First hand in a $20 +$2 NL Party tournament.

[gobboboy]

I'm UTG with AKc, I raise 4x BB, it folds to the BB and he pushes all in. I call. He shows 99, I flop a gutshot and a flush draw, miss both and em eliminated. Not too interesting, but it poses an interesting question.

Would you do the same thing in order to gain possibly a huge lead early in the tournament? It's probably at worst a coinflip, and you may be way ahead. How important is opportunity to you in a tournament, and how far do you think is correct to establish a foothold?

[ekky]

The fact that there are generally so many people to wade through in your average tourny, in my opinion its best to be an accumulator as soon as possible.

Too many people say *but its only the first hand* as if thats a bad time to try and win chips!

It all depends on the utility of the tournament to you.

a) do you want to maximize your EV vs Time spent
b) are you just trying to spend a couple of hours before dinner
c) do you just want to maximize your EV in the tournament regardless of time

I think the most logical answer is A.. and thus you should take any edge, however small.. or even a scenario that figures to be a dead on coin-flip.

Its not like there aren't 100 tournies a day which you can play, and getting off to a fast start seems like a better way to spend time rather then blinding off waiting for that elusive overpair vs pair confrontation.(by which time you might have dribbled away so many chips, the resulting stack is of no great significance anyway)

the closer you get to the money, the more considerations change... but early on I say take the likely edge and run with it.

I don't know that there's a "right" answer here, but I'm a newbie, so I could be wrong. I just think it's all in the style of play that you prefer.

I am more comfortable letting a few of the others try to kill each other before I loosen up a little. I certainly appreciate the idea of getting a large stack early on and having an improved ability to push people around, but I think I appreciate survival even more, particularly when the table is still full.

Interesting question.

[el_dusto]

It seems to me that people have a wider calling range in the first couple of hands, chasing that magical 2-or-3k chip total.

I tend to push PF with anything resembling a premium hand to take advantage of that idea. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes it makes me throw up in my mouth a little. Nevertheless, I stand by it.

[ZBTHorton]

The % of the time you are called by like A2 and K4 and all kinds of weird crap definitely make this play +EV.

[the_main]

i make the call
BB could be a donkey pushing with any ace, and like you said, its likely a coinflip at worst
i like to gain as many chips as i can early in big tournys or bust and go home... i hate letting the blinds dictate my play...

[jgunnip]

I call too. Last night I got all-in preflop with AKs three way and was up against K2s and KQo...of course, the king duece hit his flush.

Easiest fold ever, the concept of survival being what it is. That being said, I do not dispute this being a +EV call. Some actions are just more +EV than others.

[betgo]

Easy call. Huge overbet push on first hand of $20 tournament. Is it likley villain has KK or AA? You are a 4-3 dog, 3-1 favorite, or even aginst AK (a likely hand for villain); maybe a lesser favorite if villain is pushing with junk. It adds up to a call. If you miss, you can sign up for another tournament.

[jayheaps]

Fold. you haveposition on a lunatic. You are going to get his chips eventually. Do it on a hand where you have a better read.