Calling all-in w/AK

[zoobird]

Thanks for the opinions everybody. Sounds like this hand was obvious enough that I probably shouldn't have bothered posting it. What actually happened was that I called, he had AA and I lost. Oh well.

[benneh]

too bad, but i think you're short enough stack that this play is kind of a no option, unless you've got a really specific read on exactly AA or KK from villain

Now if there was his raise and someone elses raise behind, it could be different, as you don't want to take a coinflip hand (or worse) against 2 other opponents.

[RiverDood]

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Actually, this was one situation where I would generally expect tighter play from opponents in a freeroll. Many of them don't push into unopened pots when short stacked,

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Weird. Pushing 77, AT, etc. into unopened pots is about the only sane way to play short-stacked. If they limp or min-raise with those hands, their stacks will erode in no time. If they fold everything except KK or better, they might as well sit out and see if they can simply gasp their way past the bubble.

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so I think there's less chance of UTG pushing with a really weak hand than there would otherwise be.

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Even if this is true, it doesn't much matter. With AK, your odds are broadly similar against an enormous range of hands. Among pocket pairs, for example, 33, TT and QQ all are slight favorites against you, but your prospects are no worse than 42/58. Knowing that one opponent will only push JJ or better and another will push 33 or better doesn't change the analysis.

Ditto with the possibility that Villain is pushing an unpaired hand. In fact, you'd rather square off against someone who pushes only hands you dominate (A9+ and KJ), rather than someone who pushes any two -- where you don't dominate.

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Also, if I fold here and then try to steal blinds very aggressively myself, I've probably got a better chance of being able to,

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To do this, you will need to be first into the pot -- or play against at most one limper. You don't have enough chips to be confident of scare out your opponents if there's stronger action ahead of time. You might get only one good shot in 3 orbits or less. And if you push J6, only to run up against KK in the small blind, you'll wonder why you didn't take a shot with AK against one caller when you had it.

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Normally I don't end up this shortstacked (unless 0 chips counts), but I got blinded down from $22K and 200/400 blinds while I was in a meeting.

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Hey, it happens to all of us. I hope the "meeting" was fun. But if you're giving the tournament only partial attention, that's all the more reason to play AK for keeps when you get a chance.

[zoobird]

All good advice that I'll take to heart.

Just one clarification - I wasn't saying that people in freerolls AVOID pushing into an open pot when short stacked...just that they don't do it nearly as aggressively as they should. I think they tend not to realize they're short stacked until they're in the 'red zone' and many of them also don't realize how much better an unopened pot is for them than one where people have already limped or raised.

[RiverDood]

Fair enough. That makes a lot more sense. Yes, you're totally right about short stacks not pushing until they're past the point of no return.

Running up against AA is annoying. But it's a small enough part of the opener's likely range that there's no reason to tear apart your play. Better it should happen in a freeroll than in a $200 buyin game.

[SoBeDude]

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too bad, but i think you're short enough stack that this play is kind of a no option, unless you've got a really specific read on exactly AA or KK from villain

Now if there was his raise and someone elses raise behind, it could be different, as you don't want to take a coinflip hand (or worse) against 2 other opponents.

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Man I hate this crap.

There is NO SUCH THING AS A a really specific read on exactly AA or KK from villain

-Scott