shoot for 1st settle for 3rd?

[KenProspero]

I ran this throught ICM.

If the hand is going to be heads up, you against, small stack.

You start out with about 29.43% expected pot equity. Small stack has about 24.77% expected pot equity. If you win, you go to about 34% equity, if you lose, you swap places with the other small stack, and have the 24.77. Essentially, you play you can play this with a coin flip, and aren't far from being right if you have the weak end of a race (i.e., two over cards vs a small pair).

Heads up against big Stack, You go to .3352 if you win, and down to .2 third place if you lose. You need to be about a 2-1 favorite to make it worth playing.

Three way

If you win, you go to .3677 equity in the pot. If Big Stack wins, you go to .3, and if Small Stack wins, .2. I haven't done the algebra, but the fact that you have a +ev if either you or Big Stack beats Small Stack, and a real shot at winning the whole thing if you win the pot. (you're 5000 chips against 10,000), suggests that you probably jump at this with any 2 cards.

[lorinda]

b/c i'm a newbie and have a small BR for online play

This makes a difference in the short term.

Hold tight .......

The higher $EV is often, although not always to go for first.

However, you also have implied $ by 'guaranteeing' that you keep your bankroll alive.

You should still play pretty much for first, but you can be <font color="red"> slightly </font> more cautious than some plays here recommend as long as you realise that slightly is written in a different color and don't take it too far.

Lori

[snapfc01]

thanks alot for the thoughts all