Worth the risk?

I'd appreciate any thoughts on a situation from a few days ago that has been bugging me:

45 player SnG, 25ish players left, my stack is 4.5K, blinds at 150/300. No particular information on the villains involved.

UTG (5k) limps. MP1 has been nursing their 700 chips for many hands, they shove. It folds to me on the button with AQo, I shove to isolate the SS. Blinds fold and UTG calls. Players show: UTG KK, MP1 J8s, Hero AQo.

Whilst I was quite happy to take my chances with the small stack to win a 1.5K pot I was horrified to see the call from UTG, and more so when I saw their cards. So, is this isolating play worth it when I didn't have to get involved as I was in a comfortable position in the tournament?

Well, he's limping with KK. I mean, that's a play you're not going to be able to read playing online most of the time. I personally think it's a decent play. You can't always avoid getting beat.

Kuberr said:

Well, he's limping with KK. I mean, that's a play you're not going to be able to read playing online most of the time. I personally think it's a decent play. You can't always avoid getting beat.

Click to expand...

i like the KK limp on an aggressive table for sure, but on passive tables if you limp UTG with KK and get 5 or 6 callers (it happens) as soon as that A comes on the flop (you know it will ) you have just killed your action

i got ownd by a JJ limp yesterday in a MTT with AQ he limped UTG, 2 more callers behind him, i raised 5x bb to isolate and he calls, other two fold

flop comes Q J 4 (rainbow)

i bet, he calls, next card is another Q, I bet again, he shoves (i was pot commited and called)

i NEVER put him on JJ, i thought he may of had AJ or a worse Q like KQ or a small pocket pair...

the play worked wonders for him, my trip queens with top kicker got destroyed by his boat...

having said all this i'm definately not one to limp UTG with JJ!!!!!

Thanks for the comments. I guess there are two questions in my original post: how do I play the hand with AQ? is the KK limp a good idea?

The KK limp looks like a good idea if things pan out as they actually did. ie KK could be thinking 'The small stack needs to do something soon and will shove a wide range with some fold equity against my limp. Another player with a reasonable ace or a pair will reraise to isolate and then I can rereraise.' If this is the case, it is as if they are raising by proxy - ie banking on the small stack to get involved and do their betting for them. Of course this could all go wrong for them if they get 2 limpers plus the BB and then get a nasty flop.

I woudln't have pushed there, but it's because I lost more chips with AQ than any other hand. I would have probably folded and waited for a better situation.
Overall, it's a good play - sadly, KK made a better play... assuming he won.
I like to limp early with AA if I'm pretty sure someone will raise it. Works wonderfully... except when I get outdrawn.

well. I think you acted correctly. with AQ rarely give someone fold before the flop. of success still more. : D

Notes on these guys would be nice. Some players routinely limp with hands I raise, so their limps are rather telling.

In this case, with no notes/reads whatsoever, I might have flatted the small stack shove and folded to a re-raise from the limper.

Not enough info, really.