$22 - ITM: To gamble or not to gamble?

[EricW]

#Game No : 2743462582
***** Hand History for Game 2743462582 *****
NL Texas Hold'em $20 Buy-in + $2 Entry Fee Trny:15901699 Level:5 Blinds(75/150) - Tuesday, September 20, 04:14:19 EDT 2005
Table Table 13772 (Real Money)
Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 3
Seat 6: DMNDQUEST25 ( $675 )
Seat 9: alldawayin ( $6400 )
Seat 2: Hero ( $925 )
Trny:15901699 Level:5
Blinds(75/150)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Hero [ 9s Kd ]
DMNDQUEST25 folds.
>You have options at Table 14001 Table!.
alldawayin calls [75].
Hero checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ Jc, 8d, Tc ]
alldawayin bets [400].
>You have options at Table 14001 Table!.
>You have options at Table 14001 Table!.
Hero is all-In [775]


This has to be the correct play right? The big stack has such a large lead that any chance of playing for first would mean I'd have to double up by getting chips off of him. Is my line of reasoning flawed here?

[RikaKazak]

I play it the same way

[deathpotato]

Why not push preflop?

[RikaKazak]

LOL, good point, best play is push pf imo. but what I was referring to, is if you call, then push on flop like you did. but yes, pf push is best

[EricW]

I don't think pushing is a good idea because the villain is a LAG and there's a short stack behind me. I would do better by pushing into the short stack instead rather than pushing pre-flop into a LAG with a huge whose already put money into the pot.

[Double Down]

I would disagree with pushing the flop after he bets 400. There is 100% chance that he calls, and with him completeling small blind but not raising, he almost certainly has some piece of this flop. I would venture to guess that you are behind, and essentially you are less than 50% to improve (you have 11 outs, if you include the king). And if he turns over straight draw and a pair, then you need to hit the straight just to chop and your only clean win is to hit the king.
The sad fact is that the odds of you coming in 1st are very very small because of the stack sizes and you should try to go for second. The best way to do this is not to push in when there is no fold equity and he is probably beating you!
If you are looking for that slim opportunity to try to get 1st, then the best chance to try to double up is when you get all the money in first, before the flop. Don't push here. You got enough chips left, try to get 2nd.