JJ preflop

I was playing PartyPoker 500k guar. 440 of the initial 2650 participants were left (400+ is ITM but only top 60 paid more than 5x buy-in).

Blinds are 200/400, I've worked my stack up to around 9800.

UTG+1 (~18k) opens up for 1400 (3.5bb). He seems quite solid but I haven't been on the table for more than 3 orbits.

I pick up JJ in the big blind.

Whats my line here?

[JMa]

push. also dont post bad beats.

[Lloyd]

If he's solid, he's opening with something like AA-99, AK-AQ, maybe AJs, KQs. If you push, he'll probably call with AA-TT, AK, maybe AQ. So there are only a few hands, again assuming he's "solid" as in pretty tight, that he'll make the raise with and fold to your push. The only hand you'd really like him to call with is TT. The rest have you dominated or a coin flip.

So, I'd probably just call. And be willing to get all my chips in on any non-Ace/King flop, and most King high flops flops.

FU JMa.

[HandCracker]

im definetly seeing a call here,
try to catch another J, a straight draw, or a ten high board.
youll have to play the flop very carefully.

Grunch:

I call here. He's got the bigger stack, he's a solid player which gives me a good idea of his range of hands. Many hands will either have you dominated or in a coin flip for all your chips.

Without any reads, facing an UTG+1 3.5x bb, 3 hours into a high buy-in tournament, I think I might vote for a fold here.

Reraising preflop is the worst thing you can do, IMO. Any reraise will require you to commit nearly half your chips before you even know if your hand is best. If he has aces or kings, he may just recognize that you're trying to find out if he has those bullets or cowboys and just flatcall your raise. You won't find out any info. And could lose your whole stack.

If you flat call, flop an overpair, he has QQ+, you'll lose all/most of your chips. If you flat call, an overcard comes on the flop and you check, you can easily get bet out of the pot when you have the best hand. Only card you really want to see is a J. How happy will you be if the flop comes 9-6-2? You'll still have no clue as to whether you have the best hand. If he bets, you still have no clue. If he's a good opponent, he'll almost certainly bet if you check to him. I think you can fold here, unless you want to play for set value, but I don't think you have the implied odds for that, since you don't know if he will definitely double you up.

JJ is certainly playable if you have the right reads, but right now you have insufficient information, so there's really no harm in folding. You'll only lose your bb. There's really very little upside with a very big downside. Fold it. Calling is not sooo bad. Depending on the texture of the flop, I will make a nice bet, no probe, maybe 2000 into the 3k pot, if he calls that, i'm most likely, done with the hand.

If, instead, I had position. I'd probably flat call his raise and see a flop.

-mike

I vote for a simple fold here. My reasoning is I can find a better spot to get my $ in than this. I have no $ vested except my blind, the opener is a tight/solid player, and in order for me to really feel comfortable about the play, Ihave to push. The only hands that will call me are a coin flip at best.

I hate a call here for 25% of your stack. How do you know where you are? There are 12 overs out against you, so there is nearly a 50% chance one hits. Then do you want to push with an over on the board?

JJ is pretty to look at preflop, but against a solid big stack, late in a tourney, if I'm not shortstacked or have a solid read, I'm throwing the Jacks in the muck.

[0evg0]

[ QUOTE ]
I vote for a simple fold here. My reasoning is I can find a better spot to get my $ in than this. I have no $ vested except my blind, the opener is a tight/solid player, and in order for me to really feel comfortable about the play, Ihave to push. The only hands that will call me are a coin flip at best.

I hate a call here for 25% of your stack. How do you know where you are? There are 12 overs out against you, so there is nearly a 50% chance one hits. Then do you want to push with an over on the board?

JJ is pretty to look at preflop, but against a solid big stack, late in a tourney, if I'm not shortstacked or have a solid read, I'm throwing the Jacks in the muck.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, he didn't say "tournament life"...

I'm sorry, but folding here is the definition of weak/tight fish. Take a damn flop.

If flop is QXX or KXX (X being undercard), I'm check/raising a good portion of my stack. AXX and I'm check/evaluating. XXX and I'm going with 1/2PSB leading out/evaluating if raised, leading out/pushing turn if just called on flop.

[nath]

[ QUOTE ]
I hate a call here for 25% of your stack. How do you know where you are? There are 12 overs out against you, so there is nearly a 50% chance one hits. Then do you want to push with an over on the board?

JJ is pretty to look at preflop, but against a solid big stack, late in a tourney, if I'm not shortstacked or have a solid read, I'm throwing the Jacks in the muck.

[/ QUOTE ]

1000 with 9400 behind isn't 25% of your stack.

If you can't put money in on uncertain situations, you can't win tournaments. If you want certainty, find a different hobby.