Isolating @ the bubble
 

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (4 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Button (t3830)
Hero (t2459)
BB (t1440)
UTG (t271)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to t271 (All-In)</font>, Button calls t271, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t2459 (All-In)</font>.

I had lots of FE, but is this +EV?

Re: Isolating @ the bubble
 

If button's not a complete donk and won't call with stuff like Q 9 soooted (I've seen it, believe me) then this is fine.

Re: Isolating @ the bubble
 

as an aside you want him to call with Q9.

I don't mind the push. especially 4 handed. I might re-raise to 1000 or something, give myself some room to fold if button decides to re-pop.

Re: Isolating @ the bubble
 

Here I don't mind calling and checking it down with the added bonus of BB probably coming along. If you push button off a winning hand here it is bad for all three of you and great for UTG.

Besides, if I am button I won't raise here with AA-QQ. I want you to push.

Oh, and I am sure pushing here is +EV. I am also sure that calling and checking it down is +EV.

Re: Isolating @ the bubble
 

i am a noob at sngs so could you please explain why you want to push here?

the main goal seems to knock utg out and get in the money, right? and your chances to knock him out are higher with the button still in the hand, right?
so it seems to me it's a call or fold situation preflop. i'd choose to call because the T127 won't hurt me. postflop i would ether push in case i hit or check/fold if i miss.

or am i completely off the track? [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: Isolating @ the bubble
 

[ QUOTE ]
i am a noob at sngs so could you please explain why you want to push here?

the main goal seems to knock utg out and get in the money, right? and your chances to knock him out are higher with the button still in the hand, right?
so it seems to me it's a call or fold situation preflop. i'd choose to call because the T127 won't hurt me. postflop i would ether push in case i hit or check/fold if i miss.

or am i completely off the track? [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]I hadn't thought about this aspect of the hand.

my view is that generally if there's 4 left then your opponents will play you hard, i.e. not check things down hoping to get ITM. in this way by pushing you pick up the button's dead chips if he folds and you also get great odds in the actual hand.

the downside is the small stack has a greater chance of survival due to the buttons hand not being live. i guess it's player dependent.

Re: Isolating @ the bubble
 

i'm predicting that the button had a big pair and tried to trap people into coming over the top/coming into the hand.

Re: Isolating @ the bubble
 

Nopes. Button folded and I won the hand, but it didn't feel quite right.

Re: Isolating @ the bubble
 

[ QUOTE ]
Here I don't mind calling and checking it down with the added bonus of BB probably coming along. If you push button off a winning hand here it is bad for all three of you and great for UTG.

Besides, if I am button I won't raise here with AA-QQ. I want you to push.

Oh, and I am sure pushing here is +EV. I am also sure that calling and checking it down is +EV.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed with above.

Re: Isolating @ the bubble
 

I'd just call for several reasons:

(1) You aren't definitely ITM just yet. I'd like to lock up my final three spot.

(2) How much equity in the pot are you actually protecting here? I doubt you grab more than about 35% equity in the pot by knocking out button and BB here. About 350 chips, which doesn't seem worth the risk of button or BB waking up with a monster and nailing you.

(3) You're quite often going to flop a set or overpair. In this case (especially with the set) there's a reasonable chance of doubling through on the button. I'd rather have a crack at that than penny-pinch from the existing pot.

EDIT: (4) Like Tigerite said, you want zero chance of the button calling with some awful hand like K9 or even AJ. A three-way like UTG - K9, you - 88, button - AJ is a horrible situation.