did i make the right call?

[samdar]

OK pokerroom luck dollar tournament, 58 people left top 15 money, but huge gap in payout between 11 and 10


average stack size 57000
my stack 35000 putting me in 34th place
blinds 1500/3000

utg calls
utg + 1 all in (table chip leader with 57000)
folds around to to me on the button I call QQ
sb,bb fold
UTG calls

Ak vs AK vs QQ

Flop has A and they split

I think i made a bad call and should have repected the position but the UTG +1 all in. I needed to make a move but i think i could have waited for better time and position. Thus no risking my stack for only a few % advantage.

My friends argue that I made the right call because if I won I would have been over 100k in chips and well in postion to get into money.

What do you experts think?

[andretti1011]

This is very similar to the situation I just got broke on... however, the BIG exception is size of your stack. @ 4.5K per 10 hands (consider 1 blind increase), you are still looking probably another 30 hands after this...

I would read the chip leader as trying to define his hand and get heads-up (not sure I like his AK all-in) but, I think your call at this point is at best close to even money against AK, maybe even 4-1 against AA & KK.

Pot odds may justify a call, but you still have 34K to scare other players since the chip leader at your table only has an average stack size in the tourney.

Unless your were short stacked, you probably should have waited to be the one putting the pressure on...

[samdar]

my thought that the leader at our table was playing the bully and had a small pp trying to get heads up action with the raiser or a fold and pic up the blinds and his raise.

[kuro]

I'd call this everytime. You can't think of folding QQ here with 12 x bb. If there had been an utg raise and a utg +1 reraise then I'd consider mucking. With this utg+1 all-in by the chip leader, most of the time you'll find yourself ahead of AK or up against a smaller pair that you dominate.

[andretti1011]

[ QUOTE ]
my thought that the leader at our table was playing the bully and had a small pp trying to get heads up action with the raiser or a fold and pic up the blinds and his raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

Based on your "feel", I would like the play...however, think about this....

(this is not the "offical" math driven answer), I think thru situations like this it by mentally completing the table below:

Your hand / His hand / (% chance win)/(% you are correct)
Q's / lower pair / ~80% / X%
Q's / A-K / ~50% / Y%
Q's / A-A, K-K's / ~20% / Z%

Make guesses at values for X, Y & Z

Notice, this is a fairly balanced situation: 1 bad, 1 good, 1 coin flip. Unless you know that X >> Z & X > Y, you have a net overall situation that is about even money or lower. So, how accurate are X, Y & Z? Add that into the mix on a spread and I think you would right less than 50% of the time.... therefore, not a good call.

Again, not totally math driven.... I would agree w/ your inital post, wait for a better spot.