$11 NLHE MTT: Is there any way to let go of KK in this spot?

$11 NLHE MTT: Is there any way to let go of KK in this spot?

So, rough time. Made a sweet deep run, or well pretty decent. Sadly I had 2 vital spots wich made my tourney life a lot worse. This is the hand my tourney life ended in. I'm just wondering if there is any way to get away from KK in this spot.


pokerstars No-Limit Hold'em, 11 Tournament, 3,000/6,000 Blinds 750 Ante (9 handed) - PokerStars Converter Tool from http://flopturnriver.com/

UTG (t139,940)
UTG+1 (t369,388)
MP1 (t87,357)
MP2 (t125,844)
MP3 (t297,424)
CO (t79,326)
Button (t96,992)
Hero (SB) (t84,622)
BB (t403,846)

Hero's M: 5.37

Preflop: Hero is SB with K , K
UTG raises to t139,190 (All-In), 6 folds, Hero calls t80,872 (All-In), 1 fold

Flop: (t180,494) Q , J , 8 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Turn: (t180,494) 8 (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: (t180,494) 2 (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: t180,494

Results below:

I'd like to think most people don't shove AA utg in this spot mainly because the tables is SO tight at this stage that even the bigstacks won't bother calling a small stack without atleast TT, AQ+ and would miss out on alot of value. Ideally a 2,5x bb or 4x bb would cause the bigstacks to try it out. I doubt most bigstacks would pay him off here, only guys like me hoping for a DU with some useless kings. (I CALL SETUP HAND.) Theese spots seems so common when deep in a tourney that I was thinking some players might be able to dodge this. Help please!

BoddJonar said:

I'm just wondering if there is any way to get away from KK in this spot.

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In my opinion there is no way, it's only one hand totally defeating you. Additionaly you were on 14BB which is hard spot to play and you should use any situation to improve your stack.

Mazak said:

In my opinion there is no way, it's only one hand totally defeating you. Additionaly you were on 14BB which is hard spot to play and you should use any situation to improve your stack.

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Thanks for the input. I should mention it was 27 players left (Big11) I don't know if that has some significant difference. If I had been out at 26, I've had a better ROI...

BoddJonar said:

I'm just wondering if there is any way to get away from KK in this spot.

Hero's M: 5.37

Preflop: Hero is SB with K

, K

UTG raises to t139,190 (All-In), 6 folds, Hero calls t80,872 (All-In),

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I'm jumping for joy in this spot. Yeah the results suck but if you are looking for ways to avoid playing KK here then you need to do some work on tilt control.

Jillychemung said:

I'm jumping for joy in this spot. Yeah the results suck but if you are looking for ways to avoid playing KK here then you need to do some work on tilt control.

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No no, I don't regret playing KK here, it's not about tilt at all. I just wonder if there IS a way to see trough this? After all I WAS jumping with joy until he revealed his cards lol. I guess if it was a sattybubble situation a fold could be justified (tbh I don't see a fold here ever otherwise). Ah well thank you for taking your time.

BoddJonar said:

Thanks for the input. I should mention it was 27 players left (Big11) I don't know if that has some significant difference. If I had been out at 26, I've had a better ROI...

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It really doesn't matter which were you. Situation with pocket of kings is always same for me coz of this that only Aces are totally destroying it preflop

thats a cooler u cant do much about it move on thats about it

BoddJonar said:

it's not about tilt at all

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IMHO just going off some of your other posts, it appears that you have a hard time with variance. Yeah I know she's a bitch but we really do have to embrace her to make our games move forward. Since you play online you get so many more chances to experience her but even live your most memorable hands will be when she reaches out to slap you up side the head

Jillychemung said:

IMHO just going off some of your other posts, it appears that you have a hard time with variance. Yeah I know she's a bitch but we really do have to embrace her to make our games move forward. Since you play online you get so many more chances to experience her but even live your most memorable hands will be when she reaches out to slap you up side the head

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It's true I'm having a real hard time at the moment. Slapping? She's bending me over! And yes, making my game move forward is what I am trying to do. Hence the wierd questions.

Maybe better to just not enter the tournament if you are questioning getting away from KK here in this spot.
Also, even if this is smack dab on the exact bubble I am NEVER folding in this spot EVER! (in an MTT)

No, you are never folding KK in this spot.

Poker Orifice said:

Maybe better to just not enter the tournament if you are questioning getting away from KK here in this spot.
Also, even if this is smack dab on the exact bubble I am NEVER folding in this spot EVER! (in an MTT)

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trent32la said:

No, you are never folding KK in this spot.

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This pretty much concludes it. Nothing to be done about this spot I guess. Thank you very much

I would never fold KK in your position. You just fold this hand when you see the flop and you see an A and de villain is betting you too much.

But pre-flop, nothing we can do

standard cooler. M=5 fist pump try not to hit the monitor or something too hard snap call with KK

Are u kidding??? 14bbs a guy open shoves and i got KK.... I'm calling even if another guy reshoves....

Yes, majority of people are. After all, vs a random opponent KK is an instant call.

Poker Orifice said:

I am NEVER folding in this spot EVER!

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trent32la said:

No, you are never folding KK in this spot.

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Dude, I realize this is considered a form of flattery but seriously you need to quit copying & repeating my answers.

Can't fold there. A better question is... What OTHER hands should snap Call in that spot.

I think you should be snapping with 15 or fewer BBs with AKs, AKo, QQ, and maybe AQs. Depending on UTGs previous play they could be a possibility to call AQo and JJ.

Poker Orifice said:

Dude, I realize this is considered a form of flattery but seriously you need to quit copying & repeating my answers.

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How else am I gonna catch up to your near-17k posts???

stokedog4 said:

Can't fold there. A better question is... What OTHER hands should snap Call in that spot.

I think you should be snapping with 15 or fewer BBs with AKs, AKo, QQ, and maybe AQs. Depending on UTGs previous play they could be a possibility to call AQo and JJ.

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I think JJ+ AK+ is a good base calling range in the situation.

UTG can play here push (M9 stack) about with range 99+, AQ+. In this spot with your KK from SB your EQ is 69%. You win with 68% and spilt with 1%. Ofc you must play here only call his push! GG! You lose here only with 31% and AA is in that!

This is one of those situation that you must call the all in. You've got great cards, nice preflop position and I just can't see how you may fold the Kings. You may think about that if you have a 3-bet before you from some super tight player.

trent32la said:

How else am I gonna catch up to your near-17k posts???



I think JJ+ AK+ is a good base calling range in the situation.

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i think im calling a little tighter here... i think JJ+ AQs+ AKo is a good calling range when the UTG is playing effective stacks of 16bb but i think because UTG is shoving 22bb effective, i think our calling range should basically be KK+ and maaayybe, very maybe add AKs i think villain is shoving a range of QQ+ and AKo+

mbrenneman0 said:

i think im calling a little tighter here... i think JJ+ AQs+ AKo is a good calling range when the UTG is playing effective stacks of 16bb but i think because UTG is shoving 22bb effective, i think our calling range should basically be KK+ and maaayybe, very maybe add AKs i think villain is shoving a range of QQ+ and AKo+

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Do you really feel UTG is going to be ripping in KK+ here ever? I'd weight his range towards AK here and TT-QQ are the next most likely.

i dont think utg is ever shoving as a bluff... yes, minraise would be correct for UTG but its a mistake to assume players play correctly. UTG has 3 stacks behind him that have him covered, and a few stacks that would leave him pretty high and dry if called by better... hed have to be totally fearless to just rip JJ here. i can see AKo but not Jacks

we can only assume he is shoving the bottom of his range like that if hes been playing extremely aggresively and shoving >20bb eff. a lot

It's an easy call, even if you had JJ you should be calling here, it's just unlucky for you that opponent had aces. That was the only hand that beat you in this spot.