Preflop Decision in 30 Rebuy

[ChrisCo]

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depending on my read if their play and my idea of my own table image

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Blinds have been giving me respect although the SB has repushed against 2 of my steals from LP within the last hour. I have been card dead since I have been at the table and probably appear somewhat tight because I have not played a hand for a while.

Does this change your decision at all?

I raise to 8k, if BB comes along, he is all-in, it will cost 6k more for the limper to call, which he shouldn't do if no blinds call. I raise to 8k to take it down pre-flop or to have a call by the BB. Fold to any re-raise.

[schwza]

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Blinds have been giving me respect although the SB has repushed against 2 of my steals from LP within the last hour.

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ummm....

i would just fold here. it feels pretty tight, but the other options are unappealing:

- if you raise, you open yourself up to a reraise either from MP or a blind, which would be really bad.
- if you raise and MP calls, he will correctly get away from an Axx flop, but will stack you if he has you beat.
- if you make it, say, 8k then an MP call will bring your stack to 25k and the pot to 19k. this is an awkward spot, and if your chips go in, you're usually drawing to 3 outs.
- on the other hand, stealing 5k would be pretty awesome and if villain is limping a lot but playing well, he'll usually fold to the raise.

so i don't hate a raise.

limping for 1/16 of your stack is kinda ugly though. if MP is likely to bet into you with air (i would be if i were him) you have to be ready to call or raise with air. the blinds will have better relative position, and if the chips go in, you're likely drawing to 3 outs again. also, if a blind raises (it's a loose open-limper and a button limper), that's a big mess.

so i think fold > raise > call.

[ChrisCo]

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- if you raise, you open yourself up to a reraise either from MP or a blind, which would be really bad.
- if you raise and MP calls, he will correctly get away from an Axx flop, but will stack you if he has you beat.
- if you make it, say, 8k then an MP call will bring your stack to 25k and the pot to 19k. this is an awkward spot, and if your chips go in, you're usually drawing to 3 outs.

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Looking at the way you analyzed I am now leaning towards a push. I am going to be committed to the pot if I make any kind of raise and one of the blinds makes a stand. MP3 likely didn't limp with a pocket pair, and I will push out most weak aces that I am dominated by. I believe his most likely hand is something like JTs or A5. It is a bit of an overbet but I like this line looking at the situation now.

[schwza]

i like a push a lot better if villain has shown some willingness to raise pre-flop. i want to know that he's usually popping AJ / 88 here (or at least that he is with AK/QQ) before i'm pushing 14x.

i don't mind a push though.

edit: just realized it's 17x and not 14x. yeah math skills. i like a push a lot less now.

[ChrisCo]

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i like a push a lot better if villain has shown some willingness to raise pre-flop. i want to know that he's usually popping AJ / 88 here (or at least that he is with AK/QQ) before i'm pushing 14x.



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He has been making normal raises all tournamnet and has only shown a tendency to limp since we have been ITM. What range of hands would you put him on? What range of handfs would you play back at him here with? I think A2s is at the very bottom of this range but It is still playable IMO.

I just have a real hard time letting someone limp in twice in a row from Mid/late position and not punishing them with my suited ace in position.

I'm not sure you're committed to the pot with a raise. If all hell breaks loose behind, it's an easy fold. Likewise, with A2 suited and position, decisions should be relatively straightforward on the flop.

[schwza]

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I'm not sure you're committed to the pot with a raise. If all hell breaks loose behind, it's an easy fold. Likewise, with A2 suited and position, decisions should be relatively straightforward on the flop.

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ok, say you make it 8k, MP calls, and you have 26k in a 19k pot. the flop is Q97r with one of your suit. your action/plan if:

a) villain checks
b) villain leads out for 5k.

are these decisions "easy"?

Good point. The min-raise is to 4k though. Assuming the blinds fold:

a) Check.
b) Let it go or all in.

It may not turn out to be the best play but my point is that your 4k investment doesn't commit you to the 11k pot. I probably favour the limp though.

I think...I limp then. I'm happy (willing) to call a push from either of the blinds so long as MP folds but my guess is that, unless one of them has a real hand, it will be a four way pot and I'm in position.
But, to be honest, I can see reasons to do just about anything.
1. If I hadn't been paying attention, or had no reads I could be sure of, folding is safest. I don't think that can be wrong squeezed between a suspicious limp and two SS yet to act from the blinds.
2. I think a min-raise either prompts a blind to move in and clarifies the limper's position or pushes the blinds out and leaves you HU with the limper in position (assuming the limp is indicative of cards he likes but doesn't love. If he moves in, it's the full time bank and a fold).
3. If you've got tight image, a push could be in order.

However, my favoured approach is to try see flop in position with an ace and the nut flush possibility simply because it could be a tournament maker and I think that it's worth paying a little for that chance.