's pretty close though. if the raiser were in later position or i had AQo, i'd push. i like the fold here.

Re: Results
 

Thats a tough one. I'd like to be the one acting first on the flop if I were to take one. The pot would be 22k and you would have 24k so the stop and go would be my move. This way I would give him a chance to fold which he would not be smart to do to a PF all in since he'd be getting 2-1 (46K in pot and he'd have to call 24k) HOWEVER you are last to act on the flop. I might just fold this here. My reasoning is as follows: You've got 32K with blinds 2k-4k. ANd I like that you have 2 smaller stacks to your left. I would fold here and hope to pick up some blinds with pushes in the next few hands. You might even move up a few spots in the process.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

Looks like an attempt to steal cheaply from the two shortstack blinds. Without any other read I'm pushing here with a whole lot less than AJs.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

Shoooooove!

20% - Cry when he shows AQ+.
30% - Wake the neighbors when he calls with a pair and you race.
50% - Exhale and move on when he folds.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

I was going to say if you are the button fold, though given your relative stack I push.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Looks like an attempt to steal cheaply from the two shortstack blinds. Without any other read I'm pushing here with a whole lot less than AJs.

[/ QUOTE ]

word

I don't know about a LOT less... but I see this play sooooo often by bigstacks with marginal holdings.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

Or bitch out and worry about it for the next 2 days.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

I agree. If it was a big stack, I might have been more inclined to push, but with his stack size, it just seems like he's asking for someone to come over the top.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Or bitch out and worry about it for the next 2 days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I forgot that option. If that's what you did, don't sweat it. I think it's incredibly hard to play well at your first few final tables. The payouts get so steep and the pucker factor is so high, you can't feel good without AA or KK.

The next time a sweat thread pops up from a respected poster, run as fast as you can to the table. I watched rizen trample his final table Sunday night, and it taught me a lot. Pushing with what had to be any two when it was folded to him (It got to the point that one time he folded his SB, and the BB typed something like "It's a miracle" in the chat box.), pushing over the top of limpers and min-raisers - it was a clinic.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Or bitch out and worry about it for the next 2 days.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think folding there may be correct and probably isn't a big mistake if it wasn't, although a read on the min-raiser could change that. You usually want to be first in the pot with &lt;10 BBs and AJs.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

That's just it. I didn't think it was very likely that he would make this play with a mediocre hand in that position so I didn't think he the FE was there.

Re: Results
 

I did move up to 7th, but I think I might have been too weak tight in a couple of other situations as well. Although I tend to beat myself up overthinking these things. Anyone else do this?

Re: Results
 

[ QUOTE ]
I did move up to 7th, but I think I might have been too weak tight in a couple of other situations as well. Although I tend to beat myself up overthinking these things. Anyone else do this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Only when I get to the final table and don't win. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Or bitch out and worry about it for the next 2 days.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think folding there may be correct and probably isn't a big mistake if it wasn't, although a read on the min-raiser could change that. You usually want to be first in the pot with &lt;10 BBs and AJs.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is also good advice. I don't think there is a really bad choice here. You just gotta make sure you're not waiting for AJs or better to open push from LP.

And FWIW, with sky-high blinds, I'm far from willing to give a min-raise credit for a monster.

Re: FT of Party $35,000 G - What would you do with AJs?
 

[ QUOTE ]
My first final table in a large buy-in MTT. My image thus far has been tight, with none of my open pushes called. What would you do in this situation? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t4000 (10 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

MP1 (t36574)
MP2 (t123628)
MP3 (t17536)
CO (t56434)
Hero (t32938)
SB (t23383)
BB (t26123)
UTG (t57590)
UTG+1 (t39632)
UTG+2 (t103162)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
3 folds, MP1 raises to t8000</font>, 3 folds[/i]</font>.

Hero?

[/ QUOTE ]

Reads are absolutely critical here. How many hands into the FT is this? Can't be too many cause the table is still 10 handed.

The min raise could mean a few things... it could just be the standard raise for the table, he could be stealing but with the chip leader on his left, I think that'd be less likely. Chances are he doesn't want to scare anyone off. There are really only six hands that you are a heavy underdog to, AK,AQ,AA,KK,QQ and JJ. How many others would he likely raise with? Most players will open from MP1 with AT, TT, 99, 88, 77, 66, KQ KJ, etc... point is, it is reasonable to think you have him beat or tied.

You have three options:

Folding is kind of the default. It's what I'd do unless I had a good reason not to. Without a read I don't talk myself into calling here. Main reason is the uncertainty, coupled with the difference in payout between 10th and 1st place. You can still win the tournament or if nothing else finish a few spots higher by not losing any chips in this hand.

Calling is a rather poor choice in this spot. Main reason is if the SB or BB have anything they get in at a good price. Plus you are committing 1/4 of your chips. Whats the plan on the flop (assuming the blinds go away)? flop top pair? Push. Flop a flush draw? Push. flop comes 2-3-7r? Push and hope AK/AQ folds (assuming they don't lead into you all in)? What if the flop is A-hi and he moves in? You get the flop you want and you're still at a tough decision.

Shoving all in is better than calling. At least then your folding EQ is highest... although you have no reads, and I think you have to play assuming he is going to call.

Congrats on your accomplishment.