Baiting the shortstack…clever or stupid?

[EnderIII]

This way I can get away from the hand if the BB or the button picks up a big hand, but I am very likely ahead of the short stacks range (he recently lost a ton of chips and seems possibly reckless). The button has also been very aggressive recently, so might be worth a call if he pushes? Final table as a whole has been very aggressive, if i have an image it would probably be as rather tight at this particular moment.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t8000 (7 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

MP2 (t194369)
Hero (t102517)
Button (t227104)
SB (t48146)
BB (t240378)
UTG (t201578)
MP1 (t208408)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Hero calls t8000,

[ansky451]

I really don't like it. I'd be raising 2.5-3x, and calling a push. Blinds are so crucial at this point, and I'd HATE to let the BB land himself top pair with J4o on a free hand. Raise, and don't play so scared of people having a hand better than 99 with only 3 to act behind you.

[EnderIII]

To clarify my line of thinking, I was worried if I raised that the shortstack might think that I had pot committed myself (at least to their stack) and might not push over the top with some marginal hands that they would if I just limped.

I'm not scared of someone having a better hand, i'm intentionally trying to bait the shortstack to push over the top of me so I can call.

I agree with the problem of letting the BB flop top pair for free being a significant consideration, but the table was playing very aggressive and I don't think there had been a free flop for the BB in the last couple of orbits. I could have easily gotten away from an overcard flop, still having 10+ bb, one of the primary benefits of having a 12-13 bb stack is being able to make one or two plays of this sort without dropping down to 10bb and losing that leeway.

[betgo]

I don't see the point of this to bait the short stack to push. 99 may not be that much ahead of what the short stack would push with.

If you think one of the larger stacks is likely to raise, it might be an OK strategy to play a medium strong raising hand like this for a limpraise allin representing a bigger pair, which may get your oppoinet to fold or go allin with a weaker hand.

You want QQ or above to try and trap someone. 99 just isn't good enough. With 99 you should be happy with the blinds. if some one calls or raises then you have a decent enough hand, but don't loose your folding equity by limping.

if SB has two overs and you limp, he'll probably push, and is getting correct odds vs your 99. If you make a normal raise, he might incorrectly fold some of his two overcard hands. The more mistakes he makes, the better for you.

Also, taking the blinds is more than 10% of your stack, not too shabby.

Just make your normal raise. 2.5x or 3x.

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
You want QQ or above to try and trap someone. 99 just isn't good enough. With 99 you should be happy with the blinds. if some one calls or raises then you have a decent enough hand, but don't loose your folding equity by limping.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's wrong with trrapping with 99? 99 is a pretty strong hand in late position.

Plus if you limpraise with 99, people will think you have AA and fold. People say there is a problem playing AA or KK for a limpraise because people know what you have. So suprise them and make the play with a medium pair or big ace.

[EnderIII]

My objective was to increase the shortstacks pushing range, in that people will often push with low pockets 55-88, but are less inclined to call with them. AT-AK and TT-AA i'm playing with either way, so i guess ultimately I want to know if the risk of having the BB outflop me if for some reason the shortstack doesn't push, is worth the equity I gain in added low pockets that i dominate to the shortstacks pushing range.

From the general responses it seems like probably not. But i do agree that 99 with only 3 people left to act at a final table with large blinds is a legitamate trap hand and I was playing it as such.

As far as results, big stack folded, shortstack pushed with AJo and I won a coinflip. I figure he probably would have called a push or pushed over a 3x raise with that hand anyway so it probably wouldn't have mattered, but i was curious as to whether this was a blatant mistake. I wasn't unhappy coinflipping for half my stack, should i be?