A9o - Late in tourney

[shant]

I'm fairly new to multi-table tourneys, I play mostly limit ring games, but I'm really enjoying learning about tourney play. I played the Empire $5000 tourney tonight for $20+2. I made the money and there were 22 people left.

Blinds 300/600 - I have around 5900 in the SB, BB is in the top 5 with 23K+. Average stack at the time was about 8600.

I have A9o and it's folded to me. I push.

Thoughts?

[Lurshy]

Thats a fairly standard move. But the BB being the Big stack , can call with some speculative hands that others would fold.

You also have some other options though. At 10X BB, you can raise, but you may find yourself faced with having to call all-in (or fold) to a resteal raise.

If you think he would let you, you can smooth call, and then push the flop. You may have more folding equity on a flop push (similar to a Stop & Go).

Having the Big Stack on your left is always dangerous. You typically need better starting hands than otherwise. But stealing with an A9 is better than stealing with Q4, so it may qualify.

JMHO

[Lloyd]

I would push with that hand almost under any circumstance. You are a 3-2 favorite over a random hand. And even though it's a big stack, it's still a good 25% of his stack so he's not going to call with anything too speculative.

[dr_zorba]

I had the same hand tonight in the SB, down to 3 tbls from about 220 entries. BB were 200/400. The BB had about the same stack as me, ~T4500 (around avg) and had not been active recently. Anyway, I raised to 1,000 and he re-raised ALLin instantly.

Before I made my raise I decided if he re-raised in this position it would be a bluff more often than not so I called. I was right -- he had Q4o.

Unfortunately, a Queen flopped and held up, busting me out.
I'm not upset. I was a big favorite and would have lay 2nd or 3rd if the A9 had held up. Naturally the table thought the entire hand was a laughing stock and I exited the tbl at the end of pointed fingers. Sure felt bad for being right, I'll tell you.

I wish I knew the right answer at the right time.

[shant]

Thanks guys, good to know that I didn't screw up.

BB called quickly with AQ and even with a flop of 678 I didn't improve. It happens.