6-handed, need help

[Jonsan]

I play $5 NLHE STT and $6 Turbo STT on Stars. The time when I find myself not knowing what to play starts when the first 3-4 bust, but before the bubble (so 5-6 players). I am currently reading HoH Vol I+II, and that is helping. Here is an example hand.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (6 handed) converter

BB (t1705)
Hero (t2950)
MP (t1965)
CO (t1140)
Button (t1610)
SB (t4130)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
What do you do?

Thanks
J

[ldavidjm]

You're well above 10BB and are UTG. I fold this.

[bluefeet]

I fold it. You're in great shape -- where you stand to get called/pushed-over by a few behind you that are not in such great shape. I don't even raise here...as at this level, you'll likely be put to the test facing a push from a mid-stack'r.

[Jonsan]

Good. That was my thought at the time, and I folded. Afterwards, I worried that the fold was too weak. Here is another hand I am wondering about:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (5 handed) converter

Hero (t5405)
BB (t2815)
UTG (t840)
MP (t810)
Button (t3630)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero ?</font>

[bluefeet]

poooooooooooooooosh! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

a 3-4x standard raise should communicate your request of BB: "excuse me sir...5k+ chips over here - your blind please!". but i'd just open push it. a bitch when he pushes back over your raise, leaving you a decision. he's calling VERY VERY VERY few hands here w/ 2 shorties. an easy 300chips to add to your stack.

at this stage of the game, your stack + the ever increasing blinds warrent the accumulation of chips - over - attempting to maintain an image.

[Jonsan]

My actual play: I raised to 600 (3xBB), he pushed, I folded. Is my raise a mistake? Is pushing in that situation always better than a standard raise?

Thanks for all the input,
J

[EnderFFX]

Fold and I don't even think twice about it.

[EnderFFX]

Thx bluefeet, i found a leak in my game. I push this most of the time and obviously only get called by bigger pairs and overcards.

[45suited]

I actually like the way you played the 44 hand. There is not enough money in the blinds to justify pushing here, on the off chance that he's got a higher PP or has a hand like AK that he's not folding.

No shame in the way you played it, IMO.