[stone_7]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't agree with this line of thinking. You don't want to check it down. You want to maximize your odds of winning this hand. Assume you call, he has KQ and you both flop nothing. He pushes allin and you fold - this may seem like a bad play but it increases his chances of winning the pot tremendously, so its correct for him.


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with you in a cash game and I would never advocate this play in a cash game. However, this is the final table of a tournament where ECV and E$V begin to diverge. Since it is out there now let's use the actual flop that came of 5 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. If I am the deep stack player here is the hand from my view. The side pot is ~30k with 2 players all in, I have 53k behind and have to bet into the guy with 32k who has yet to act. I don't see how I make this play with K Q. In any assesment of my hand vs any 3 other random hands I can't imagine I am ahead. (someone with pokerstove can crunch the numbers if they want). Given that I am probably behind, I only have FE vs one of 3 players there is no benefit and only a downside to bluffing at this pot as I am only getting called by a hand that beats me (AA-88 any had with a 5, and if he has 2 clubs) and if I successfully get someone to fold their hand I still have to contend with the 2 all in guys for the pot. Maybe I am giving the big stack guy too much credit for thinking through his play but I just can't see him attempting to bluff me out of the pot. Finally, Even if he does get me to fold a better hand I got my money in with the best of it and missed the flop and I still have 32k chips and moved up a place or 2. Not a disasterous result for a primo hand.