KQs 5 handed against the big stack

[DustinG]

This is from a 25$ game on Pacific. Only 37 people signed up and it pays the top 5. Stack sizes before posting the blinds are as follows:

utg 3936
villian 14537
button 4598
sb 6902
bb (me) 7027

Blinds are 250/500

Villain raises to 1500, and everyone folds to me and I have KQs. The villian has been playing very aggressivly ever since he aquired his large stack (he caught aces twice earlier and won two nice sized pots). On the bubble he raised very frequently, sometimes minraising, other times raising 3x. Both times that he minraised my blind ealier on the bubble I called, check-folding once, and betting out after folding toppair in a protected pot (the shortstacked small called also and was all-in). The only other hand I played against him was when we were on the bubble and I raised 4x w/ 99 in the co seat and he called in the small blind. I had the feeling that since we were on the bubble, he felt he could call and then push me around after the flop, but the flop came with a small pair and another low card and I moved all in after he checked and he folded. My table image should be that of a tight/solid player. I haven't played many hands at all, aquiring most of my chips in the few big hands I did play.

So, given that he is loose and aggressive, folding seems out of the question. So should I call here or reraise all-in? Given my image, I think that if I pushed he would lay-down some hands that have me beat such as AJ and AT, call with AK and maybe AQ. And I'm not sure how far down he would go in calling with pairs, maybe 7s or 8s and beter. Either way, I do think I have fold equity and would never push here if I didn't.

If I just call here I am check-folding 2/3s of the time and will be right around all-in or fold stage after posting my small blind. I should also note that, of the three other players, I considerd only the player in the small blind solid. The other two are both a little nutty, but I could tell that the utg player would be content to fold is way into a higher place if he could.

So, is it right to push here against the only stack that can bust me? I appreciate all replies in advance.

Dustin

[diebitter]

tricky.

I'd say any of these are reasonable

1) Flat call. All-in if you get a pair or draw or if it's 3 undercards below ten, else check-fold

2) all-in.

3) Raise by 3000, but be prepared to check-fold if the flop doesn't hit you. Check into him if it does (and it isn't too scary), and let him put the money in for you. If he doesn't, all in on the turn.


I'd all-in given your description of the villain and actually prefer a call and believe I'd have the best of it, but none of em are 'wrong'. Folding is monumentally weak here as you implied, and a decent raise has you almost pot-committed anyway.

[mlagoo]

[ QUOTE ]
3) Raise by 3000, but be prepared to check-fold if the flop doesn't hit you. Check into him if it does (and it isn't too scary), and let him put the money in for you. If he doesn't, all in on the turn.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uhh... Put 4200 of your 7000 chips in preflop (~60%) and the c/f the flop? WHA?!

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
3) Raise by 3000, but be prepared to check-fold if the flop doesn't hit you. Check into him if it does (and it isn't too scary), and let him put the money in for you. If he doesn't, all in on the turn.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uhh... Put 4200 of your 7000 chips in preflop (~60%) and the c/f the flop? WHA?!

[/ QUOTE ]
yeah, me being dumb. Raise to 3000 I should have typed.

[locutus2002]

Sounds like an excellent opportunity to call and push any non-ace flop.

You have a tight image, villain likes his big stack and might not be willing to call with overs.

[Shorty35]

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like an excellent opportunity to call and push any non-ace flop.

You have a tight image, villain likes his big stack and might not be willing to call with overs.

[/ QUOTE ]


Based upon the description of villan - I would get it all in prflop.

I am a similar type of player. The problem I have here is being up against the large stack that can knock you out. It doesn't matter if he has proven to be a moron, moron's catch good cards too. I think KQs is a solid hand, but not a hand I would risk the tournament on. Even if he has Ace anything, people like to call with that (for some god awful reason). I would personally call the raise, and make an all-in decision based on the flop. Unless he has a monster, you should be able to take it down from there.

[locutus2002]

The reason to push is because:
1) you are ahead.
2) villain will fold the hand.

Villain's most likely holdings have an ace in them; hero is not ahead of a reasonable range.

Villain will get 1.6:1 on his chips and the chance to have a substantial lead in the tournament. I doubt he's laying down much of his range.

[DustinG]

I think the main arugument against calling is that if I think that I'm ahead preflop, or, even if he has an ace, that he can't call a push, then by calling I'm giving him a chance to hit his hand. And I really don't see him calling here with a hand as bad as AJ if I push, given my table image.

Another argument against calling is that all of the steal attempts are going to need to go through him anyways, plus, the bb when I'm in the co is a total maniac, who called an all-in for most of his chips w/ KQ, and pushed from early position when not desperate w/ A9 earlier in the game. I probably should have made that more clear in my op.

Given all that, I think I have to push here, which is what I did, and I was unlucky in that 1) he had a hand he could call me with, TT. And that 2) I lost the flip. And, as much as I hate gambling with the big stack when I feel that I am one of the better players at the table, we should play to win, right?

Dustin