In the money problem...

[imcastleman]

I played in the PP Quarter Million Guaranteed tournament yesterday and placed 82nd.

I am dealt AJ suited utg+2 and it is folded to me. My stack size is 14,000T(half the players have me covered including both blinds) and the blinds are 750/1500. Since a raise(minimum or 3xBB) is 1/5 to 1/3 of my stack I only feel like I can move all in with whatever hand I play. Since that is the case, should I be folding these kinds of hands in early position when there are so many people behind me? I can’t see just calling since I am likely to be raised by someone behind and would have to fold and feel like I would be wasting 1500T chips. A minimum raise might let me see the flop, however, the pot is going to be at least 7500T at this point and I’d only have 11000T chips left if I don’t hit. Incidentally, I moved all in and was called by AK and lost.
What should I be doing with my 10xBB stack in this position? Should I be folding everything but AK, AA, KK, and QQ from such an early position with my given stack size? What about AQ, JJ, TT, 99? How would you play those in EP with the 10x stack?


What if I would have AJ in late position and no one calls in front? It turns out the big blind is the one who had the AK? I don’t think it would be wrong at all for me to raise all in on the button with that hand, I would just have to consider it bad luck. But, is there a way to protect my stack at this point with this hand or am I just screwed because of it? I think I know the answers to all of these but would like to hear some of your input.

[cferejohn]

I think your move was fine, and in later position it absolutely would have been a no-brainer. I tend to play very aggressive at this point in a tournament because so many players go into a shell hoping to fold their way to as much money as possible.

You correctly asessed this as an all-in or fold situation, in my opinion, though it is close. You could probably raise to 4000 and fold to a reraise, though you wouldn't really like it. Once a raise represents over 1/3 of your chips though, it's definitely time to shove them in when you think you have the best hand (or just when you think other people will fold most of the time).