2 hands I bust out on. 1 near the bubble.

[Instinct]

Last night in the 100 at party. 100 players left with 90 getting paid. Lots of stalling is now taking place as there are 5 stacks between 2500 and 3500 at my table. Blinds are 400-800.

I am in middle position with 2400 in chips, both blinds have me covered but only marginally with 2800 in sb and 31 in BB. Both these guys had been stalling last few hands.
2 stacks between me and blinds around 5,000.

I get 33 in mp position decide to push thinking that I have a 90% chance of stealing the blinds. Of course I regrettted this play right after as the small blind stalls ( I'm thining he's gonna fold ) then pushs with AA and I'm gone at 100.
Was this just an awfull play with 33 near the bubble. Usually I would have folded this hand in this same situation but my inclination at the time was to push which I did. I would usually push with 88, 99 higher and with AQ higher this was one of those times in a tourny when I felt this move at least cost me making the money.


2nd hand. 200nl at Stars. 300 players left. I'm in the BB with 6800 in chips, blinds I think were 400-800. MP with about 8000 in chips calls 800, Big stack ( around 24000 ) raises to 4000. Play comes to me and I push all in with AKo. Mp position folds and CO calls with J10s. Of course ( !! ) J comes on flop then no help and I am gone.
Does anyone fold Ak here.

Is this a time where anyone would fold AK ... obviously I can't call 4,000 so it seemed my only play was to push. In hindsight ( the dreaded what if when you get eliminated from a tourny after 3 hrs of play ) I wonder if it would have been a decent play to fold here knowing I could not get the big stack to lay down his hand and there is a good chance he may have a pocket pair. The big stack had been raising quite frequently but the last 2 orbits but had not shown a hand.

Results are I bust out on both hands.
I've only been playing tourny on a very regular basis for a few months and I always find myself second guessing my plays when I get eliminated more so than all other plays during the tourny so wanted to put these to out there for discussion. Its quite possible that both these plays are quite simple for the seasoned winning T player. #1 fold, #2 push.

[mullaney]

I really don't like pushing with small pairs. If you get called, you have zero chance of dominating someone.

The AK push was much better, since the raise by the big stack smells like a steal. He could easily turn over something that makes you very happy like AQ or AJ. You just got unlucky.

[Instinct]

Thanks.
regarding the first hand, being the small stack i think pushing with 33 was a big mistake.
Drives me nuts when I survive through over 700 players then make a bad move to get eliminated. the frustrations of tournaments !!!

[betgo]

I don't think the push with 33 was that bad. You have 2400 chips. The blinds are 1200. There is about a 40% chance someone ahead of you has a higher pocket pair. Say there is a 25% chance you get called by a bigger pair, a 40% chance of being called by 2 overcards, and a 35% chance of picking up the blinds. If you get called by a higher pair, you expect to lose 1200 chips. If you get called by two overcards, you expect to win 700 chips. If you pick up the blinds, you win 1200 chips. Therefore, your expectation is to pick up about 300 chips. This is the kind of play that looks bad, because you rermber when it doesn't work.

Obviously you risked busting out on the bubble. However, as you say you are less likely to be called in this situation. Because you are short stacked, it is likely you will be called by the big blind. Also a short stack is not going to be worried about busting out calling you.

If the initial money is significant, you might not want to risk it. Also, it depends on whether you have enough chips to make the money by check/folding.

[ron dogg]

No suprise here, but I think both moves are "read-dependant". You (correctly apparantly) read that the blinds were stalling for the money and if you see that, then I like the push that much more. Raiding some blinds here is paramount to your survival in the tourney. Many times however i've been in the situation where the blinds are very loose. Then the move would be wrong.

Hand #2: You don't have enough chips here to be dangerous in a tough field so you have to be aggressive with AK. If you thought the big stack was speeding around than my chips beat his into the pot here. You read right, he called and sucked out. It won't be the last time either!

That is all,
R-

[durron597]

I really hate pushing with 33. The BB is very likely to call you with almost any two cards, and you are no more than a small favorite against any hand that does not have a 2 with. If you had a PP 66 or better I like the push.

Second hand is a bad beat story, you don't need me to comment, unless you want some assurance you played it right? Unless you have some reason to believe you are against AA or KK or other extenuating circumstances (which having less than 10xBB you will never be in), it's not wrong to go allin preflop with AK.