Stud 8/b final table

I was in a $10 buy-in MTT stud 8/b tourney on pokerstars with 269 players. I made the final table in 6th place, but I had 40K chips, and the average was only 45K (the chip leader had 100K, and 2-6 were all within 10K in chips).

I hadn't played at the chip leader's table yet, but had been watching him before the tables got down to the final table. He was definitely being uber aggressive, trying to win every pot he could. I went into the final table with the mindset that I was not going to let him push me around, and I was gonna make my stand as long as I had the cards. Three hands into the final table, the following hand came up:

I actually had to bring in with (8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]10 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img])8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Everyone folded around to the chip leader on my right, he completed the bet with (xx)7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. I called. On fourth street our boards were:
(8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]10 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img])8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 10 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
(xx)7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

at this point he bet and I just called (right play here?). I was looking to checkraise him on the turn with the big bet. On the turn we picked up blanks, and I checkraised him. He called. Sixth street gave him another ace, so he had a pair of aces on his board. I was pretty sure I was now beaten, but I called down in disgust and lost 3/4 of my stack to his aces up. Did I play this correctly (with the exception of calling the last two big bets)?

[Alchemist]

[ QUOTE ]

I actually had to bring in with (8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]10 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img])8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Everyone folded around to the chip leader on my right, he completed the bet with (xx)7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. I called. On fourth street our boards were:
(8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]10 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img])8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 10 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
(xx)7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]You didn't state what the stakes were, but they were likely significant compared to stack sizes. I would definitely raise here preparing to go to the felt for a couple reasons.

Even though villain has a scary board developing you're telling him you've got a strong hand (which you do, even though it looks like you have crap). Since villain has been playing aggressively and stealing antes, he may not have much of a hand. If he's drawing to a low hand, charge him to draw to it. The raise on 4th also sets up a bet on 5th. If he bricks 5th, then he's got a tough decision whether to continue now that he knows you mean business--especially if he was on a steal.

I think waiting to C/R him on 5th is too late because the pot will be to big to fold at this point. In this late tournament situation, it's better to try and take down the pot here than gamble and try to win a bigger pot by getting too tricky.

[djr]

Given this is a tourny I'd lean toward tossing the hand early and wait for something better. On 4th you've got two-mid pair. He has what looks like a low draw. It really doesn't matter if you jam here or on 5th, he knows you don't have a low draw and with how aggressive you say he is you're probably not going to knock him off his hand.

Personally I would have raised him on 3rd and bet out on 4th if I was going to play this hand. By waiting you're giving him way to much of a chance to catchup.

Basically you risked most of your stack on a not-so-great hand. Had you waited you'd probably have moved up a rung or two of the pay ladderr by just letting others get knocked out.

[Spladle Master]

Consider letting the lowest upcard bring it in next time.

[PoorLawyer]

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Consider letting the lowest upcard bring it in next time.

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