Super short stack play

[charlin]

When playing short stacked (less than 10BB), whats the strategy?

I used to think any Ace and sometimes any King suited. Now I'm starting to believe to just let the blinds kill you and just pray the next hand is at least a AJ or any pair.

How about a little situation, these are some I've been in recently:

1.) SnG with 4 people left. I'm in 4th (600chips), 3rd place has a 2:1 chip lead on me. I receive A7o in early position. The blind, which is 1/3 of my stack hits me next.

2.)Multi-table tourney 51 players left top 40 pay. I'm in 48th place with about 990 chips, blinds are 150/300. I have 66 in the small blind with a push all-in(2500 chips) and 2 callers before me.

3.)SnG with 4 players left. I'm on the small blind with ATo. I'm 4th in chips with 425, blinds are 100/200. The 3rd place(1200) in chips moves all-in before me and 2nd(2300) in chips calls.

What would you guys do?

[MHarris]

1.) I lean toward moving in here, and I'd have to have a compelling reason to do otherwise. Your hand may be best here, and there's a chance you'll just pick up the blinds and get another orbit and a chance to get your money in with a better hand.

2.) Auto-fold. You have an all-in with two callers in front of you. You also have an entire orbit to find a better spot since you're taking the SB now.

3.) Fold. A call is horrible in this spot. The next smallest stack is all-in with a caller and you're one spot from the money. Behave yourself.

[Sam T.]

Ideally, you want to get your money in with 9-10BB rather than 2-3, simply becasue of added folding equity.

Let the blinds kill you? Are you joking? Snap out of it!

To the hands:
1) Easy push. Four-handed, there is no such thing as EP. You're CO, button, or blinds.

2) Again, easy push. You are undoubtedly against overcards, and will get called, but you can't be picky here, and this is your chance to triple up. (Edit: Misread your post. I thought you were the all-in. Easy fold.)

3) I think here the argument can be made for a fold, and a prayer that you can sneak into the money. Winning would be lovely, but if both you and the 3rd place bust out here, you get nothing.

[fnord_too]

1. Push
2. Fold
3. Fold

[HajiShirazu]

1- push (not even close...)
2- fold
3- fold (AT is just no good here at all, you're either dominated or some of your aces are gone.)

[Ghazban]

For 3), I think folding is obviously the correct choice but I am curious as to what people think are the minimum requirements to call all-in here against 2 other people on the bubble. Personally, I have no clue and figure I'd be folding too many hands.... [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[fnord_too]

[ QUOTE ]
For 3), I think folding is obviously the correct choice but I am curious as to what people think are the minimum requirements to call all-in here against 2 other people on the bubble. Personally, I have no clue and figure I'd be folding too many hands.... [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I would fold everything other than a big pair here. With such a short stack, I want to see the 3d place stack get busted. Also, if both 3d and 4thgo out here, in most cases, you do not split the third place price, the leader before the hand started gets it. I certainly would not be calling without a pair, and would muck TT and below easily, and maybe even JJ and QQ.

[Ghazban]

Maybe I'm not too tight after all. I would probably fold everything but KK and AA unless I knew one or both of the other all-ins to be absolute maniacs in which case QQ might get played. I don't think I'd even have to think too hard about JJ or worse.

[adanthar]

1)autopush
2)autofold (minimum to call would be...I don't know, probably AK-QQ)
3)autofold (AA-QQ and maybe AK but probably not)

[charlin]

My opinion on #3 i think depends on if you want to really have a chance at winning on just placing.

AT is an easy lay down, but what about 99 or TT?

You should probably assume you have the best hand now and this would be a great time to triple up AND hope that 2nd place takes out 3rd place which would leave you in good position to win it.


If however you know that the 3rd place is a super tight player and would only move in with a big pair and not a hand like AK-A9 or 33-TT then lay down anything but AA-QQ.

Your chances to triple up really improve if you think that you're against a hand like AJ and the 2nd place hold like AK. I think that the 99 or TT is about 46% favorite while AJ is 20% and AK is 34%. I like those odds.