Pocket Queens as Chipleader: Passive Play?
 

MTT $50 online event. We are down to 30 players from around 265 and the real money as usual is in the top few spots.

I am chipleader with around T24,000 in the small blind. Button with a stack of T14,000 raises to 900. Blinds are 150/300/50a. Big blind has around T5500.

This may seem like a basic question, but what is my best play with pocket Queens? I don't have a read on the raiser, he just joined our table. Obviously I won't fold, but I believe I can make a case for calling,
reraising, and pushing. If I reraise and lose the hand I will lose more than half my stack. Plus, by reraising I am making the pot larger and jeopordizing my tournament status. If I push I might pick up the pot or if I'm called I'm probably facing
AK, Kings, or Aces. Perhaps Jacks or Tens would call also.
So if I push and am called I'm in a likely coing flip situation when I am chip leader. I'm negating the Aces and Kings with the Jacks and Tens. Do I want a coin flip for half my stack as chip leader?
As weak as it seems if I just flat call I get to see the flop cheaply and don't endanger my chipleader status unless I like the flop. Of course playing this way goes against every basic poker belief I have.

What does everyone think?

Comments appreciated.

Bruce

Re: Pocket Queens as Chipleader: Passive Play?
 

What's your gameplan for a ragged flop if calling? What's your plan if A/K hits?

Re: Pocket Queens as Chipleader: Passive Play?
 

Make a pot sized raise and see where the flop takes you. Thats what I think on these stack sizes.

Re: Pocket Queens as Chipleader: Passive Play?
 

If I flat call and the flop is raggedy my chips are going all in.

If an Ace or King comes on the flop I certainly won't check
and fold, but I'll either lead at the flop or checkraise to
attempt to figure out where I am.

I guess the point I'm trying to address, are there alternative ways to play a big pocket pair before the flop besides pushing or making a healthy reraise especially when one has the biggest stack. If shortstacked I push BTF, but being the chip leader are there alternative ways to play the hand?

Bruce

Re: Pocket Queens as Chipleader: Passive Play?
 

If we are close to bubble I jam it in there and hope someone think I'm just using the big stack bullying. They might call with quite a few hands you have dominated. I probably push most of the time here, but I'm not very good at getting max value out my big pairs I think.

Re: Pocket Queens as Chipleader: Passive Play?
 

i think 4 out of 5 times, a raise to 3k will show a fold.
but if he calls and its rags, its a push, and if he pushes, you gotta call. If you see the flop and there are over cards, you gotta muck em.