Mistake with JJ?

[tvdad]

Early rounds of multi-table NL HE tourney. I've been at the same table for the first 30 minutes, and there are two players who will almost always push all-in when someone makes a big open raise. Example: 2 EP limpers, MP raises 5X the pot, Mr Reraise pushes all-in way way way over the top, everyone folds. Needless to say, I have been staying out of the way.

Now the blinds are 15/30, I've got T4000 which is fourth position at the table behind another T4000 and the two chip leaders who keep reraising, they've got T9000 and T6000. I'm in MP with JJ. Two limpers to me so I make it T305, hoping for one of the reraisers to come over the top of me. Sure enough, Mr Reraise with T9000 in the SB pushes all-in. All fold to me. I call.

I'll bet you can guess what happened. He flipped over KK, the board didn't save me, and I was gone.

Did I make the right decision to try to trap one of these habitual all-in reraisers? I can't limp and play JJ against so many opponents, any overcard would kill me. I can't fold because, well, I just can't let JJ go in this spot. That leaves raising, but in this case I know a small raise is just as bad as limping because they'll all call, and a big raise will end up getting reraised, probably for all my chips.

What would you have done?

T

[Greg (FossilMan)]

If it's clear that they are highly likely to be making those reraises with weak values, then you played it perfect. The only question did they really do this often enough that you can safely predict it's unlikely they had a big hand each time.

Sometimes, you make the most intelligent decision and lose. Don't assume you made a mistake just because you lost the pot, even when you got your money in with the worst of it.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[Al_Capone_Junior]

I would have done the same thing. You have to take a stand sometime against these idiots. JJ is as good a hand as any to do so. He got luckier than you did here, but your play cannot be faulted.

al

[rbenuck4]

JJ is a pretty scary hand to trap with. The reason being, you are calling the all in, not forcing them to call. In other words, the only way you are going to win is if you have the best hand after all 5 community cards are out. If he has a Q, K, or an A in his hand, which is very likely, then you are seriously risking your tournament life on this hand. The only hand you are praying for if an under pair, which might be likely considering their ultra-aggressive style. I might wait for a strong ace to make this play with, so that if they have a weak ace (which seems likely), i'm a huge favorite, and if they have a small pair, then its at least a coin flip. I think it was bad luck that you happened to run into him at a time where heactually had a strong hand, and i think you played the hand fine, but in the future, be careful trapping with pocket jacks or even pocket queens.

[cferejohn]

[ QUOTE ]
I might wait for a strong ace to make this play with, so that if they have a weak ace (which seems likely), i'm a huge favorite, and if they have a small pair, then its at least a coin flip.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll disagree here. I would rather make this play with JJ than a strong ace. If they are doing this with any pair, you are going to be behind with any ace (and remember - you are calling all in). JJ is behind to exactly 18 possible starting hands (six ways each to make AA, KK, and QQ). Tragically, you ran into one of them, but assuming your read was correct, I would make this play six days a week and twice on sunday.