Whats your strategy???

If u are playing in a tournament that pays 18 places. It is down to 20 or so players. Your low on money, but do have enough to carry you through another blind, but you get A K suited, or maybe a very small pocket pair, and someone bets you all in before the flop. Would you call and hope to win and continue on, or would fold knowing that more than likely a couple are going to drop and you would at least be guaranteed to place in the money? The reason I ask is because so many times, I have placed 19th or 20th place in a tournament that pays 18 places. Would usually have high pair and call and get drawn out on and beat. And boy does it suck to place 19th in an 18 paying place tournament. So what would be your strategy?

Well what hand are you waiting for? Ok there is a chance someone else will go out and you may creep into the money but sometimes you gotta take a chance and AKs seems like a good time to push for me although you might go out sure but then you might get blinded out next blinds so I say ALL IN!

Not sure what the payout structure is but one first place finish is probably 15 times an 18th place finish. I'd rather go for the win than eke into the money.

If you are so short stacked that you can only last past one more blind then doubling up will do you no good. You'll still be incredibly short stacked.

Go ahead and fold to the money.

A/K is a good hand because it has bluff potential. That is, if you shove with A/K you can chase off better hands like 3/3.

Let's say the guy who shoved at you accidentally exposed his cards and he has 6/7. You're only going to win that 62% of the time. When you do win, you'll still be so short on chips that you have little chance of advancing to a significantly bigger payout.
So let's say you were playing a $5 tournament and could fold your way to the $10 payout. If you doubled up you'll average a $12 payout because you'll advance a little further.

So 62% of the time you win $12, for a $7.44 average payout.
Or 100% of the time you win $10, for a $10 average payout.

I think it depends. How many other short stacks are there? If you are the shortest stack, the other short stacks will not play until you are anted out. When there are 20 and it pays 18 and you are so severely short stacked - you have to push, especially if you are one of the blinds. If you aren't in the blinds, the big blind should call you no matter what because he is getting good pot odds.

When there is 19 left - you have to look at how many short stacks are left? Does anyone have less than you? How many postions are you from the big blind - how far are the other big blinds.

If you are having a significant number of bubbles - you are probably playing too tight in the late stages. Loosen up and try to steal the blinds of a tight timid player who has a medium stack.

you are probably too tight several rounds before the 18th place.

It's definitely better to be more aggressive and get more chips before bubble ,get into the money and try to win it , than trying to fold your way into the money..

AK isn't the nuts and you have an all in or fold choice. You will be called and very often beaten shoving short with big slick. As others have mentioned try to change your play so you don't end up here, because you should shove with this even though you may lose.

for the most part if i have <3xBB i'm looking to call a raise with any two cards. the reason i do this is for pot odds. say the raiser make's it 3xBB and you have 3blinds and you think the players in the blinds are likely to fold. thats 8.5BBx in the pot and it only costs you 3BBs to play. that 2.8 to 1 odds the best possible spot you could hope for. if you got <5BBs you really need a good hand to call a raise and AK will do. low PP's maybe folded. with this size stack you really need a hand with showdown value to push with . if you got >5BB you still have some fold equity and i'd be shoving wide in LP.

if you are the Short stack and looking at being bubble boy and your being pushed with that I say fold to 'da money......unless its AA or KK in your pockets then call....& G'L