What do I do here?

bigredlemon · #1 03-09-2005, 01:06 AM

Situation 1:

Blinds 100/200

HERO has 22
1 - 2000 Hero UTG

2 - 1000 (Button)
3 - 2200 (BB)
4 - 2800 (SB)

What does hero do? No reads.
Raise to 500? Push? Fold?

I ended up raising to 500 b/c I didn't want to be busted by a bigger stack and planned to fold if they raised. Button raises all in for 500 more, and folded to me. Call it?

Situation 2:
Blinds 150/300

HERO has J8s
SB - t700 Hero??
BB - t2200
Button - t3500 folded
UTG - t1600 folded

BB seems to be tight, but you're not sure he won't call given the pot odds.

J8s is a 55% fav against a random hand. You already have 20% of your stack in, and only 550 after posting. BB can afford a gamble however.

Will you push here or wait for a better hand?

TheUsher · #2 03-09-2005, 01:11 AM

Fold.
Push.

Don't be scared of going out 4th.

bigredlemon · #3 03-09-2005, 01:18 AM

with the 22, fold UTG, or bet 500 and fold to 500 raise?

TheUsher · #4 03-09-2005, 01:22 AM

Fold pre-flop. You have 10xBB and could gain chips much easier than being a huge dog or a slight favorite when your raise is called. Since you raised the 2.5xBB you'll have to call the rest. Now if you lose that showdown welcome to no fold equity territory and praying for a premium hand to push with.

Much easier to steal the blinds with your stack selectively than losing most of your stack. Not yet coin flip time especially with your stack size.

TheUsher · #5 03-09-2005, 01:25 AM

If you do decide to raise this though, push your stack so hopefully the 2 other big stacks don't call with some high cards hand that matches a flop and screws you over. I still think that playing this UTG is a horrible option though as you're almost always going to lose this hand on the bubble I think.

If you were SB against SS BB then I "might" push it against him if he's been folding a lot.

Scuba Chuck · #6 03-09-2005, 01:30 AM

Situation 1, I fold preflop here.

Situation 2, Easy push for me. I like J8s here. You need to make a move soon/now. And frankly, I'd prefer to be in the position like this, where you're not fighting aggression. You take the lead. Furthermore, I think you pretty much want to invite a call here. You need to double up, and J8s is good enough - a coinflip, god forbid

iMsoLucky0 · #7 03-09-2005, 02:18 AM

1) Fold preflop, but after your line, you have to call the 500 more.

2) Push. Definitely push.

curtains · #8 03-09-2005, 02:26 AM

I fold preflop, but once you raise to 500 and button reraises, you must call.

curtains · #9 03-09-2005, 02:28 AM

Also you should play hand 2. Depending on your opponent you shuold either push preflop, or call preflop and push on the flop.

You should be more likely to push preflop if you have the kind of opponent who doesn't understand pot odds, and will fold over 25% of his hands preflop. If you are playing a good player, it's best to call and move allin on any flop. There's really no defense to this if they have something like 52o, meanwhile when you both miss the flop, you deny them the 20-25% chance to beat you.