$20+2: Bubble sanity check

[spentrent]

Blinds: 150/300

SB: 2950
BB: 2000
Button: 1600
CO: 1000

Hero is button with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

CO limps, Hero?

Easy push? Or do I fold hoping that one of the bigger stack blinds will take down the short stack?

I push here, because A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] is manly, and I might as well try to take down the short stack.

[adanthar]

If the limp doesn't look like a monster, autopush.

[gumpzilla]

Is the limp unusual from CO here? Any sense of whether this denotes strength or weakness?

I'm probably pushing here, unless this limp is a notable deviation from CO's bubble behavior up to this point. You don't have a lot of time to wait around with ~5 BBs, you have a strong holding, and winning this will put you in excellent position to contend for 1st. Pushing and losing hurts you badly, but I think you're going to be ahead of CO here pretty often, and there's some chance that everybody (including CO) might fold.

[shoeman]

If the CO has been open pushing the last few hands and then suddenly decided to limp, I may be suspicious and fold. Otherwise, I'm pushing this.

[SuitedSixes]

I haven't figured out what the pre-flop limp means at this level, yet. I have decided to treat it as a sign of weakness so I'd push, but I've been burned more than once with this philosophy. If I'm limping, it's because I'm trying to trap an aggressive player with AA or KK, but that doesn't appear to be the norm.

I'd push, because, you're right it is manly. I think the smart play would be to view this as a good time for a player-dependent read. If either of the blinds have been aggressive they may find out for you with a re-raise, but you know that unless he folds to a re-raise this guy is going to have to play a flop with someone, so you've got a chance of him busting.

Clear as mud.

[Phil Van Sexton]

That's a tough one. The limp from the short stack screams monster or a chemical imbalance. Sometimes I'll see limps with mid-small pocket pairs, but that doesn't really help my attitude either. I really want to see A4 or KQ, but I doubt he's limping with these.

I folded A8 in a similiar spot the other day: the BB pushed with T5 and got shown KK. With AJs....that would be tougher to lay down, but I probably would unless UTG had a history of silly plays like this.

I'm not folding because I'm waiting for UTG to bust. I'd fold because I'm not sure I have the best hand and have enough chips that I don't need to be gambling yet.

[kevstreet]

This reminds me of a situation I was in, albeit it was a MTT, but on the bubble in the BB w/ Axs. CO limps in and I push, sure enough he slow played pocket Aces and trapped me perfectly.

[curtains]

At the $22 level, there is a lot higher chance of chemical imbalance.

[microbet]

I push too, but just for the sake of argument, what if you call?

If SB or BB calls or pushes you will probably increasing the chance that the small stack busts out this hand. It seems like after a limp and a smooth call they would need a premium hand to push.

You have position after the flop and your limp really looks like a monster so CO will be afraid to bet the flop unless he really hits it or had AA or KK anyway.

Still, just for discussion. On the balance I like pushing as you look to have a pretty decent chance of picking up 750 chips right there.

[wuwei]

There are a suprising number of players at the 20+2 level who are unable to raise and only know how to limp and hope they hit the flop with whatever they have. If he's that type of player, you probably know it by now if you're paying attention. Pushing is good in this case.

If he's somewhat competent, he won't be open limping. If this is the first open limp you've seen from him, tread softly.