ak against ep allin

[ardie]

wanted to get feedback on a very recent tourney hand. Twenty players left in pp nl 20 tourney, 640 started. Blinds 1500/3000. Hero is in 4th chip position with 54000, villian utg+1 24,000 enters with a push. Is this from a ev standpoint a fold or a call against any pocket pair below KK? Also is it worth risking half your stack at this point on a coin toss with the chance to move into 2nd chip position? Thanks for the feedback

You don't know that he has a pair. Unless he's got KK or AA, you are AT WORST a coin flip, and at best you are hugely dominating a hand like AQ or AJ (with only 8 BB's left, he is definitely pushing those hands UTG, probably even AT-A8, depends on the player). The fact that you are getting a big overlay from the blinds only makes the call easier. Now is the best time to be taking flips. With blinds this high, skill matters a lot less and luck and good cards matter a lot more. The difference between busting now and getting blinded away a couple of orbits from now is miniscule compared to the big money into which a large stack could carry you.

[The Student]

in addition to what focault wrote, i wouldn't be too worried about AA or KK here. with 8xBB, there is a good chance that AA or KK limps in, hoping to push over the top of a PFR behind him. you have a lot of chips - use them. i push here to make sure that nobody thinks of coming in behind me with a medium PP.

ts-

[ardie]

ty for the feedback, considering the late stage in the tourney and playing for top 3 I did push.