Final table hand, lost heart

[stokken]

Stars 11 rebuy 630 entrants downt to 5
I am on button folded to with A-7s

Blinds 25/50K my stack is almost 800K, bb 900K There is 3 of us with near size stacks, and 2 with 300-400K stacks

Payout 5 th 1400$, 1st 6500$

I raise 3xbb ( I played the bb earlier in the tourney and nearly busted him with a slowplayed set HU, but he managed to climb back and he has avoided confrontations since, but I reckoned he now had a hand or made a stand) He calls.
Table is down to 5 and has not been wild with action, mostly steals and folds. A few hands earlier I tangled a short stack where I tried to steal with K-3s, and got raised by AKos, spiked a 3 to win the hand.

Flopp 6,5,3 rainbow, 1 of my suit

BB checks I bet 150K, I knew I should have checked behind or pushed, but felt he would let go of high cards here for a bet, he raises 200K

I thought about pushing, but couldnt bring myself to it( first final table)couldnt bring myself to a fold either, I was unsure if my A was an out, could be, 1,5 outs for runner runner flush and then I had the gutshot. So I did the worst and called. Instantly decided to push any turn card, but he beat me to it and bet 200K when a J, not my suit, fell and I lost heart.Though my gutfeeling was that I still had a live hand?

I suck!

1 mistake-shoulda checked behind, right? Would anyone push here on flopp?

Would this type a hand be better to push pre, just to make som variance or is it better to continue with same sized raises?

When he raises, should one put him to the test with the draw I had?
Feel horrible finally reaching a FT and commiting so many errors in 1 hand

[Exitonly]

the blinds arent big enough that you'll be pushing preflop.. and you could cheeck behind because you want to see another card, you have some posibilities w/ that board (RR flush, gutshot, two overs) but i think betting ~200k on the flop and folding to a push is probably best

hello

I Think The Gap Concept tells you (+
with his and yours stack-size dont go up against the big stacks that can (nearly)bust you) he at least called you preflop with
1010 or higher. (probably not just high connectors)
a perfect Flop for him if he puts you on AK, KQs

You wanted to "steal" this pot a beleive? and okey, the FLop was
bad, but you made a last shot at the pot on the Flop, not a bad play, (but maybe Checking is better) but then I think you should have saved your
chips and Folded/Released to his raise.

You have lots chips enough left, so then its an easy Release and just go to next hand

RatHer SmaRt ThEn Lucky™ [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

always take your time to make the right decision. ALWAYS! PERIOD! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[nath]

First, a quick point:

[ QUOTE ]
hello

I Think The Gap Concept tells you (+
with his and yours stack-size dont go up against the big stacks that can (nearly)bust you) he at least called you preflop with
1010 or higher. (probably not just high connectors)
a perfect Flop for him if he puts you on AK, KQs

[/ QUOTE ]

Five-handed there's no way his range is that tight against a button raise. (If it is he will get eaten away in every single shorthanded situation he plays.)

In situations like this I prefer a delayed continuation bet. That flop is awful; you almost certainly didn't hit it, and if you were happy with your hand you would come over the top of his check-raise. You seem to think you may have been ahead but couldn't pull the trigger, and with only ace high 7 kicker it's not hard to see why. In a sitaution like this I like to err on the side of keeping the pot small. Check behind. You may want to make a continuation bet on fourth street if he checks again, or you may just want to check the hand down. That depends on the action and the cards, so it's hard to say.