JTs in NLHE tourney

[M.B.E.]

In a PokerStars NLHE tourney, there's 64 players remaining out of about 200 entrants. Top 27 get paid. I have the shortest stack at my table with 2600 (there's presently only seven at my table). Blinds are 100/200, ante 25.

It's folded to me in the cutoff and I have Jh-Th. The stack sizes behind me are 4800 (button), 4000 (SB), and 6600 (BB).

What's my play?

I know some will say this is an easy fold, but JTs is such a nice-looking hand, and there's 475 in chips crying out "steal me". The problem with steal-raising is that if I get reraised I have to lay it down preflop after putting in 20% of my chips. That leaves calling. I won't say yet what I opted for. Comments? I'll post tomorrow with the results.

[C M Burns]

I think raise the min or 500 or so. none of the ones ahead are big enough to come back with a weak hand, and if they call you could flop something strong. the problem with jts is you will probably only hit a draw, so it could be dangerous i would then take a stab and then fold or go passive.
But i think the main point here is you are too short stacked not to take a shot with a playable hand, but you shouldn't risk too much.

[Copernicus]

Easy fold. Results don't make a mistake correct.

[Duke]

I'd raise 400 more, and if you get played back at you have a decision to make. Is he on 55 or AK? Or does he have a bigger pair?

If you think he's got a small pair, play it since you're short and you're a favorite. If you think he's on overs, drop it. The hand plays well even if you are behind. Or you could just fold every hand and try to let 60 people bust out before you.

~D

[M.B.E.]

[ QUOTE ]
Or you could just fold every hand and try to let 60 people bust out before you.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a bit unfair -- I could certainly throw away this hand while still playing others. I have 2600 and the blinds are only 100/200, so I can afford to wait for (let's say) AJ or better.

[LDJ]

somebody needs to tell you this; this is an easy fold. you should tighten up at this point and play only solid hands. you have a stack that allows you to wait and not take unneeded risks

[M.B.E.]

Thanks for all the responses. In retrospect I kind of like C M Burns's idea of raising the minimum. I hardly ever make a minimum raise at NL, but in this particular situation it makes sense. I could get in trouble, however, if the flop came jack-high.

Anyway, on the actual hand I moved all-in. Kind of stupid of me to risk 2600 to win 475. My thinking was, I guess, that this would give me a high chance of taking the blinds, and even if I get called by a small pair I'll be a favourite. (JTs is a favourite against 77 or less, and about even against 88 and 99.)

The button and SB folded, but the BB called with KK. So I was getting ready to shut down and have dinner, thinking about how bad I had played, when all of a sudden I had a straight. So I just forgot about that hand and went on to win the tournament. Later on I was reviewing some of the key hands and couldn't believe that one. There were lots of others which I did play well. By coincidence, of the seven players on the table at that hand, four of us finished in the top ten.

[Guy McSucker]

On no account play the hand for its card-value.

Steal raise, whatever is the standard opening raise, or fold. Be ready to dump it if you raise and are reraised.

Guy.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

When I raise, I usually raise to 3xBB. This is one of the spots where I would make an exception. 3x is 1/4 of your stack, and you're going to hate getting reraised. Thus, I would typically fold or raise all-in here. Which I choose would depend upon how likely it is for the remaining players to call with hands like AQ, AJ, AT, KQ, TT, etc. Of course they call with JJ-AA and AK, and of course they fold really weak hands. The question is how often they fold vs. call with the marginal ones (that are ahead of JT).

Against the fields I'm used to playing, I would raise all-in here probably about half the time, maybe a bit less.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)