($22): Bubble play, when is shorty short enough?

[xJMPx]

I’m trying to get better at exploiting my big stack on the bubble, however in this instance I was a little hesitant because I wasn’t sure if the short stack was short enough to get the other players to fold anything less than a monster hand.

There are two consecutive hands below, the second one I was concerned with the fact he would raise into me a second time, although the previous hand was the first time I had pushed with the big stack (or at least had not pushed much.)

Thoughts?

PartyPoker - NL Texas Hold'em $20 Buy-in + $2 Entry Fee Tournament | Level: 5 - 4 players (Converter: PGC)

Chip Counts:
Button: 1950 Chips
SB: 800 Chips
<font color="red">Hero: 3900 Chips</font>
UTG: 1350 Chips

Hero is BB with 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Blinds are 75/150

PreFlop
<font color="blue">UTG folds</font>, <font color="red">Button RAISES ($450)</font>
<font color="blue">SB folds</font>, Hero is All-In, <font color="blue">Button folds</font>

Final Pot:4425 Chips

PartyPoker - NL Texas Hold'em $20 Buy-in + $2 Entry Fee Tournament | Level: 5 - 4 players (Converter: PGC)


Chip Counts:
Button: 725 Chips
<font color="red">Hero: 4425 Chips</font>
BB: 1350 Chips
UTG: 1500 Chips

Hero is SB with 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Blinds are 75/150

PreFlop
<font color="red">UTG RAISES ($450)</font>(Button last hand), <font color="blue">Button folds</font>
<font color="blue">Hero ????</font>

[xJMPx]

bump. Hmmm, I thought this would get some replies. I think it's an interesting spot. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[tigerite]

I'm not in love with either, because the 800 chips guy is too close to the others in terms of stack size. Even when he has 725 that's not even half of what BB has. The first is better than the second because he has 1900 compared to 800, less invested in the pot compared to his total stack, and another stack smaller than his by quite some distance. Second one seems like suicide to me; he's put in 30% of his stack, the guy with less chips (BB) is much closer to him, and as stated before, the button has only 800 odd chips less than him. You're getting called here way too much.

[tigerite]

Oh yeah, also forgot, first hand you actually have a half decent hand. Q4o is so much stronger if you are called than 35o it's not funny. Plus as it's to the same guy he's much more likely to spite call you in the 2nd one. Just fold it.

[HesseJam]

Sorry, I cannot answer your post. You thinking is in a dimension that is absolutely beyond me.

[bluefeet]

First one's pretty standard. The second, I might just pass. Giving him a little more credit from his position &amp; a raise equaling 1/3 his stack - I don't know that you get your desired laydown enough here. I'd wait for your open opportunities the next couple of hands.

[xJMPx]

Thanks for the comments.

I did, indeed, fold the second hand. But, only because he raised twice in a row and because it was a large portion of his stack.

I didn't take into consideration what tigerite pointed out, and that is his stack is now on par with the other two stacks and would be less willing to raise a marginal hand that he would be folding here. Good advice tigerite, much appreciated.

[durron597]

Don't post results, I like the first one and would fold the second one, he may spite call you here because you just did it to him last hand and his stack isn't that far in front anymore.

[xJMPx]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd wait for your open opportunities the next couple of hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

When you are exploiting the bubble with your big stack, are you pretty much just looking for spots where you are opening the pot, or are you coming over the top of raises/limps very often?

Obviously, if I'm pushing almost every hand, they'll catch on so any raise infront or limp would indicate a monster. But what about when you haven't had a chance to push much?