AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

19 left in a PS $11 tourney. Blinds at 6,000/12,000. I have 160,000 chips, right at the average, but one of the bigs at my table. I raise to 48,000 from EP with AK and its folded to the BB, who is the big stack at the table with ~270,000 chips. He takes a long time to decide and finally pushes all in. I hadn't been at the table long to have a decent read on him. I make the mistake of checking the payout structure for the tournament and see that 18th is a bit of a jump from 19th. I'm currently at the beginning stages of building a bankroll and the jump is significant for me. I fold. Is this a call I should have easily made and expected to see an underpair for a coin flip? Does anyone fold here? The account building thing weighed into my mind, but taking that out of the equation, easy call to hope to secure a spot at the final table?

Thanks

Re: AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

Only call this if you are willing to accept a coinflip, but chances are probably almost equal you are splitting or are significantly ahead. Very rarely are you behind.

Re: AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

Why the 4x raise from EP? Was that the table standard? It reads like a med. pp that doesn't want to see a flop. Maybe BB has two overcards (AK/AQ) with the same read and feels like racing.

This is not an easy call but I do think it's a call. Hopefully your dominating BB's cards. More likely looking at a race against 99 to JJ.

Re: AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

The raises at that point were mostly open-pushes but any regular raise had been 3 or 4x.

Re: AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

Call of 112 to win 214 right?

Re: AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

Correct. Antes in there as well, but I don't recall the amount.

Re: AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

The real question you are asking here isn't whether or not to call, if you are playing to win you already know that answer. The question here is, are you playing to win, or trying to go from 19th to 18th? Only you can answer that one.

Re: AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

IMHO if you are even considering folding here you need to drop down to a more comfortable (bankroll-wise) buy-in level.

Re: AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

Also i wouldn't be surprised to see AQs here quite often..i'd call pretty quickly i think, but not be really happy about it.

Where'd you end up finishing?

Re: AK in $11 Multi - 19 Left
 

Finished 16 after pushing with any two from the sb hoping to pick up the big blind and the antes.

I definitely see the problem was mixing the strategies of "playing to win" and "moving up the pay scale". I would call now if I had the opportunity. Thanks all for the insights.