Fold, Push, or Stop 'n' Go, A4s in BB

[tipperdog]

Like many tourney newcomers (how long can I call myself that?), I believe that I'm playing too conservatively. I'm generally lasting long in MTTs, but am finishing either out of the money or at the very bottom of the ladder. So, I'm looking for more opportunities to chip up as the blinds increase. Is this such an opportunity?

Party $55NL. 580 players; ~200 left. Blinds are 75/150. I have ~T2,000 in the BB. Average is ~T2,700. I was moved to this table as a short stack about 20 hands ago and have played one hand--doubling up with 33 when I pushed vs. AQ PF.

So, I'm in the BB with A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. It's folded around to the button who open-raises to T800. The button hasn't seemed overly-aggressive, but I have no strong read. The T800 open-raise (5.5xBB) is larger than standard.

Given the information provided, is this an opportunity for playing back at a possible steal-raise? If so, what's your preferred method of playback?

[HonchoOverload]

How many chips does the button have?

[betgo]

I will often fold a weak ace against a late position raise. You are dominated if villain has an ace or a pocket pair. I would rather play back with two high cards, a pair, or a suited connector.

[A_PLUS]

I dont like his overbet. You see players make this bet with middle pairs all the time. I see very few hands you are ahead of that he has, so if you do play back, it has to be a stop and go. But I may wait for a better spot.

[mlagoo]

I fold. I mean, he could have a random hand raising from the button, which obviously you are a favorite against, but you have no read, it's for more than a third of your chips, and I think you can just find a better spot to accumulate some chips.

[tipperdog]

Sorry. Button has me covered, but not by a ton. He's around T2,500

[yoadrians]

Absolutely nothing wrong with folding here and waiting for a better spot.

[betgo]

You have 2000 and he raised to 800. There is no way he is folding to a push. You are slightly ahead against K or Q high or more than a 2-1 underdog against a pair or an ace.

[tipperdog]

Thank you all for the well-deserved beating. I think I was suffering from a bit of "reverse tilt," having just come off of life support and built my stack from "desperately short" to "OK, but need more chips."

I pushed, foolishing believing I had fold equity against hands like middle pairs and A5-AT. I also thought I might be ahead against a KT-type hand (and surely this was possible, though my edge isn't enormous against such hands).

He insta-called with AQ and I busted.