[PrayingMantis]

Hey Jason, yes I'm home from Vienna (with a little stop in Monte-Carlo on the way... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]). Yes, I remember that night you're talking about, I was drinking a lot in the lobby with some company when you were back with your final table friend. Good times.

Anyway, about the hand. I know it is a bit weird, that's why I posted it here, and it's interesting to see people's replies.

First, BB was tough in that he made big calls previously, AND was pushing very hard in several situations. Actually, in one spot he called with Q6o when I pushed against him with AJs from the SB PF. And he had a rather healthy stack. It was a crazy call, and he thought about it for a while, I know. He probably put me on any-two, and thought Q high is good. He was wrong, but Obviously he hit a 6, to make it that far. But since that hand I didn't make any moves against him, or pretty much anybody, and it was when we were 7-9 handed.

So I think he might suspect I'm pushing here with a strong made hand, hoping for a weak call. And thus he actually might fold now some marginal pairs. Another thing, is that I am almost positive that if I check he bets, and if I C/R then, pretty good chances he then calls with a marginal hand he might fold if I push to begin with. These are some of my thoughts. I'm not 100% sure it makes complete sense, but that's pretty much what I was thinking. And a smaller than all-in here looked a awkward to me, especially if he calls (I don't see him folding too many times) and I don't improve on the river.

In reality he thought about it for a LONG time (maybe 30 seconds) and then called with J9o. I had 24398 outs (i'm 3:2 dog on the turn, which is huge), but didn't improve and busted third. It was a risky move in that sense, but I'm not unhappy with the fact I forced him into a decision for almost all his chips, and a good card on the river makes me a dominant big stack, plus I do think he folds this J a nice % of the time. He surely almost did.

I felt that the turn card and the way my opponent plays, turned this into a "going to the felt" hand, and I prefered pushing on other options, to increase my FE. Against other opponents, I think I play it differently.