Tournament poker 8 Handed
Current stack is 15 BB
Pocket pair in MP : 7s, 8s, 9s, and 10s
It Folds around to yourself. Is this a no brainer shove?
Please provide answers for a situation in which we are already in the money as well as not.


Thank you to all. Good Luck

Originally Posted by 0MRBLACK

Tournament poker 8 Handed
Current stack is 15 BB
Pocket pair in MP : 7s, 8s, 9s, and 10s
It Folds around to yourself. Is this a no brainer shove?
Please provide answers for a situation in which we are already in the money as well as not.


Thank you to all. Good Luck

If in the money its most likely a shove(altho im not a fan of) but at best its a 50 50 race and overs are going to show. Just have to be lucky that OP doesnt have that over/s
Before the money im not a fan of the shove if its close again not a fan of the shove with 50 50 you'll make money or not. Obviously not running real good to only have 15bb's at this point

I'm shoving 77s-TTs mid-position in the money, disregarding you're in the FT and ICM applies. I'm also jamming 77s-TTs mid-position when you're not in the money unless you're close to the money. In that case, it depends on the chip stacks after you. Most likely I'm still jamming 88s+, but min-raise folding 77s (unless the chip stacks after me are all [or almost all] shorter, where I'm jamming 77s).

Pretty much a standard shove especially if the players downstream are tight or trying to get into the money or ladder up.

Why not put in 5BB. tightss and ladder ups will normally fold unless they have hig pairs or AK. So you still have stack to play if you decide to fold a raise. Or is this stupid donkey thinking?

It depends of your stack, the type of player you are, the type of players you playing against, the stage of tournament etc.
The most common technique of playing middle pocket pairs in middle position is to call or raise 2-4 bblinds and see how it goes on post flop, if you catch a set - great, if you haven't and you opp is betting - fold. But again it depends, don't do it everytime, every situation is unique and different, so you gotta decide, that's the beauty of poker🖤

The best course of action will depend on if the players left to act are loose or tight. The more you believe you will be called by a player left to act the more you should fold. I think the bubble should have some pull on whether you shove or not. The further you are from the bubble in either direction the more you should be inclined to shove.

Many thanks for your reaction. I will consider your advice

Hi there,

If ICM plays a big role and the payjumps are important (for example you are at final table and there's a player with 5bb) try to not bust before him. Put a raise and see what happens.

But in general 88-1010 is certainly a shove for me with 15bb from any position and I can even reshove over an open too. (maybe no with 88)
77 is close but still a shove I think, depends on my psychology and payjumps I guess (very consistent of me lol).

Originally Posted by 0MRBLACK

Tournament poker 8 Handed
Current stack is 15 BB
Pocket pair in MP : 7s, 8s, 9s, and 10s
It Folds around to yourself. Is this a no brainer shove?
Please provide answers for a situation in which we are already in the money as well as not.


Thank you to all. Good Luck

15bb mid game I am shoving every single pair with a limp or raise in front of me. I am open shoving 22+ from HJ, and shoving 66+ UTG.

If we are near the stone money bubble (3 players or less to go) I am going to nit it up depending on my stack position. If we are in the top 10 of 23 remaining when 20 get paid - I am only going with QQ+ as I cannot risk taking a flip with JJs or less and face two over cards - lose the hand and get dropped down into what could be an elimination position. No need for us to risk is when we are guaranteed a cash.

The other side to this if we are 18th or 19th out of 23 and 20 get paid - that changes things. We neeeeed to win a pot or two and put some cushion between us and the bubble boy. When I have to make a move I am shoving 99+ to any limp/raise in front of me - I am open shoving 99+ from UTG+3 - I am also rejamming AK and AQ to any bet in front of me and open jamming these hands from anywhere at the table.

When we are ITM I pllay pairs the same way I do mid game. The only time this changes is when we are at the FT and some serious ICM implications apply.

It is a profitable jam for sure. But it depends on your strategy. If you play a jam only strat this is a no brainer jam. If you play a mixed strat between raising and jamming, an open is completely fine as long as you call off a jam/4bet jam yourself vs a 3Bet.

Thanks for all the advice.

Good Luck To All