recently I busted out of couple of tournaments just before the final table in a very similar manner.


I'm UTG, have +-10BB and find JJ. I shove, only to get called by AA or KK.

Is there a better play here? Or was this just bad luck?

You're wasting your time spinning these types of hands in your head, your movement is standard and correct, in this case you faced a strong hand but many times they call you with worse hands.

Maybe this is not right, but I would play like that too !!!

Difficult to make another decision. Just calling or raising would not make us give up on a possible raise. I believe it is the right move. Good luck next time, stop it happening!
Boo's embrace.

its a mandatory shove there is no creativity or improvisation in this spot, you ran into AA or whatever it happens and its okay, check the push fold ranges charts for more information about what you should shove or fold in similar spots

If you have a big stakes you can raise it but if you Don't want to be the one who bust out before the final table a discipline fold is my advice.

Happened again today, JJ UTG, I shove, midde calls with AA.

I did win the hand with runner runner spade flush

JJ many times is a trap, dangerous in utg.. i like to raise in position, but before final table is out of my range. GL!

Originally Posted by brunomartens

recently I busted out of couple of tournaments just before the final table in a very similar manner.


I'm UTG, have +-10BB and find JJ. I shove, only to get called by AA or KK.

Is there a better play here? Or was this just bad luck?

Thank you for your post. With JJ utg I would make the exact same play given your Chip stack. Once the tournament gets to the final 3 or 4 tables blinds are high enough to put all 15 BB or less stacks in a frenzy to steal blinds and grind out as high a finish in the money as possible. Running into AA or KK is just bad luck or typical late tournament stuff. You are doing well keep it up.


Good Luck To All

With about 10 bb left it seems an obvious shove. The only thing may be what your stack is like compared to the others, especially if there are others who are extremely short and may bust next couple of hands. Also, if the bb has you covered by a wide margin, especially if it’s a KO type tournament, you will almost always get a call from him.

All comes down to what more important to you, making the FT or winning. To win, you need to win some flips, like JJ vs AK. If you just want the cash and hoping to ladder up, fold early.

Easy jam. Don't get caught up with results.

Information on the table stacks is missing, but what to say. J-J with 10bbs in ITM is all in life push in any position.

Definitely all in jam, specially if you have 10 BB. It’s no big difference in pay jumps between 10 or 9th place, and if you play for win it’s mandatory all in all day long

from the point of view of the game, you had no other choice. but if you can't lose money or it's a big tournament then you can wait for the prizes.

Well, you apparently are past the bubble and will receive some kind of payout for your troubles. You don't mention stack sizes or payouts. If you were the smallest stack left in the tournament and there was little chance folding would help get you to the next payout then shove. If the next pay jump was quite small then shove. If there was a chance another stack would crash before you and, the pay jump was something you desired then fold.

For me JJ with 10bb, it's a push from any position in any stage of tournament. Folding here it's not an option

I often play all-in with such JJ too. Next time try to wait for good cards to attack from a late position

All in is always the way of champions. Or you can ask to get new cards so that you can fold easily.

when i'm on UTG and get hand like JJ, QQ, KK or even AA, i'll be dominated or get very very bad beat... UTG is the worst position, bad luck is always around this position...

Originally Posted by brunomartens

recently I busted out of couple of tournaments just before the final table in a very similar manner.


I'm UTG, have +-10BB and find JJ. I shove, only to get called by AA or KK.

Is there a better play here? Or was this just bad luck?

JJ is going to be on any and every single push fold chart for 10bb - running into an overpair is just a cooler situation and nothing we can do about it. You are being results oriented and its clouding your judgment...would you feel better if you shoved QQ and ran into an overpair? Or would you be asking if you could fold that somehow too?

Bottom line is coolers are an unavoidable part of the game. You need to get used to them, they will happen and sometimes they are going to happen at the worst moments. It's fine, dont focus on the cooler - focus on your play! Good luck to you in your games.

When i push in the same spot with pockets 44 and see call from AA, i just closed window if i cant hit any of my 2 outs. And I don't even doubt that this is the right action.