QQ in Big Blind

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to write such a lengthy reply.
I don’t agree with raising all-in pre-flop, I think overbetting the bet by so much is nearly always a mistake, as you won’t get called unless you are behind.

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Why would you want to give villain the opportunity to put you to a tough decision like this?

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You are very much missing my point here.
If the villain has AA or KK and he reraises, then you can get away from the hand. Maybe you won’t but you DO have the choice. And you’re right, it is a difficult decision. But if he has AA or KK, and you push pre-flop, then you have no decision at all. If he has AA or KK it’s better to have a difficult decision than having no decision at all.


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A raise to 2000 only makes it 1350 more for him to call into a pot of 2875. With 2:1 odds he has proper odds to call with a lot of holdings

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You are correct. The odds are 2:1. But look at the sequence of plays. The CO (who is a good player, and the BB knows this) has raised in position, the BB has reraised. If you were sitting in the CO seat, you would think that you were up against a very strong hand here. You would also expect the BB to more than likely bet the flop. So are you willing to call another 30% on your stack in the knowledge that he will probably bet all-in on the flop.
The pot odds is not the only issue here.
The CO actually had AJ which was in his range of raising hands.
What would you do with that hand if the BB raised to 2000 ?
You said that the raise was a measly 1350 ?
It’s 30% of your remaining stack.

By the way, the flop came JJ7.
Check - check.
Turn 6.
BB bet 1000, CO raised 2000 more.
BB raised all-in. CO called.
River was a K.

the reason for an allin is to put the tough decision on the other player. I would much rather have no decision (an allin) than a tough decision, we can only make each decision given the information at hand and every bit of poker is about presenting misleading information or misrepresenting your holdings, put the tough decision on your opponent and realize you are ahead more times than not. You are more likely to get him off of his hand if he has middle pair, Ax or even a stone cold bluff. I agree that only premium hands call you such as AA,KK,AK,QQ,JJ and maybe if your lucky worse hands than that. We want AK to call. JJ, of course. Only hands we are WB is AA, KK. Any flop is threatening (8d,7d,4h) when your opponent then pushes allin after the flop. What are you going to do then. Did he hit a set, a straight, is he on a flush draw? More times than not we are ahead with this hand. Push and take whats in the pot now. When he folds, you now have sent a message to the rest of the table. Don't mess with me fellas. When he calls and you whoop his butt, your sending another message that your not scared to gamble it up with significant holdings. when he calls and you get your butt whipped (again fewer times than you think), then you get to go home and watch Letterman and don't really care what they think your table image is, because your home.

Your example is the exact reason why I prefer to push preflop, especially when the alternative is the line that your friend chose. By the turn card the CO was priced in to call. There wasn't much left to consider.

I like the ideas that you present and some of them are valid arguments. I think one of the most important points in my post is the very last part where I state it's important to vary your play in this position somewhat. I can't fault a call but, like I said prior, I'm pushing this more often than just smooth calling. I might smooth call in some cases to vary my play or for deception purposes (like if I planned to pull a stop n go).

The cards in CO's hands combined with the flop aren't the point to analyze here. At the time you have a preflop decision we don't know what the flop is and it can come out literally thousands of different ways. When it comes to preflop decisions I'm dancing if I get allin with KK vs. AJ. The flop that came out here is so rare that I'm winning this most of the time as I go to the flop more than a 2:1 favorite. Not only that, but a good tight player should be laying down AJ facing a reraise allin. This almost screams QQ-AA or AK. CO would have made a huge mistake by calling. Luck wouldn't have gone my way in this case if he did call, but my default play and line here would be a winner 70% of the time. Your thinking in this case is too results oriented.

[jcm4ccc]

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i don't think you want to let the CO off that easy. i'd make it 1700.

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What if he reraises you all-in? Do you fold?

[EverettKings]

Pushing is terrible here. Just awful. You get no calls from worse hands. Maybe AK but that hardly makes me giddy.

You're ahead so often here that I just want to get some money in the pot. I make it 1600. If he reraises me all in, well, I stare him down and probably muck it. If he calls then a lot of low-ish flops allow you to stack TT type hands. If it comes A high then you can check and fold if he makes a believable bet. Etc etc.

Everett

[Exitonly]

yep, stack is too big to push, i like making it 1600/2000, and then i'm pushing lots of flops.

And if he pushes PF, i dunno, i might call.

[ZeroPointMachine]

There's 1025 in the pot. Anytime I can boost my stack by 20% I'm not going to risk losing it by getting too cute. Push it.

[schwza]

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We want AK to call

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no we don't.

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We want AK to call

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no we don't.

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we definitely like the possibility of being on the 55% of this situation. AK is a dog to any pocket pair. Yes, it is a coin flip, but a slightly favorable coin flip. We can not expect to advance in tournaments if we avoid every coin flip situation. YOU WILL HAVE TO WIN MANY situations similar to this in order to advance. When do you suggest risking with coin flip situations? Only when you are short stack? Not good poker. I am thrilled if he turns over AK and if he hits the flop, then I tell him nice hand, nice call and good luck.

I agree with that. QQ is not a very good hand once all 5 cards have played out. After the flop with any random 3 cards out, what is your play then. A raise of 2000 pretty much means we intend on pushing post flop.