$20 NL HE STT: Preflop decision

[StealTheButton]

Game

Hold'em

Game Format

No Limit

Table Format

STT

Buy-in

20

Game Options

1. Turbo

Currency

$

6max $20 Sit and Go Turbo.
Button is the one pushing the action. SB playing a little more reserved, but seems to be making good decisions.
Button jams for his last 7 big blinds. Small blind has 17.5bb, or 3500 chips and flats the button's shove.
I'm sitting in the BB with a slight chip lead with 18.5bb, or 3700 in chips.

Button can have a wide range of hands, including Ax, Kx, Qx, and any pair.
SB's range here is pretty tight. With AK AQ, KQ, I would imagine him re-shoving.
I think he most likely has a pair 10's or better, though still strange he did not shove. Possibly trapping?

If the button loses to SB I am now in the money, though no longer with a chiplead. If the button wins against SB then all 3 players are very much alive,
and I still retain my chiplead.
I'm not folding, but I don't think I want to jam; though I have not doubt EVERYONE else is re-jamming here.
Thoughts?

I called preflop. Flop was all low cards. SB jams and I fold. SB turns over 10 10 and Button flopped a set of 6's and won the hand. I like my decision. If I jammed and SB called I would be all but out of tourney.

 

[fundiver199]

I am not to keen on just calling here. Pot is going to be around 4.000, and he will only have 2.265 left. That is around half pot, which put you in a very awkward spot, if you miss the flop, and he makes basically any bet. If you are going to get it in, even when you miss, then its clearly better to get it in preflop, and if you are going to fold, then its better to fold preflop. So I think, that if you just call here, you are only delaying a difficult decision to later in the hand.

I do agree, that SB just calling does looks like a potential trap. But its not really sound poker to fold to a small bet, if we would have called a jam. And according to ICMizer AKo is a clear call, if both players jam. So yeah I jam here. This is a great chance to win the tournament right here and now, and if SB wins the pot, at least you take second place. And there is also a chance, he might fold to a jam, which would be a great outcome for you.

 

[300HPGOD]

Completely agree that calling here is not the best but I dont think its terrible if we are calling here with the intention of no matter what flop comes that we never fold to the SB should they bet. I dont think SB should be calling off 1/3rd of their stack here to then fold to a jam should we make one but they could based on whether this is a 9 man or 6 man STT (did not see that in your post, sorry if I missed it) and how worried they are about cashing. I understand your thoughts on this call could be a trap and it could be but it also could be a villain who believes (correctly by the way) that button is very wide here and being in 3rd should be shoving a lot here so maybe they believe you wont want to get involved and they can just call with still maybe chips for an exit strategy in the hand. I dont personally like that play from SB but it could be the case.

This boils down to, though, that we are 3 handed with AK and we know we are crapping on the button's range. The call by SB is odd but I am never folding here and calling pre to then fold post is really really bad so I believe your options are jam pre or call pre with the intention of calling all flop bets made by SB. The calling play will keep their weaker hands in but it also gives them a chance to spike something as well. I prefer jamming here since its possible that SB has a small pair here that we are behind but ICM scares them into folding. Unlikely but possible. Calling here would be getting cute on these stacks. I dont hate it if call it off post but I think jamming is the best play.

 

[StealTheButton]

I understand the logic here of why just calling is not the greatest option. However, this is a 6 max tourney and 3rd place gets nothing. I had a read that he had a solid hand I felt he would have called me. ( I still think he would have, I've been playing with him). Were all 3 of us in the money already I would not be able to get my chips in the middle fast enough.

 

[fundiver199]

I had a read that he had a solid hand I felt he would have called me.

With that kind of read AK is a fold due to the bubble pressure. I actually dont hate folding, and the good thing is, you get to see his hand, so you will know, if your read was correct or not. If he show something like KJ or AT, then you can take a note and jam on him next time