Do you push AT here?

[DVO]

Sorry if this sounds basic, but I have run into this situation a few times and am beginning to question my approach.

The situation:

Just in the money. I'm short- have 4500, blinds 300/600.

UTG +2, even shorter - 2000 chips - open pushes.

I have ATo in MP/LP. Folded to me.

My logic is that 1) UTG +2 has a wide range here 2) I'm pretty desperate. Thus, I push.

FWIW I would prob fold A9, and definitely A8 on down.

The problem is, this seems to never work out. Either the early raiser has AJ+, or someone behind me wakes up.

Am I really supposed to be folding AT with an M of 5 here?

What would you need to play? ( presumably all in).

here's my nagging thought: Just because I'd be open pushing in UTG+2's shoes with a wide range doesn't mean he is - i.e. many players are way too tight when short stacked. Thus, my AT ain't that great.

Nagging thought # 2 is how easily I'm called by a player behind me as well.

Help....am I overthinking this?

You need to fold here even though you have can legitimatly think you have the best hand here!! Here's why. With a M of 5, you want to be the raiser and have the fold equity that comes with it. Fold this one and wait for a better spot to move in. Better to move with K9 than to call with A10 IMHO.

[ZBTHorton]

I'd fold.

[Exitonly]

depends why UTG+2 is shortstacked. Has he folded everything and just blinded himself down? If so, i'd be more inclined to give him credit here.

I think my default is to repush though.

Since you're talking about M values, you've obviously read HOH2. Another point that Harrington stresses here is your "first-in-vigorish". Meaning that when you're short stacked, it is most critical that you are the first one to enter the pot, as this allows you fold equity as well as offering you a wider range of hands to push with. This is an easy fold IMO since your hand isn't that strong and someone has already entered the pot all-in. This also incorporates the Gap concept, that you need an exponentially stronger hand to call an all-in with than to push with yourself if your'e the first one in.

If its a good player or someone's game u respect I reraise all in for sure from LP. A good player will be pushing any two here with that kind of stack. A bad player will blind himself to death until he gets a good hand. Probably from LMP as well. However, if your one of the next two or so after the raiser and have like 5 or 6 players to act behind you I'd fold. AT is too good to fold here and is a good chance to pick up more chips. Against certian players, the ones that understand they nee to gamble now and not later, I think reraising w/ A7,A8,A9 can all be good here as well due to their range being so big.

[JeanieJ]

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depends why UTG+2 is shortstacked. Has he folded everything and just blinded himself down? If so, i'd be more inclined to give him credit here.

I think my default is to repush though.



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I agree with exit here. How your player got shortstacked is important in choices like this.

If he was short stacked and I'm not sure how he got there I'm pushing. I want to make the final table and I don't have enough chips to sit around patiently for aces.

[Blindcurve]

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depends why UTG+2 is shortstacked. Has he folded everything and just blinded himself down? If so, i'd be more inclined to give him credit here.

I think my default is to repush though.

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I agree with Exit, like JeanieJ. However, my default here is to fold and wait for first in as long as there's a reasonable chance UTG has a decent hand, (as per Exit's criteria). I have found that it's a.) critical to be first in and b.) if called, it's pretty important to be heads up.