Avoiding blindness.

MastiffPaul · #1 06-13-2005, 12:42 AM

EDIT: Sorry, meant to mention it originally: This is 20+2.

I must admit, I've read several posts about pushing any two to avoid being blinded, and I still don't understand the concept. I've been pushing any two in several late-game situations, and more often than not I've been called by any-ace hands or low pairs that ruin me. Here's an example:

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (4 handed) converter

Hero (t580)
SB (t750)
BB (t3170)
UTG (t3500)

Preflop: Hero is Button with T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
1 fold, Hero raises to t580 (All-In), SB raises to t750 (All-In), 1 fold.

Should I have waited for a better hand to push? If I wait too much longer, I lose FE, correct? But it seems that if the SB or BB are even slightly inclined to call, pushing this hand is -EV. Here's another:

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (6 handed) converter

Hero (t790)
BB (t1135)
UTG (t1345)
MP (t715)
CO (t1120)
Button (t2895)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
4 folds, BB calls t590.

Of course, I'm not on the bubble here, so other players have less reason to be tight. Yes? But BB is short stacked as well, and shouldn't be inclined to make loose calls with hands like "any ace."

I provide these two hands, but I don't think they're exemplary of when and where I'm unsure about pushing. (I'm unsure about it a LOT. Sometimes my FE wins me the blinds, sometimes loose BB calls double me up, sometimes they ruin me. I'm not on tilt about it, but I am very confused.) I'm looking for advice on these hands, or general advice about +EV pushing when short stacked. Thanks in advance.