Defending/pushing back with Ax from the blinds [party 30+3]

[Benholio]

When someone raises from a position that could be a steal, what kind of hand does it take to push back with? Here are several hands from today where I had medium aces in this position.

Hand #1
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (4 handed)

Hero (t2410)
UTG (t2300)
Button (t1040)
SB (t2250)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="CC3333">UTG raises to t800</font>, Button folds, SB folds, Hero folds.

Looking back at this one, my play looks kinda scared. Maybe I should have pushed back. I have enough chips to make UTG fold a pure steal, and I have some showdown vaule.


Hand #2
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (6 handed)

Hero (t860)
BB (t1173)
UTG (t1035)
MP (t2567)
CO (t1965)
Button (t400)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG folds, MP folds, CO folds, <font color="CC3333">Button raises to t400 (All-In)</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t860 (All-In)</font>, BB folds.

Button is pretty desperate here, so I like my chances. I push so that I don't have to face 2 opponents for these chips and BB's dead chips. I think this was an easy play due to my own stack size, but what if I had more chips? (~1500)


Hand #3
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (4 handed)

Hero (t2860)
BB (t2270)
UTG (t1410)
Button (t1460)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="CC3333">UTG raises to t1410 (All-In)</font>, Button folds, Hero calls t1210, BB folds.

I just called here with the intention of checking it down along with the BB if he wanted to. Should I have raised here to shutout BB and have a better chance to win the pot? Can I give UTG respect for a bigger hand and get rid of my A8 here?


Hand #4
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (3 handed)

Button (t1871)
Hero (t2790)
BB (t3339)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="CC3333">Button raises to t800</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t2790 (All-In)</font>, BB folds, Button calls t1071 (All-In).

This one isn't quite as big of a deal I guess, since we are 3 handed. A7 is a big enough hand to call or raise a steal attempt 3-handed, right? I find myself doing this with almost any ace. Anyone agree/disagree with that?