My bust hand from Sunday's PokerStars $500K guaranteed

Bigwig · #1 08-10-2005, 02:18 PM

There were about 1100 players remaining out of 3079 starting. So the average stack was ~t7000. The blinds were 200/400 25 ante. I had the avg., 7000.

I was in the CO, villain was one seat to my right. Villain had been pretty short (around 3500) before tripling up with quads. He then won two more huge hands to increase his stack to ~30,000, which put him in the top 5. In all cases he had good hands. So he wasn't being a cowboy and getting lucky. But, my thoughts were that his confidence was high, and perhaps my fold equity was low.

Folded to Villain who raises 2.5BB (t1000). I push all in with AQo. What do you think of this play?

Thanks in advance.

billyjex · #2 08-10-2005, 02:31 PM

Looks good. He's on a rush and feeling good -- and AQo is ahead of his LP raising hands. In this tournament I feel you can't sit around and wait for the best scenarios because of how fast it moves. You have to push the small edges. This is a good scenario, and w/ his raise + blinds/antes will be a good pick up.

If he calls, our hand is good enough to win a decent amount of the time. Hopefully he didn't get lucky and pick up QQ+, AK.

The Venetian · #3 08-10-2005, 03:07 PM

Was the 2.5x BB raise standard for him? If so, I can't argue with the push. Even if it wasn't standard, I'd still have to have a lot of evidence before I'd put him on a monster.

Sounds like bad timing.

Havok · #4 08-10-2005, 03:16 PM

I've been unfortunate to be involved in many similar hand scenarios lately with aggressive players. And some one mentioned the stop and go to me instead of pushing, and I'm now a convert.

First off. Why go all in preflop here against a bigger stack than can bust you. Your not in the red zone of chips, and still have plenty of play left in your game here. I don't think we are down to a push or fold situations yet. At least not against bigger stacks.

My play stop and go. You just call. You flop a queen, best scenario, go all in. Villian's got a hard decision to call a big bet with only two cards to come and overcards.(Assuming he has AK) Same situation if you flop nothing.

Why all in is bad. You were right to start. Your FE is slim to the big stack and even if you spike a queen, after he calls he could still catch a card or cards to bust you.

I had a similar situation. I knew I was ahead and pushed with king/jack suited to an overly aggressive player who called me with jack/ten offsuit. I had no FE, flop all bricks and he cathes a ten on the turn and jack on the river to bust me. If I had done the stop and go. Would he have called my all in with two cards to come with jack ten offsuit. This guy was nuts, so maybe, but at least he's not in till the river with the stop and go, and I'm giving him a chance to fold.

Bigwig · #5 08-10-2005, 03:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I've been unfortunate to be involved in many similar hand scenarios lately with aggressive players. And some one mentioned the stop and go to me instead of pushing, and I'm now a convert.

First off. Why go all in preflop here against a bigger stack than can bust you. Your not in the red zone of chips, and still have plenty of play left in your game here. I don't think we are down to a push or fold situations yet. At least not against bigger stacks.

My play stop and go. You just call. You flop a queen, best scenario, go all in. Villian's got a hard decision to call a big bet with only two cards to come and overcards.(Assuming he has AK) Same situation if you flop nothing.

Why all in is bad. You were right to start. Your FE is slim to the big stack and even if you spike a queen, after he calls he could still catch a card or cards to bust you.

I had a similar situation. I knew I was ahead and pushed with king/jack suited to an overly aggressive player who called me with jack/ten offsuit. I had no FE, flop all bricks and he cathes a ten on the turn and jack on the river to bust me. If I had done the stop and go. Would he have called my all in with two cards to come with jack ten offsuit. This guy was nuts, so maybe, but at least he's not in till the river with the stop and go, and I'm giving him a chance to fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh, you're misinformed on the concept of Stop N' Go. Don't feel bad, since it appears that a majority of the posters are. A Stop N' Go is useful when you have no fold equity. I have fold equity.

Secondly, it's used when you are first to act after the flop. I would not be the first. Not to mention that there are three players to act behind me preflop.

So Stop N' Go is not even a discussable issue. Literally.

Anyway, an argument can be made for flat calling. But if I'm going to reraise, all-in is the only sensible option with a hand like AQ.

m bozeman · #6 08-10-2005, 03:21 PM

I agree, it is too early on, and with your chip stack there is no need to make that move right there. You must have played somewhat good to get your stack to your level; why not continue to play well, and pick up smaller pots, and keep building your stack that way, instead of taking a shot in that situation?

Bigwig · #7 08-10-2005, 03:24 PM

I'm not going to disagree with anyone who doesn't think I should have made the play. After all, it's why I'm asking the question.

However, what's all this 'it's too early' nonsense. The average stack is 17BB, effectively less when you consider antes. It's not 'early.' It's danger time nearly half the participants.

Havok · #8 08-10-2005, 03:28 PM

Good point, my oversight you did say he was to the right of you and you were in the CO. So what's wrong with just calling here. I still don't think pushing here is a must with your stack relative to the blinds and up against a bigger stack. The flop misses you, he bets, you fold. It hits you hard and you double up. I just don't see it as a fold or push scenario regardless. Being that he's aggressive it would be so hard to put him on hands that kill you like aces or kings, but now I'm curious to what he busted you with. My guess, you had him dominated and he caught a 3 outer to bust you.

Bigwig · #9 08-10-2005, 03:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Good point, my oversight you did say he was to the right of you and you were in the CO. So what's wrong with just calling here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Eh, calling off 15% of your stack preflop is a bit iffy. I'm not necessarily getting implied odds. If he has a pp (like TT, or 66) and an A comes on the flop, it's highly unlikely that I'm going to double up. I don't think calling is horrible, just not ideal. I think you need to reraise or fold.

[ QUOTE ]
My guess, you had him dominated and he caught a 3 outer to bust you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope.

m bozeman · #10 08-10-2005, 03:32 PM

Too many players get scared of being blinded out, and push their chips too often. You obviously should not let your stack get too low to where an all-in becomes an easy call for your opponent. It depends on how much confidence you have in your game. If you feel you are a very good player, and can build your stack by picking up pots, then don't push. If you feel you are just an average player, who eventually has to "take a coin flip", then push there and hope to get lucky. My game is strong enough that I don't need to push here, and getting blinded out is not in my thoughts at this time. By the way, I would probably call in that situation, and use my position on him and see what the flop brings.