$1.10 NLHE MTT Rebuy: 3 off the money with QQ, 30BB

I don't have the exact hand history but it's pretty straight forward. I am 11/30 in chips with 27 being paid. (Min cash would be break even.) I have 30BB and Villain has 100BB.

Folds around to villain in the SB, who is the big stack at the table and appears to be exploiting the fact that we are near the bubble. He has raised just about 10 straight hands with a pretty wide range.

Villain raises to 3BB, I have QQ and 30BB in the BB.

I'm wondering what the correct play here is. If I flat, I give him a chance with all his Kx Ax hands. I could just call down three streets on a safe board, but I don't love it. Also this player has been making large bets postflop, so it may end up getting all in by the river anyway. I could 3b small hoping to induce a shove. I could shove hoping to get called with AK, AQ, and smaller pairs. If I lose I'm out with no cash, if I win I am top 5 in chips. I realize this is just a play we have to go with and hope that we hold. Thanks for your thoughts.

In this scenario if he's applying lot of pressure on the bubble I'd love to play the hand in position planning to call down.

3-bet small to induce make sense as well but you take away all the bluffs.

I would say standard 3-bet in general but in this specific scenario I would go for the slow play

You can also 3-bet shove ( 1.10 buy in ) people gamble with garbage...

You have almost 80% equity against his assumed range. I would 3 bet to 7BB (maybe?? I think 3 bet sizing would depend on what has been happening at the table), and see what happens. Hope he folds because he opened with trash, otherwise it's a snap call if he shoves on you.

3bet to 8bb, snap call if he shoves.

Absolute 3-bet to 6-7 BB. You are in position, so with the scenario with A/K on the flop you may see how he will react if he hit it. All in preflop by him is direct call. He probably would try it with any pair. Did he made such all ins after 3-bet preflop?

I think this is a good spot for a stop and go. Flat call pre and shove the flop. I don't know how effective this would be online, I'm mostly a live player.

I would just shove pre flop and hope he calls. I would rather bust out going for the win than playing conservatively trying to limp into the money. That is the most profitable way to play in the long run. You make less cashes but when you do cash, it is for a bigger amount.

I'd say raise to about 9-12 BB and shove most flops. By raising to 8 BB and below I feel like you're giving him too good of a price to call and you have to play both flops and turns, which could get a bit awkward OOP. 9 BB+ would create about a pot size shove on the flop.

Any aggressive move back pre means get your money in asap.

mcgregor_415 said:

Absolute 3-bet to 6-7 BB. You are in position, so with the scenario with A/K on the flop you may see how he will react if he hit it. All in preflop by him is direct call. He probably would try it with any pair. Did he made such all ins after 3-bet preflop?

Click to expand...

I hadn't seen a 4b shove by this player, but did see some isolation plays with hands like AJ. I think 3betting to 10BB is very strong for me, I'm putting in 1/3 of my stack, so I might as well shove hoping he calls with worse. 3bet to 8BB seems like I'm trying to play back against his steal, and he will probably play back and shove all his worse hands (most pairs, AQ, AK) to show me he is for real.

I shoved, he tanked and called with KQs.
...
T J X
... Hold!!! ...
9
... King!!...
X

Ouch. That hurts, especially on that level of the tournament. But I think you was up to play your hand. Always against big stacks is worth to do it, because they are the ones who are trying more to steal chips.