[Scooterdoo]

Hi, guys. This was the 2.5k 6-handed event which was great. I won't go into a full report but have a question on my bust-out hand. The question isn't so much about how I played it, but about an alternative way to play the hand that someone at the tournament suggested how he would have played it. A little background:

Started with about 460 and we're down to a little under 100. I believe the top 65 or so get paid, but as always, I'm playing to win, not to just get paid. I have a great run up until now and am up to 15k or so which I would guess is in the top 10%. One player at my table is even with me (CK Hua, a solid and aggressive pro). We've had several run-ins for the two hours I've played with him. On the second hand I played at this table I'm up to 14k already (this is two hours earlier than my final hand when I'm also in the 14-15k range, so at this point I'm probably in the top 1-5 in chips with 200 or so people left!) I have A9s in on the button and make it 600 to go with 100/200 blinds. He raises me 2000 from the BB with 2000 left behind him. I was really thrown off by his massive over-bet. I come to conclusion that he would not bet this much with a better A or an over-pair and that he must be making a move and feels I'll give up the hand. I put him on a weak Ace a KQ type hand or maybe a small pair. I'm not going to just call the bet, so I push. He calls as I expect him to and shows 36o! Of course he sucks out on me. His stack goes up and down and during the two hours he is all-in three other times against other players. Each time he has the worst of it and each time he wins. We have several pots against each other and several times I show down hands that I win, but where it is clear that I was making moves on him and betting when I didn't have anything. There was also a hand when I took quite a bit from his friend sitting next to him when I limped on the button with 56s, and hit the nut straight on the river when his friend hit trips. The two of them appeared to be gunning for me so I decided to switch gears for a while and play a bit tight and try to catch them with a strong hand.

Here's the key hand: CK and I both have $15k with 150/300 blinds and 50 ante. CK make it 1k from MP (he has been raising about 25% of the pots regardless of his position, but of course it's only 6 handed) and I look down at KK in the BB. I think through my options. Don't want to just call because if I then want to take the pot after the flop there's not much in there. I can raise all-in or a substantial amount but then I don't get much out of the hand if he doesn't call. I decide to make a mini-raise of 1k to get the pot up somewhat and then make a much bigger bet if the flop is favorable with the hope of taking the pot right there. The flop comes 459o and I bet 4500 which is about a pot-sized raise. He thinks for a while and raises me a few thousand which is pretty weird since he's leaving himself very little. I'm a bit worried about a set or AA but decide that I pretty much have to call. Against another player I might fold (but I doubt it), but against him I really can see him doing this with AK, an overpair to the board A9 or even a straight draw. I decide that he could be leaving the money back because he is either tricking to call or he's tricking me to fold (50/50 either way). Anyway, I call and he turns over 55 and I'm done.

The reason for my post is not to discuss the 'standard' ways to play the hand which would be either checking preflop or betting more preflop (say a 2-3k raise) because I'm convinced that without a scary board - A, pair, flush draw, etc. - I'm going to lose my money anyway with my KK vs. flopped set.

Here's the issue: Someone suggested that they would have pushed preflop even though there was only 1.4k in the pot. Their rationale is that they don't want to tangle with another big stack so they would be happy to just take down the pot right there. Plus the push looks like a mid-pair type hand so sometimes you WILL get a call from either a A9-AQ type hand or a mid to high pair -- 99-QQ. I'm not sure if CK would have folded 55 (I'm guessing he calls me) but just wondering if any of you like the pre-flop push in this situation.