AK behind a shortstack all-in and call

[blankoblanco]

Fairly early in an MTT, somewhat below chip average which is something like 3500.

Full Tilt Poker Game #1319164234: $11,000 Guarantee (8941213), Table 47 - 50/100 - No Limit Hold'em - 14:34:07 ET - 2006/11/28
Seat 1: snapontools06 (2,145)
Seat 2: combuboom (2,710)
Seat 3: thegnome1 (510)
Seat 4: belragazo (4,105)
Seat 5: jackfarmer (7,040)
Seat 6: factor1 (2,680)
Seat 7: Joao Marcelo (5,765)
Seat 8: dmgreene (1,415)
Seat 9: clemsonidiot (3,630)
spanontools06 posts the small blind of 50
combuboom posts the big blind of 100
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to combuboom [As Kc]
thegnome1 raises to 510, and is all in
belragazo folds
jackfarmer folds
factor1 folds
Joao Marcelo folds
dmgreene folds
clemsonidiot calls 510
snapontools06 folds
combuboom...

Obviously the gnome is shortstacked, UTG, and could be pushing with a huge range of hands. I'm focused on clemsonidiot, who just calls instead of raising to isolate. Is just pushing all-in a reasonable play here? Would you just call, since it's sort of early in the tournament?

 

[Bombjack]

Toughie: two approaches

a) Push behind... not giving clemsonidiot too much credit for a hand, as he's on the button and has just seen everyone else fold. Unlikely he has a better hand than AK. He hasn't re-raised to protect it, so I don't think he has a big pair. Even if he does, it's likely to be a coinflip. You still have a fair bit of fold equity.

b) Call and then check it down if you don't hit. You're still getting fair value to hit your hand on the flop if you just call, and the increased likelihood of it being checked down means you're more likely to see all the cards.

I marginally prefer pushing.

 

[Dingodaddy23]

puuuuuuuuush

 

[blankoblanco]

a) Push behind... not giving clemsonidiot too much credit for a hand, as he's on the button and has just seen everyone else fold. Unlikely he has a better hand than AK. He hasn't re-raised to protect it, so I don't think he has a big pair. Even if he does, it's likely to be a coinflip. You still have a fair bit of fold equity.

All my thought process exactly.

I pushed and button called quickly with pocket tens. UTG shows AK as well (groan) and the tens hold up and I'm out of tourney. I figured I probably just got kinda unlucky, but wanted to make sure I made an okay play.

Thanks for replies.

 

[Tammy]

These two fine gentleman have pretty much put it into perspective. Read dependant on the idiot-guy, but I think I'm pushing to. You likely have the best hand here, and your goal is to build you chipstack. Put pressure on the button to have to make a decision here, rather than calling and leaving him in control.

 

[myxiplx]

Hey guys, this might be a stupid question, but is there any credit to raising 2x here, hoping the 'weak' caller just calls that too? The idea would be to push the flop to drive them out then?

I'm thinking it might be useful insurance - even if you loose to the all in short stack, you have a chance at pushing the weak player out & taking the side pot.

I hate calling all ins with AK, it's a good hand, but a drawing hand and I'm always hearing one of it's biggest strengths is fold equity. In tournaments I'll raise it every time but I'm much more cautious calling with it.

Myx

 

[t1riel]

clemsonidiot has a lot of chips so calling the all in doesn't hurt his chipstack too much. However, calling your all in will hurt his chipstack. Push all in. Chances are he is not too confident about his hand because if he was he would have pushed all in to get everyone else out of the pot.

 

[Bombjack]

clemsonidiot is an idiot for calling your all-in with pocket Tens - he knows he's at best a coinflip and probably an underdog.