Steps bubble question.

[Chaostracize]

Step 2. Chip leader with about 7,000 and there are 5 of us. Postflop is very passive, just trying to get rid of the shortstack who just tripled through me and another to get to about 1,000.

He is UTG and pushed with 150/300 blinds. I have 64o on the button. I call.

Comments?

[SossMan]

[ QUOTE ]
just trying to get rid of the shortstack

[/ QUOTE ]

could have fooled me.

[bmxreed36]

Being the large stack, I wouldn't worry about getting this guy out--you're going to be in the top six. Your goal should be finish in the top four and this doesn't necessarily seem to look like something that contributes much to it. Sure, he could be pushing with anything but I bet he's still a favorite and the odds you're getting aren't great. Why risk losing a thousand and putting him back in the mix of things? You don't have a badge that says you have to take out the short stacks. Play only good cards here and call only with sufficient pot odds and you'll be in Step 3. The risk is definitely not worth the reward but especially if you do this more than once.

[Chaostracize]

I respect your feedback, Sossman, so I'm going to give you my reasoning for calling.

Calling is 1/7th my stack. By calling I can maybe get the blinds to play, too. In the past few orbits I've let it almost always check through without applying pressure. Even though I was, for sure, taking the worst of it, is there no upside to this in that it's a quick way of getting rid of the shortstack. I figure I'm no worse than 30% (on average) to get rid of the shortstack and end the tournament. This will cost, like I said, 1/7 of my stack, and I'd still be chip leader. Also, I knew no one would attempt a resteal without a high wired pair in this instance, and even then just might cold call.

I know my reasoning must be off. But wouldn't it be in the last (4?)'s best interest to call the shortstack's all in and check it down?

What hand do you really expect your opponent to have that you can beat by just calling? You were hoping that the blinds would come in. Why? Looking for help to bust him? If either one of them come in for a raise, I assume you would fold hoping the raiser would beat him. What did you accomplish if the all-in guy wins and triple up? There are too many negative factors to make this move IMO. Fold and wait for a better opportunity.

[schwza]

yeah, that's pretty bad. don't feel like you need to play policeman b/c you have a lot of chips. you're almost guaranteed to get in by folding every hand. furthermore, if you double up the short stack here the game will go longer, making it more likely that you lose it.