[BadBatsuMaru]

[ QUOTE ]
It's a push or fold spot, but please, stop this M nonsense, it doesn't really apply to SNGs.

I think it's read dependent completely, this. I'm also pretty sure it is -EV to push, but probably not by much, and you may not get a less -EV spot in the future.

[/ QUOTE ]

A good read always changes things, but the OP didn't mention one. I would need the most solid read ever if I was going to fold 88 on the short stack against a small raise.

It sounds pretty ridiculous to say M doesn't apply to SNGs. It also sounds pretty ridiculous to say pushing is -EV. You want to maximize your chances of going heads-up or perhaps even stealing the pot right now. You certainly don't want to make the odds attractive to the two big stacks behind you. If they see the flop there's a decent chance that both you and the raiser are going to be crippled this hand. If you make a big enough raise to give you a good chance of narrowing the field, you're pot-committing yourself, so it's absurd not to just push right now. If you put in a mid-sized raise you're not going to be able to fold to a re-raise with a hand as strong as 88 in your position.

The only way I would actually not push is if I wanted to encourage action on an extremely tight table. If the raiser was a really weak player and a couple overcards fell and he bet out, I could fold ... but if he was that weak he might have folded pre-flop to my all-in.

Maybe I'm completely retarded, but your statements seem really counter-intuitive, so I'd like to see an explanation.