Hand Test --- What Would You Do Here?

[KramerTM]

Middle of a 20+2 NLH MTT. 500 players bought in. 60 get paid. 125 are left.

Your stack is at 2,000 chips, which is slightly above average, but in the top 3 or 4 at the table. You get dealt 88 in the BB. It gets folded around the the button who has been playing fairly tight and likes to see flops, even with semi-premium hands (i.e. a few hands ago he limped with AKs, and waited til he flopped an A to play it strongly). The button has you covered by a little, having 2,500 in chips. The blinds are at 50/100. He raises to 450.

WHAT'S YOUR PLAY (and reasoning)???

[CallMeNow]

"500 players bought in. 60 get paid. 125 are left.

Your stack is at 2,000 chips, which is slightly above average, "

hmm... i don't think I'd play a tournament which gave out less than 500 starting chips!

[kyro]

Sounds like he has a hand. I let this one go.

[betgo]

Unless you have a strong read on the button, I push. 88 in the BB is big versus a button raise.

Villain could have been trapping by limping late with AK, playing for a limpraise. I wouldn't assume that if he limps with AK, a 4.5xBB bet indicates a hand stronger than AK.

[ansky451]

This is dependant on the table. If I think I can run over the players to my left, I let this go, and wait for a better spot. A lot of times I see players limp AK "becasue they dont know if they will flop a pair or not" but raise big with pairs because they "have a pair already and don't want to get outdrawn for cheap." I dont think he is folding much here if he likes it enough to make it 450, and you probably are a coinflip at best. I fold.

[stone_7]

[ QUOTE ]
It gets folded around the the button who has been playing fairly tight and likes to see flops, even with semi-premium hands (i.e. a few hands ago he limped with AKs, and waited til he flopped an A to play it strongly).

[/ QUOTE ]

This makes no sense to me. Is the button tight or does he like to see flops? AKs is a premium hand any way you cut it .

[runout_mick]

If he's been limping AK in position, this feels like AA or KK. Let him have it unless you feel like gambling for a flopped set. Lot of chips to risk on a mediocre hand vs this player.

Muckem

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
If he's been limping AK in position, this feels like AA or KK. Let him have it unless you feel like gambling for a flopped set. Lot of chips to risk on a mediocre hand vs this player.

Muckem


[/ QUOTE ]

Against a good player, push.

It's hard to know if limping with AK means he needs a big pair to raise. Limping with big hands and raising with good hands is fairly standard. If this guy limps with AK because he hardly ever raises period, I would stay out of his way.

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
If this guy limps with AK because he hardly ever raises period, I would stay out of his way.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is how I understood OP's read, villain as ultra-passive preflop...

[KramerTM]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If this guy limps with AK because he hardly ever raises period, I would stay out of his way.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is how I understood OP's read, villain as ultra-passive preflop...

[/ QUOTE ]

Basically my read was that this guy wanted to see a flop even with a solid starting hand before risking a lot of chips. Obviously, this doesn't mean he is incapable of a steal from the button, but it was just something to note.

IMO, I doubt I could have run over the table if I let this hand go (the blinds weren't really high enough for me to make run-over-table moves), but I certainly was one of the better players left at the table.

RESULTS:

I reraised all going with the read that this guy would need AA, KK, QQ or AK to call me since he seemed to be a post-flop player. I got insta-called and Villain showed AA. I think my play was too risky too early in the tournament. Without a strong read on a loose run-and-gun player, I think I should fold this.

Thanks for the feedback. I'd appreciate any additional thoughts.