Stacking off and position

[DavidC]

Hey guys.

There's going to be times when you're in "defensive" push/fold mode preflop, trying to double up to stay alive.

So, let's say you have 9 bb left in your stack, you're UTG, and you have 33. I really wouldn't want to push in this spot.

However, if I was in MP3 and it'd been folded to me, I'd gladly push.

So, how important is position when you're pushing to steal/stay alive, and how much choice do you have:

i.e. should you be just pushing with 33 UTG regardless, since you likely won't get a better chance anyways?

Does it matter how loose/tight the table is when taking your position vs cards into consideration?

(i.e. if it's really loose you may want to look for better cards instead of a better position.)

[Scooterdoo]

If you have 9BB there is no reason to push with a hand like 33 UTG. When people talk about less than 10BB being push or fold mode they are referring to the fact that if you are going to play a hand you might as well push since if you make a 3x BB bet you are close to pot committed anyway. IMO at 9BB you should only loosen up a bit, but don't go crazy... if you do play than pushing is a good option. I would consider pushing with 33 from the CO and button. At 3-4BB or less, you might push with 33 UTG hoping for a chance to double-up against overcards.