AK off-suit, 20 to the money

[arahel_jazz]

OK... so we talk about M in the context of shoving something like this pre-flop. There's 20 to the money (yeah, I know it a donkfest) and I really want to cash on my first crack at this with a ticket.

pokerstars Game #16335841269: Tournament #81834751, Freeroll Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2008/03/29 - 11:58:48 (ET)
Table '81834751 99' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: ZEPP..HEAD.. (1360 in chips)
Seat 2: arahel_jazz (1565 in chips)
Seat 3: dochlance (6410 in chips)
Seat 4: wolpi26 (26092 in chips)
Seat 5: Tutzinger83 (2600 in chips)
Seat 6: KingTouchy (9085 in chips)
Seat 7: Sky_08 (5210 in chips)
Seat 8: cath55 (8754 in chips)
Seat 9: HawkHunter01 (9023 in chips)
ZEPP..HEAD..: posts the ante 25
arahel_jazz: posts the ante 25
dochlance: posts the ante 25
wolpi26: posts the ante 25
Tutzinger83: posts the ante 25
KingTouchy: posts the ante 25
Sky_08: posts the ante 25
cath55: posts the ante 25
HawkHunter01: posts the ante 25
Sky_08: posts small blind 200
cath55: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to arahel_jazz [Ad Kc]
HawkHunter01: calls 400
ZEPP..HEAD..: folds
arahel_jazz: ......

According to HoH, I should shove here?

 

[KenFischer]

You don't want to cash. You want to make it to the final table. There is so little difference between missing the payout and just sneaking in, it's not worth even worrying about it.

Pushing here (no matter what the ultimate result) is the correct play. The blinds are coming, so you pretty much have to play this hand, and you're not going to fold once you get chips in, so you might as well push.

 

[mikey988]

You most certainly have to push if you don't you'll be dead by the money anyway. There's only 1-2 people you have to worry about calling the others will have to have a hand before they even think about it. I've seen it where even then they won't want to get involved because of being that close to the bubble. A lot of blind stealing happens on the bubble so look out for your opportunities to steal..

 

[ChuckTs]

Satellite or regular tourney? Makes a huge difference here...

Considering there are still 20 people to the bubble it's a turboshove if you're playing a regular tourney, and still probably a shove if you're in a satellite unless there are some ridiculously low stacks on the other tables, which I doubt.

 

[Fermion5]

shove with weaker than AK here.

 

[ItsMe]

Def push - you will of course get called - trust to luck that an A or K, straight, or bd flush turns up.

Was this the first opportunity you had to push? You only have about 4bbs.

 

[arahel_jazz]

Answers to all.

Yes, it was a normal tourney - not a Sat. It's the weekend freeroll reward tourney.

Yes, it was my first legit opportunity in quite a while. Card dead most of the last three rounds. I tend to tighten up way too much towards the money.

I ended up limping, Tutzinger raised to $1200. Hawk-something folded and I flat called. Flop was xAx.

I pushed for my last $300.
Tutzinger showed AQos.

Turn was an A.
I was screaming at my monitor "No Queen"!

River was a 5.

I more than tripled up, and went on to win several more hands after ITM. Ended up placing 335 with about $1.40 cash.

I now have a micro balance at PS again! Whoohoo!

 

[switch0723]

so what the difference between shoving (what you should have done) and calling for 1200 (4/5's of your stack) Calling was the worst possible play

 

[ph_il]

I tend to tighten up way too much towards the money.

When you are short stack like this in a regular tournament, try not to focus so much on making it just into the money. Your goal here is to get your stack in with what is probably the possible hand at the table and quite possibly the best hand you'll see for a while. Considering your stack and the blinds, there is no way you would be able to just fold into the money. So, just cashing is no longer an option and now you have to focus on you're going to increase your chip stack.

In this situation, I shove. All the time. Even if its a bubble play, I still shove this hand because your goal should be to win. Also, you'll benefit a lot more if you can double or triple up your stack, than if you just squeeze into the money for about an .11 payout. I used to try and sneak in the money a lot when it got really close but I was always ended up SS in the end for a pitiful cash. It wouldnt matter if I out-lasted another 20 or so players, I still received the same payout as 100 other players for my 'efforts'. I call situations like these, where I had a chance at a double up or better but I folded to try and sneak into the money, 'missed opportunities. Something Im trying to fix in my game. If you have a strong hand or think its the best hand, get your self in there.

Another thing is that you made the 2 worst plays you could've done: A) you limped in with AK and B) you just called a raise PF. If you're going to play this hand in this situation, the only move you should be doing is pushing it. Pushing it real good. The hand is too strong to not come in with an all in. You know you're committing yourself to the pot if you just limp/call PFR, the last bit of your stack isnt going to get anyone off of their hand on the flop, and you're just getting too good of odds to fold your last 300. So, avoid all that and shove it in. Given how tight you've been playing, you might have a tiny bit of fold equity. I doubt it, but then again thats good because they'll probably call you off with far worse hands.

WCS, you're up against AA or KK. Calling/limping or folding are the 2 worst options.

 

[feitr]

The only point to MTTs is being able to get to the final table once in a while. To get 15$ for almost 2 hrs play to make a total profit of 4$ is more of an insult than anything else.

I'm not sure what you are goign to do with 1.40$...

And as for your questions, as a general rule you should shove with <10BBs...you are pot committed either way and at least you get some fold equity by pushing all in pf.