How good is Q6off?

[Goodie]

I found myself at the final table of a 400 dollar event in Aruba. I was desperatly short chipped with six left. UTG, I'm dealt Q6offsuit. My question is, because of my chip position and the calliber of players at the final table (nobody was going to give me a walk in the BB, no chance), is Q6 off better than a random hand? The BB was assurdly going to call my all in as it was very little more than the blind (in fact, he didn't look before doing so). I chose to pick this hand instead of the next one in the BB. Did I make the right decision? Easy question for the math experts, but I'd appreciate any and all responses.

Thanks
Peace.

Goodie

[wayabvpar]

Are the blinds going to cost you your whole stack? Ideally, I try to stay out of this situation by making a stand a bit earlier...getting blinded out hurts. No way you aren't going to get callers when you bet. Hmmm. I am 50/50. My gut says to take my chances on the next hand (when I will see 72o and cry).

[Goodie]

Trust me, there were NO oppurtunities to stay out of this position and no, the BB wasn't my entire stack but close enough that folding anything in the BB would have been a mistake. It was this hand or the next.

Peace
Goodie

[Martin Aigner]

If you had more that 3 times the BB I would have raised all in in this situation with any 2 cards. Just hope to pick up the blinds.

If you had less than 3 times the BB but enough to survive both blinds I would have folded and even folded the blinds with weak holdings when there was the possibility of another player being busted in the next round.

If I had very little more than the BB I would have folded most hands and hope that somebody, but not the SB, raises me and that we end heads up. No way I fold in this situation, unless I can survive the SB by mucking and another player will be all in next round in the blinds.

Best regards

Martin Aigner

[Nottom]

its really close to a median hand ... I'd probably wait for my blind.

[Duke]

Yeah there were. I would have pushed first in 2 or 3 rounds ago with 45o. At least you'd have outs if you got called.

~D

[ZeeJustin]

[ QUOTE ]
If you had more that 3 times the BB I would have raised all in in this situation with any 2 cards. Just hope to pick up the blinds.

If you had less than 3 times the BB but enough to survive both blinds I would have folded and even folded the blinds with weak holdings when there was the possibility of another player being busted in the next round.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is the exact opposite of the logic you should be using. The larger your stack, the more time you have to wait for a good hand, therefore, the less likely you should be to play Q6o. If I had 3 times the big blind or less, I would play this hand. If I had more than 3 times the big blind, I would fold.

[shaniac]

I think Martin's point is that the value of a hand--any hand--changes when it's late in a tournament and you have a small stack but one big enough to put a reasonable amount of pressure on the blinds to fold.

If he's got a stack of chips that can still win a pot uncontested (but a stack that will lose a considerable amount of power after the blinds chew it up) then it's almost an any-2 all-in. An allin here creates the setting for one of three things to happen: #1 He'll make it through the blinds with his current chips stack (assuming he loses both blinds); #2 He will get called and double up; #3 or he will get called and lose. Although the risk of encountering #3 presents a bit of a downside, the potential gain from #1 and #2 justifies the risk--at least to my way of thinking.

The point of course is not the value of Q6o but being able to play chip position when backed into a corner. The singular decision here--calling with Q6o UTG or waiting for the blinds to chew you up--is less relevant to superior tournament strategy than Martin's point is.

Shane