$1.10 NLHE MTT: Calling off 40BB with AKo late in tourney. Correct?

Down to the last 100 players in a 4000 player tourney and I had 40BB, blinds at 3500/7500. Villain (also around 40BB) limped in MP and I had AKo in CO, so I made it 3x. Villain jammed for remaining stack. No other reads or stats on Villain.

I didn't know whether calling off a 40BB stack with AKo was standard or not. At 10-20BB I would have snap called, but how deep do you have to be before considering a fold here, if ever?

I assume that due to the number of players you should already be ITM although there is a possibility that the villain is trying to play AA or KK slowly, I call at that time I already have money I must look for the tournament and AK I must not let it go if he made slowplay AA or KK bad luck but at that moment you have to risk

greatgame230 said:

I assume that due to the number of players you should already be ITM although there is a possibility that the villain is trying to play AA or KK slowly, I call at that time I already have money I must look for the tournament and AK I must not let it go if he made slowplay AA or KK bad luck but at that moment you have to risk

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Yeah I was in the money on the low end. He ended up having JJ but I figured his range was JJ+, AK, maybe AQ. Against his range I think the call is fine but I wondered how ICM would affect the decision. A double up there could have helped me to the final table. As it happens I busted.

I would not make this call, specially if I have edge against the other players. I don't see much AQ or less playing this way. So I prefer not go to a coin flip with 40bb.

I would call just if this was a turbo tournament.

erik_lima said:

I would not make this call, specially if I have edge against the other players. I don't see much AQ or less playing this way. So I prefer not go to a coin flip with 40bb.

I would call just if this was a turbo tournament.

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So how would you have played it? 3bet fold? Or just flat preflop and continue only with A or K?

I would not make the call the to the jam. The pre flop raise I think it a standard and correct move there given what you saw. Once he jams you need to think about what range would he be limp jamming 40 BBs with. To me this seems like it was done as a trap. I dont think he jams with any Ax so that can be removed and he really shouldnt but could I guess have some bluffs but in this case I would think if he is bluffing then good for him and move on. He most likely has a pocket pair here and usually only AA or KK would limp jam and QQ - 99 would be too scared that they would get multiple limpers behind them and a tough post flop road to play. This screams premium hand to me so I fold and like I said, if they bluffed then let them bluff and take it as you would have raised the same amount and done the same action as if you had QQ+ and at those times they might bluff into you as well.

Will depend of my reads about the villain, with 40bb after a limp on the mp certainly the villain had a good hand, at least if I had not seen he bluffs, the best thing to do in most of cases will to fold, you puted only 3BB in the pot, there are no necessity to put all your stack here to call, on the best case you will face a coin flip, a great poker player will use more the ability than the lucky.

johnnythemoss said:

So how would you have played it? 3bet fold? Or just flat preflop and continue only with A or K?

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I would 3bet like you did. After the all in, I would fold.

This is highly player dependent. If a TAG or nit suddenly limp into the pot, its always a bit strange, and already at this point I am thinking about, what the heck is going on. Did they misclick, so they limp their baby pairs, or are they trying to trap with a monster hand?

If the TAG or nit then limp-jam for 40BB, AK is a snap fold for me. In that situation the absolute best case scenario is another AK or more likely JJ/QQ. And against JJ/QQ AK is actually behind, so even without considering ICM you would be making a losing call. If however Villain is some crazy fish, who might be tilted, because you always raise his limps, AK is a snap call.

By the way I am not fond of your isolation size. 3BB price in a limper to call with any two cards, and often the blinds will come along for the ride as well. You need to make it at a bare minimum 4BB, and with a hand as strong as AK there is certainly no reason to not get some chips in pre. The fact, you went so small, also makes it more of a fold, because you are getting a worse price when jammed on.

Thanks for the analysis, guys. Seems like I should have folded. I'll be looking out for spots like this in future!

I would look at the pay structure. When does the pay really jump effectively? If 100th pays $3 and 40th pays $4, then maybe taking a coin flip chance to double now is a good choice. If 100th pays $1.50 and 70th pays $4, maybe you should wait for a better opportunity. 40BB is still plenty to pay with.

Usually, AK is good for a raise or a shove, but seldom should we call with this hand. And calling a 40BB shove is scary with anything short of Aces. It makes sense that villain did this with Jacks, especially if the table was aggressive. He didn't want to play his Jacks. He was hoping for a raise, so he could jam. Second choice would be a flop with a Jack or no face cards. If no one raises, he only loses one BB if the flop has over cards.

thehangdude said:

And calling a 40BB shove is scary with anything short of Aces.

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Really? You wouldn't call with KK or QQ in that spot? My strategy knowledge must be way off because I might have even considered calling with TT.

johnnythemoss said:

Really? You wouldn't call with KK or QQ in that spot? My strategy knowledge must be way off because I might have even considered calling with TT.

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It depends on the positioning, situation, and stack sizes. With effective stack sizes over 40BB, I might fold QQ to a shove. I might shove TT+, but wouldn't call with it. I would worry with QQ, but I still might call a 40BB shove with it (as long as shove didn't come from UTG/EP).

Also note I said "be worried," not that I wouldn't call. I have called early tournament and final table all ins with much less. Even Blind vs Blind all ins can often be called with smaller pairs.