When pot odds mandate a call...

This actually comes from a tournament that I was observing and thought at the time that players were passing up what looked like mandatory calls. Keep in mind that there are no reads here as I was an observer. Here's the situation:

Turbo satellite tournament, 20 seats available with about 25 remaining players. Blinds are now 1500/3000 with 150 ante.

1st hand:

Hero is the BB with about 1.5BB remaining. He posts a BB and now has 1/2 BB remaining in his stack. Folds to MP who limps. Button pushes. SB folds. Isn't this an autocall for the BB with any 2 cards, even if he fears he's up against AA/KK based on the fact that his whole remaining (micro)stack is at risk when he posts the SB next hand?

2nd hand:

Blinds are now 3k/6k. Hero is the SB with about 2BB remaining. Folds to MP who calls (he did this alot, putting half his stack out there with a limp). Folds to hero in the SB who chooses to fold. With the blinds and one caller, wouldn't pot odds again mandate a call with almost any 2 cards here? In my opinion, I'm pushing here and hoping that MP folds as he's been limping with high blinds rather often but it still seems like he's holding on for a seat, but at a minimum shouldn't the SB be calling this with almost any 2 based on the odds offered by the pot?

[Matador225]

Yea with less than 1 BB left these are both easy pushes with any two unless you are right on bubble and someone else will have to push before the blinds get back to you.

[whiskeytown]

The first on is a no brainer - he should call - absolutely -
the second one sorta depends on the structure of the game, how people are playing and so forth...

FOR EXAMPLE, if I'm in the SB, and I still have 2BB, and I have no antes, I might seriously consider folding - esp. if there's a lot of stalling (which there is) -

On the 2nd one, it totally depends as well on my cards - I believe if I push, I WILL be called - it would be a BAD play for the opponent to NOT call - he's in the same spot as your first example - if you're getting 3-1 pot odds, you call with anything - 27 offsuit vs AA is almost 3-1, so you're getting odds with anything.

But giving the circumstances of what you describe, I can't give a blanket call to the 2nd option. Any Face card with decent kicker, suited connectors or one gappers, I probably push. I do NOT call, obviously - that's key -

I feel like in this spot, I'll be required to have one more all in before getting to the money, and I'd rather double up to 4BB then just 2BB or 1.5BB if I've just called and missed the flop.

RB