Is it ever correct to fold AA preflop in a NL tournament?

[Mike Gallo]

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About 3 months ago I was playing in a $60 NLH tournament in central CA. We were down to two tables of 8 players each (everyone is now in the money, the big$ is for 1st-3rd) I am in second chip position with 85k and the chip leader is at my table with 125k. No one else has more than 50k but most have between 15-30k. I am in late position and see AA. An early position player raises all-in for 30k. He is immediately called by another player over-the-top for 45k all in. That bet is also called all-in by a player with around 35k. The chip leader moves all-in. He is also called (5 handed). The chip leader has been showing big hands all day. I decide to FOLD. I believed that by avoiding this melee I could guarantee myself a spot at the final table and a high (top 3 finish) A bad beat by the chip leader ends my day and a suck-out by any of the other four opponents puts me back in the middle of the field. Anyway, the AA would have held up. I eventually finished the tournament in 3rd place ($800.00) payout. I welcome your thoughts. One friend calls it the best laydown he has ever witnessed, another says I'm the biggest p***y he has ever seen and calls it the weakest play ever and that I outsmarted myself. I must concede that had I called, I would have likely won the tournament. I am intrested in 2 things: 1) how did I play the hand and 2)is there EVER a time to lay down AA preflop in NLH tournaments?

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SIR, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO STEP OUT OF THE CAR, DROP THE CARDS, AND PLACE YOUR HAND BEHIND YOUR BACK.

YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR THE CRIME OF FOLDING AA PREFLOP, THE WORST PLAY POSSIBLE IN POKER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT AND ANYTHING YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU IN A COURT OF LAW. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO AN ATTORNEY THAT WILL EXPLAIN THE ERROR OF YOUR WAYS; SINCE YOU LOST $1600 WHEN COMMITTING THIS CRIME, IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD AN ATTORNEY ONE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU.

NOW PLEASE COME WITH ME TO THE STATION WHERE YOU WILL BE PREVENTED FROM EVER POSTING THIS HORRIBLE THREAD OR MAKING THIS MISTAKE AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

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Funniest response of the year [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Punker]

Yes, but this is not one of those times.

[Shoe]

It can be correct to fold them in a satellite. If x number of seats pay the same prize, and you have enough chips to ensure a seat, there is no point in playing it.

[Wu36]

Only online, online poker is rigged.

[oneeye13]

good play if you hate money

[jacobsta]

Terrible play. Here's why - you have everybody but the chip leader covered. You have to consider the side pot separately - you have a minimum 75% chance to win it, plus a much larger than your share shot at the main pot. If you win the side pot you lose a bit but still have a playable stack, and if you win the entire pot you are the far and away chip leader - shouldn't even be a question, to call.

You should only fold here IF you had a stack of <1 Big Blinds(because you are guaranteed to move up in the money barring a split, and a win won't help you enough).

[captainzodiac]

this is obviously a rare situation,so who knows what's the right call,once the chip leader went all in,it seems you have to call,since all you have to really do is beat him,but in the heat of the battle and this rare situation,would i be able to see that,with all those all ins in front of me,i might not realize all i have to do is beat that 1 player,to come out ahead,looking back it's easy to see,but at the time,that might be hard to spot.
usually every time i have my aa busted is in a multi way pot,so i certainly see the fear.i would have to think in a 6 way pot,you would have been well under 50% to win the pot,so unless you spotted the fact that all you had to beat was the chip leader it would be a possible lay down.
also,even if you win this pot,i doubt it gets you any higher of a placing in the tourney,things change fast in the final table,and most times the chip leader going in doesn't win the tourney,once it gets down to 5 players,it's anyones game,you might have finished lower,because you play looser with a big stack,who knows!

[youngin20]

In certain circumstances in a satelite tourney, it is correct to fold AA. Here you are just an idiot. Ok, the sidepot with the chip leader would be about 60k right? and if you scoop the pot, you have easily over 200k. Your relative chip position becomes enormous. This is a terrible fold. You just arent playing to win. Playing to win is ESSENTIAL in topheavy payouts. With a little math this can be proven, check out twodimes if you want and calculate how much EV you lost.

[aggie]

the post seems to be too long so i did not read it, but the answer is yes.

[Hotrod0823]

It wasn't AA but just folded KK in stars 11 turbo satelite, 26 players left 20 spots and very fast blinds.

Managed to eek out a seat.