[Bigwig]

[ QUOTE ]
Too many players get scared of being blinded out, and push their chips too often. You obviously should not let your stack get too low to where an all-in becomes an easy call for your opponent. It depends on how much confidence you have in your game. If you feel you are a very good player, and can build your stack by picking up pots, then don't push. If you feel you are just an average player, who eventually has to "take a coin flip", then push there and hope to get lucky. My game is strong enough that I don't need to push here, and getting blinded out is not in my thoughts at this time. By the way, I would probably call in that situation, and use my position on him and see what the flop brings.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really don't agree here. The idea of taking coin flips when you're not the best player has more to do with calling than pushing. For example, if I had open raised from MP with AQo, and the villain had come over the top, I would have folded. Mostly because of the Gap Concept, but partially because what you have mentioned.

I know people don't want to hear this: but your skill with short stacks (and 17BB is effectively short) comes from identifying push/fold scenarios, not from being able to pick up pots postflop. Or even preflop. You don't have the kind of stack that can be seeing lots of flops.