A-A against SB, mid-stage turney

[Silkroad]

pokerstars (Tournament): $3 + $0.30, 9 players

B4 ($6,180)
B3 ($7,585)
B2 ($3,880)
B1 ($7,515)
BN ($8,505)
SB ($20,220)
BB ($3,475)
Hero ($4,475)
B5 ($11,930)

BN is the button.

Precards:
SB posts the small blind $100, BB posts the big blind $200.

Preflop: Hero is dealt A♦ A♥ (9 active)
Hero raises to $600, 6 folds, SB calls $500, BB folds.

Flop: J♣ K♣ 3♣ ($1,400, 2 active)
SB bets $4,200, Hero ???

Tournament information:
It's at the mid-stage of a MTT with ~1,200 players. Pays 250 players and ~350 players remained

Statistics of SB (based on 45 hands):
VPIP: 31%. See turn: 18%. See river: 11%. PFR: 11%. Pre-flop aggression: 0.7. Post-flop aggression: 3.0

Questions
1. What are some possible ways to play this hand?
2. How does it differ in a cash game?
2. How does it differ in a MTT structure?
3. How would it change in this hypothetical situation? 180-player SnG, pays 18 players, 45 players remain

At this stage it's basically a push-fold decision. But from pre-flop, there must be multiple ways to play this hand. Would love ideas to help me vary my play. Thanks!

 

[t1riel]

If he has the flush, why would he bet that much? I'm thinking he hads A, J or even A, K. I would call. The raise wasn't big enough. I would have made it $1,000 more.

 

[DukeDrew]

I'm thinking he has Ac and either a J or K. Puts him around 42%, and he's probably thinking hitting the ace gives him a couple more outs? He called you pre-flop, vs. re-raise, so you can't think he's got JJ or KK, especially in a $3 tourney :-D Possibly AcQc, but I'm with T1riel thinking he's going to reel your ass in with a smaller bet if he hit his nut flush. Best case for you, he's playing big stack and trying to push you around. Banzai!!!

 

[rob5775]

Get the rest of your chips in. As stated, he probably has a pair or the A of clubs in his hand. It's less likely he flopped the flush. It's an easy stop and go for him, really... unless you have the Ac in your hand or set he's putting you at a tough decision for your chips.

Call and enjoy a moderate lead going into the turn.

 

[CfPoker]

1. Call. He's CL and putting you to a difficult decision for all your chips. He may hold the Ac, in which case you're still favourite.

2. In a cash game I doubt he would make a similar sized bet in the first place. (though my cash game knowledge is somewhat limited)

3. He's using his chip lead to make you make a decision for your tournament life, something that you don't need to do in a cash game.

4. Don't think this scenario is any different really.

 

[nathanthomp]

Get the rest of your chips in. As stated, he probably has a pair or the A of clubs in his hand. It's less likely he flopped the flush. It's an easy stop and go for him, really... unless you have the Ac in your hand or set he's putting you at a tough decision for your chips.

Call and enjoy a moderate lead going into the turn.

QFT

 

[rob5775]

QFT

?

Someone care to enlighten me. Vanquish usually knows these abbreviations.

 

[CfPoker]

Quote For Truth

 

[theskillzdatklls]

call, i'd put him on AK / QK with an out on the flush- or more likely-no outs on the flush, he's all in here to prevent any 4th flush card from hitting. the only very unlikely situation that would totally have you is if he for some reason called your three bet with 8c7c for example, hit it, and didn't want it to die off to overcards?

i agree with the consensus though, it is unusual practice for people to all-in with semi-nuts / nut flushes / top sets.

 

[dillaman79]

Is it possible that he would have Qc with K (any suit besides club) and trying to get you out of the pot early putting you on an AcK (any suit) maybe testing the waters to see what you have, that way it puts pressure on you to call, cause he may have the nuts and depending on how you're playing, trying to trap you into calling and he hits his club. Or maybe he has the nuts and feels you have pocket pair, which will make it difficult for you to fold cause you might have him beat pre flop to the flop, but with two cards left an Ace wouldnt help you if he does hit his flush on the turn or river. I dont know, I think I would lay it down, too many possibilities, I like to know I have somewhat of an edge after seeing the flop after raising pre flop. You'll get good hands as long as you stay patient through out the tourney and wait for an opportunity where your in position to trap someone.

 

[Steveg1976]

pre-flop the only changes you can make is between a smooth call and raise. The problem with calling from a early position is you might induce a limp fest and the next thing you know there are 5 players seeing the flop. In this case you preflop bet seems perfect, you got one caller which is about all you want as it will chase out hands that can connect with the flop in hard to read ways.

Now if you include some reads on your opponenets and recent history such as have you been quiet lately or taken down 5 of the last 7 pots with out showing your cards there may be some additional discussion.

 

[DukeDrew]

Alright already, wtf happened?

 

[Silkroad]

Thanks guys. I called and felt I made the right decision if I played the hand outside the money or in the money

There're 250 players get paid and 350 players remain. Should it be considered bubble play? If my goal is to get placed, is it profitable to play tighter based on ICM?

 

[feitr]

No that isn't bubble play. Anyways the point of playing in MTTs isn't to just cash and win like 2x your buy in, it is to give a shot at the FT and a big payout.

Anyways i'd call this hand all day. You are ahead of almost anything he will be doing this with and he is probably just doing this to prevent you calling with a hand like TT or QQ or AJ etc. He probably has one club or a J or K but he could very well have absolutely nothing and just trying to bully you off the pot given the flop texture. A flopped flush doesn't do this at all.

 

[TWiTCHaH]

I'd lay it down in that position, but then again.. At this level the blinds are at I would of pushed all-in pre-flop in a heart-beat. Blinds are worth stealing at this point and someone might call with a lower pocket pair or something similar. Raising to 600 looks to much like "I'm just trying to steal" so they're probably going to call with even a decent hand.

What's a decent hand you ask? Probably something with 2 clubs. I bet he flopped a flush and is trying to avoid another club coming down to forfit his hand. Since you raised he probably thinks the pot's big enough to get all of his money in now. Just my opinion.