Why push?

Yes, should still aiming for first place.

Whats up with the attitude that you should aim for the money and play tight... Screw that. KJ suited is atleast worth a raise here so you get blinds.

Oh no, if we get busted we loose 2,5 bb or whatyou said, well big deal, that's easy won back...

[yaaaflow]

I actually like the min-raise here. You minraise to 300, SB either
a) folds
b) calls
c) reraises allin

If a) happens you've got the spot you want - BB can fold and be left with 500 chips, or raise allin and you've probably got the best hand.

If b) happens and the BB pushes you've got a tougher choice, but you can probably lay it down knowing the SB will call. If the BB either calls or folds you evaluate after the flop.

If c) happens you can lay it down, leaving yourself with 1200 chips and the BB with 500.

Raising more won't change anything - the SB will play his good hands and fold his junk (presumably), and the BB is potcommited if he wants to play with you.

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, should still aiming for first place.

Whats up with the attitude that you should aim for the money and play tight... Screw that. KJ suited is atleast worth a raise here so you get blinds.

Oh no, if we get busted we loose 2,5 bb or whatyou said, well big deal, that's easy won back...

[/ QUOTE ]

I appreciate your effort, bro, but I don't think you get the situation. This isn't a ten-person Party tournament with the 20%-30%-50% payout structure. You're right that in that case, playing for 1st once you're in the final 3 is the correct strategy.

In this 6-person tourney, the final 3 is the bubble. The difference between 3rd and 2nd is $45, difference between 2nd and 1st is $60. I think in this instance your question would be better formulated, "First or second, who cares? You just don't want to be third."

I know my hand is at least worth a raise, my question is whether pushing (the default 2+2 play with this hand and this stack) is any better than min-raising in this situation. Are you arguing that it is? If so, why? You're wrong that I should only care about 1st place.

[SCfuji]

you could be a nit and bet half your stack.

[ QUOTE ]
I actually like the min-raise here. You minraise to 300, SB either
a) folds
b) calls
c) reraises allin

If a) happens you've got the spot you want - BB can fold and be left with 500 chips, or raise allin and you've probably got the best hand.

If b) happens and the BB pushes you've got a tougher choice, but you can probably lay it down knowing the SB will call. If the BB either calls or folds you evaluate after the flop.

If c) happens you can lay it down, leaving yourself with 1200 chips and the BB with 500.

Raising more won't change anything - the SB will play his good hands and fold his junk (presumably), and the BB is potcommited if he wants to play with you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, you put this much better than I did. This tourney also allows only 7 seconds to make decisions, so I didn't get to think this through, but I had plenty of time to do so once SB called my push with AA. I was curious whether anyone would have a good argument for pushing here, and I haven't really seen one yet.

Yea I know that third place don't pay and while I have never played one of these 6 people sng I would do the same with the same buyin if 4 people where left and the same situation. But that's my poker philosophy that I go after. It's on the "bubble" I make most of my chips in a SNG and when the bubble finally burst I usually take home the entire sng. It's usually either first place or fourth for me [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Just my style of play. Just posted it to see what you guys thought about it.

But as I am reading through the other answers, a min raise would probably be the best here.

[lotus776]

I disagree, Hero is in a prime cituation to steal the blinds that he says he doesn't want. It really depends if the big stack is sitting on his cash or not, but ultimately the blinds are reaching up at you but not that quickly.
-If you push all-in the move is obviously directed at the big stack b/c you have the little stack covered
-If you lose the all-in bet to the short stack then you and he have theoretically traded places.
-I personally would push to eliminate the big stack and take on the short stack with little confrontation.

I believe you made the correct decision by raising but not by enough. The game is 3-handed and you hand most is most likely the best but on the same token you can let the hand pass and expect many more confrontations of this nature in the future. If you cannot decide to push or not decide what is the weakest hand that you would push with, whether KK or QQ, AKs a higher hand obviously.

-Bottom line, I do not advocate conservative bubble play
-Raise all-in or pitch the hand

-bummer about the AA that [censored] happens move on knowing that you made the correct decision

[MegaBet]

I'm glad to have improved your game [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[MegaBet]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree about the "correct decision". No way am I pushing this.

Yea I'm not pushing either, but whether I'll minraise or not depends on how the big stack is playing after reading the other posts. If the big stack is not bullying the table then I'd go ahead and minraise in the hopes of a heads-up with the smallfry. Then I know not to chase if the big stack comes along for the ride.

If the big stack was a smart bully, then I'd actually fold. This is the exact situation where the bully can and should run all over you, and you should let him.

My image usually gives me a lot of respect for my simple calls though, enough to win the pot a lot of times even from the big stack after the flop. That's why I was suggesting a call, but I guess under normal circumstances it's either a minraise or fold.