Chip leader w/ AKs vs. all-ins

[Troy92]

Here’s a decision that I am curious as to how some of the 2+2ers would have played it. It’s from a $200 tournament with about 225 players left. Top 130 get paid, but obviously the real money is further up the line.


Blinds 200/400
Average stack: 6000
UTG +1: 2700
Button: 20000 (Overall tourney leader is at 22000)
BB: 10000

UTG+1 raises to 1000
MP calls
Button calls
BB raises to 10000 (all-in)
UTG +1 calls 1700 (all-in)
MP folds
Button ??????????

What would you do if you were on the button with A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]? Based upon the range of hands that I could come up with for UTG+1 and BB, I calculate a call by the button at around EV +1500. Win the hand and you have a huge chip lead. Lose the hand and you drop down to 10000 chips, which is still above average. Fold and you still have the table lead and plenty of chips to push other players around. 2nd highest on the table was around 14000.

Is this the type of push it takes to win tournaments? Or are you better off avoiding this risk and just utilizing your current stack to push people around on your terms?