I *&^%ed up again!

Deep in a local live $210 buy in tourney with two tables remaining from a field of 105 the following hand takes place. It didn’t cost me the game, technically, but it did! Blinds are 6K & 12K with a 1K ante and I’ve got around 160K in chips.

Analyzing my stack I have 6M/13BB stack – not good, obviously. I’m dealt As Ks from early position and have no intention of folding. I remember thinking I should shove, but then thought I’d just raise to create action with no intention of folding (and here’s the problem – I thought). I make a standard raise to 31K. Two seats to my left goes all in for less (around 29K) and the Big Blind Calls. Flop, Qs 9c 10d, the big blind moves all in for 300K+. And now I’ve managed to ^&*% myself again!

I thought for a long time about following through with my plan and not folding, the whole idea was to create action and I have clearly done that. What does he have? If he’s got a set, then he’s got outs too and I’m just chasing a gutshot or 2 spades, he could be drawing, I guess, but so am I, and I don’t think he is anyway. I fold and retain my 10BB stack. The BB shows KK and the all-in for less shows 88. 3d Ac are the turn and river and the kings take it down. And yes I would have won – but that’s not the point.

If I had shoved, the same action occurs – the all-in for less and the BB would have undoubtedly called. I would have spiked an ace and took down a 400K+ pot. Naturally that’s all in hindsight, but after all my chips are in I have no more control anyway.

The blind levels go up to 8K & 16K with a 2K ante about 20 minutes later. I’ve managed to retain what was left of my already short stack, 120K. I’m dealt A A from UTG +1 and pushed all-in, no one calls. Next hand I’m under the gun with Qc Jc and push all-in only to be called by the Big Blinds A K and lose.

Man I screwed this one up good. Help, advice, how about some sympathy?

Pretty much a snap jam preflop. If you have a plan to not fold I'd go with it; you have 2 overs and a gutter although you will almost never have all those cards live, I'd pretty much get it in on that flop, pot is huge and your stack is tiny.

You have to shove that pre-flop - no other way to play it imo. You don't really have 13bb - you have less than 9. (You are not factoring in the ante which is crucial imo). Losing 31k if you miss the flop is too much - and you would be forced to shove with only 2 cards left to come and risking that the BB hit the flop.

The only premium hand I am not shoving there is AA - and maybe KK depending on which early position I am in and the stack sizes behind me, and player information on those left to act. Oh - and if I had been really aggressive leading up to this hand I would think about shoving the AA too.

Just jam....stop overthinking things...with 16BB or less it almost always a jam if you are going to play...especially with antes.

Just not quite sure if I understand the thinking - you commit in your head to get it all in - BUT want to wait until the flop?

Don't delay commitment when you're that short stacked - then things like this happen. Unless maybe AA and even then shorthanded.

I mean believe me I know; Mike Caro would call my play “Fancy Play Syndrome”. Calling the all-in here is the same as pushing pre-flop; the only difference is that I get to see the flop first and when a gutter appears to be my only out, I get apprehensive about shoving my remaining 10BB – which is why I ^%$^ed it up from the start.

dakota-xx said:

You don't really have 13bb - you have less than 9. (You are not factoring in the ante which is crucial imo).

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But I did factor that in – that’s where the 6M value comes from!

I was afraid of pushing and just collecting the blinds and antes – I wanted action (although I can’t possibly explain why), hence the raise. The all in bet is obviously the correct play here – but it is also a very powerful move. Even if your stack is only 5BB – many opponents do not consider that. With two tables left, I needed to get it in – and then chickened out.

Most of these guys have just come to the Casino on a Saturday afternoon and thought it’d be a good idea to play some poker. I hear it every weekend – “So how long does this last?” “Well, it’s a $200 deep stack with 30 minute levels – noon to midnight at a minimum. “ “Oh, man I can’t be here to midnight”. So I have to factor that in as well, wanting action, many times it is not wise to shove. But I’m just clinging to a thread here – I know all-in is the correct, and only, play – I just can’t believe I ****ed up what would have been a 1-way ticket to the final 3.