$22 Bubble hand; Pre-flop play?

[SammyKid11]

First of all, in this example Hero is the big stack - villain is the 2nd biggest stack. That is one reason this push is so easy IMO (because his being the 2nd biggest stack gives him SO much to lose - an almost guaranteed placing if he just folds). His range for his initial raise with only three other players is probably somewhere around 55+, AT+, A9s+, KQ, KTs+. That's a LOT of hands he makes his inital raise with that you're crushing.

His CALLING range of your push (given that he's 2nd-big stack and there's a dangerously short stack looming ready to bust out one coinflip away) has got to be signficantly tighter than what he's willing to open-raise with. If I were in his shoes, I'd have trouble calling with less than QQ+, AK. That means a BUNCH of the time here, you're picking up the blinds and his raise with no fight.

Everything is contingent on the one thing you seemed to have missed. HERO is the biggie, villain is 2nd...villain's the one with literally EVERYTHING to lose here.

Yes, I make the same play with 99. 88-66 I might just flat-call and see how the flop shakes out. 55 or lower and I'll probably throw it away.