[Myrtle]

Act III Foxwoods.....$450 Buy-in NLHE Freeze out Super Satellite...132 entrants......T3000 starting stack size. Top 9 get entry to $5000 NLHE Main Event.....10 – 18 get their buy-in back in the form of a ticket to the next Act III.

Hero has been on table one for the whole tournament (3 plus hours) & we are now down to 14 players left. Hero is then moved to table 2....both tables have 7 players Hero recognizes only one player at Table 2. We go on break. Well known player (& occasional 2+2 poster has just busted out at table 2). Hero looks to this player for a quick rundown of players left on table 2, and gets some details. Player directly to hero’s left is strongest player on table and is capable of moving all of his chips in if he senses any weakness at all. Table chip leader directly to hero’ right is not particularly strong. Remaining two tables are back to back, and hero has his back to previous table, directly behind him.

Hero brings T32.5K to the table. Blinds are T2000/T4000, antes are T1000. Chip leader has T79K or so. Strong player directly to left has T30-35K. Rest of table stack sizes range around T30-40K. Strong player to the left starts to openly ‘coach’ the chip leader before the action resumes. He basically tells him to fold everything, including aces, because he’s virtually guaranteed a seat. Another player takes exception to the ‘coaching’. Strong player begins to disagree that he’s coaching. I beg to differ with him and tell him so, quietly. He then shares (quietly) with me that his reason for doing so is that the big stack has been stealing his blinds and he’s trying to slow him down. I knowingly nod to him, and let it drop. It’s clear that he intends to do his best to take charge of the table once action begins.

Action begins and for the first 5-6 hands is basically the same......Fold, fold, fold, raise...all remaining fold. Not much to be gained from either action or ensuing table talk. Short stack at table 2 busts out, leaving 13 players left in the field.

Hero now down to T21.5K, stands the BB of T4K and T1K ante, leaving T16.5K stack. Action is folded around to button, who looks directly at hero and says......”I guess I’ll have to put you all-in”........ Big stack folds......

Hero looks at his hole cards and finds...........AQo.........

What are your thoughts, thought process, and ensuing action under these circumstances?

Results to follow........