A hypothetical bounty tourney decision

[tipperdog]

This is a "based on a true story but some details made up" hypothetical.

You are playing a 500-person $50+5 MTT at a major online site. Several big name pros sponsored by site are also playing and have a $100 bounty on their heads (whoever knocks them out instantly wins $100).

You have been moderately successful in tourneys at this buy in level and as a result, think you have a slight edge on the field, but nothing overwhelming.

Early in the tourney, a big name pro with a super-aggressive reputation (a Gus Hansen-type) is seated to your right. Coincidentally, you saw an internet chat with this pro, in which he discussed how much he hates bounty events because bigger stacks will call you with anything, just hoping to get the easy money and the thrill of knocking out a pro. He says that he always tries to win a big stack quickly, which limits the "bounty effect."

So it's early in the tourney and you have the pro slightly outchipped. Around 425 players remain. Blinds are 15/30. There are four limpers to the pro. The pro goes all in in the SB for 1,100. The pro outchipps all the early limpers. You are in the BB with 1,150 chips.

Two questions:

1. What is the minimum hand you call with in this situation?
2. How big must the bounty be for you to call with any two cards?

[KneeCo]

[ QUOTE ]

1. What is the minimum hand you call with in this situation?
2. How big must the bounty be for you to call with any two cards?

[/ QUOTE ]

1. Usually for this situation I would go with something like AA-QQ, and maybe AKs dependending on read - (i.e. what exactly you mean by 'Gus Hansen-like') given that it's early, I have one of the bigger stacks at the table and I feel a have slight edge on the field there's no need to gamble here.

2. Depends on the payout structure of the tourny. To call with -any two- the bounty would probably have to be final table money.

[adanthar]

Ahh, Full Tilt and pros who don't realize how they should play in bounty tournaments (to be fair, I don't think they care much). Gotta love 'em.

Without answering question 2 because that requires math, I would say the answer to question 1 is something like the top 20%, maybe a bit more, obviously weighing it more towards big cards and less towards suited connectors.

[Superfluous Man]

1. I'd say AA-99, AK-AQ from all positions, then loosen up later. I still think that range is kind of tight, though.

I'm already willing (possibly too willing) to take a coinflip early on in a normal tournament just to build a big stack. Given that this would a) knock out someone who plays better than I do normally and b) gets me an extra $100 on top of my new big stack, I should be even more willing to lower my standards.

Edit:
For 2, I'd say the money has to be bigger than any bounty a tournament would reasonably offer.

[Guelph]

1- I probably call with 99-AA, AK, AQ-AJs. In reality, the only time I don't have the odds to call (thinking of it as betting $55- my tourney fee- to win $100) is if he has an overpair or has me dominated.

2- 14x my buyin, to cover the odds of my calling with King-7 against KK.

[KneeCo]

[ QUOTE ]
2- 14x my buyin, to cover the odds of my calling with King-7 against KK.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well put, I didn't think of it like that at all. That's why I suck at poker.