The Ax/Kx push @ end of tournies

I see a lot of people that, in later stages of a tourney, will push a lot. I'm assuming that they are pushing mostly with Ax/Kx since that's what they usually turn over. And, usually they turn it over when I have small PP and probably catch up half the time. My question is, is this a good practice?

If they are short stacked yes it is a good strategy. Either they can steal the blinds until they are healthy again or can try to outdraw someone. And somepeople will be smart enough to shove with ATC if the situation is right for instance folded to them in the cutoff at a full table. That is a great time to shove all in with for instance M of 3 too just steal the blinds.

Shoving beats being blinded away. Even Harrington in HOH advacates a very aggressive short stack strategy as you are running out of time.

If not short stacked then the discussion changes.

plus most Ax/Kx vs. a small pp is about a coin flip.

Playing short stack is all about push/fold. you can't afford to be limping around or calling raises. The blinds are such a big % of your stack it's very profitable to be raising as light as A2o on the button, for example.

What about when I see chip leaders do this? Is that just them being a (loose/stupid) big stack bully?

^^ big stacks are yes bullying. They want to steal the blinds and maintain a big stack. as before unless they run into AA or KK they are about a coin flip in any situation and the medium stacks should be folding. It also helps to disguise when they do actually pick up a great hand and want to get called. By shoving they are applying maximum pressure. This can be done well or poorly and it is a pretty fine line between the two.

But it is great when the big stack shoves from SB or Button to my BB and I've got QQ or some big hand... And he has to turn over 7 9 or some crap!

Love it

The problem with most online tournaments, is that there really aren't that many chips in play compared to the blind levels. Obviously, this is done so that an MTT won't last 2 days, but it also means that it's not uncommon to see an entire table without enough chips to see a flop. Any raising hand becomes a pushing hand.