What am I doing with the dreaded AJ?

[Lo-Dog]

Barely started this SnG and got a shortstack all in. I have not played a hand and my usual strategy is to play very tight until the first break. So I would normally fold this. (right/wrong?)

I could check down but figure to have the best hand of the two of us right now and after thinking a little while I do what I do.

My BR is in a bit of a tailspin right now as I try different things and try to loosen up a bit but moreso be agressive. (I find I am ITM often but first is rare due to short stack playing tight when I get no cards.)

Remember its the Christmas season, don't be too mean.

pokerstars Game #7664077302: Tournament #39202151, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/12/29 - 15:19:58 (ET)
Table '39202151 14' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: RalfRainer (1480 in chips)
Seat 2: LadyCanuck (390 in chips)
Seat 3: GdAsGld (1450 in chips)
Seat 4: kinghighaz (1460 in chips)
Seat 5: PLF_DBA_MAN (1470 in chips)
Seat 6: RONIN168 (1240 in chips)
Seat 7: mazda22 (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: skisteve (2230 in chips)
Seat 9: Zappa29 (2280 in chips)
RONIN168: posts small blind 10
mazda22: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PLF_DBA_MAN [Jh Ah]
skisteve: folds
Zappa29: folds
RalfRainer: folds
LadyCanuck: raises 370 to 390 and is all-in
GdAsGld: folds
kinghighaz: folds
PLF_DBA_MAN: calls 390
RONIN168: folds
mazda22: calls 370
*** FLOP *** [8c 3c Ac]
mazda22: checks
PLF_DBA_MAN: bets 1080 and is all-in
mazda22: calls 1080
*** TURN *** [8c 3c Ac] 9♠
*** RIVER *** [8c 3c Ac 9s] [Ts]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
mazda22: shows [Jc Ks] (high card Ace)
PLF_DBA_MAN: shows [Jh Ah] (a pair of Aces)
PLF_DBA_MAN collected 2160 from side pot
LadyCanuck: shows [Ad Qs] (a pair of Aces - Queen kicker)
LadyCanuck collected 1180 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3340 Main pot 1180. Side pot 2160. | Rake 0
Board [8c 3c Ac 9s Ts]
Seat 1: RalfRainer folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: LadyCanuck showed [Ad Qs] and won (1180) with a pair of Aces
Seat 3: GdAsGld folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: kinghighaz folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: PLF_DBA_MAN (button) showed [Jh Ah] and won (2160) with a pair of Aces
Seat 6: RONIN168 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: mazda22 (big blind) showed [Jc Ks] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 8: skisteve folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Zappa29 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

 

[zebranky]

my advice...

First and foremost - fold AJ preflop if there's an all-in. There's just not that many hads someone will go all in with that you are ahead on (because any pair, AK or AQ are ahead of you - and those are the only all-in hands for most players). In this case your call isn't all that bad, because you're calling a short-stack, and you'll still have 1000 or so chips left if you lose. It may be worth calling simply to have a decent chance of knocking him off the table. If that's what you're willing to do, I might suggest raising to isolate - with AJ, you really don't want a 3rd player.

second - now that you're at the flop with a 3rd player, check it down unless you get a monster. Its SNG, so getting players eliminated is your goal, even if you don't win the hand. In your case, you might have pushed someone off a flush that would have eliminated the short-stack.

lastly - say thank you to Mazda for calling an A high board with only a flush draw. He called against the odds, got burned, and paid you off so that it didn't matter if you lost the main pot.

oh, and regarding your play stategy - its perfectly good to be tight for at least the first orbit or two, but I would say waiting till the first break is too long. You want to wait for the donks to eliminate themselves, but if you wait too long your stack is likely going to be ineffective at doing anything other than all-in.

 

[Lo-Dog]

Yes, very suspect call with AJ but it was sooooted. lol

Isolating crossed my mind but that might happen with a call and if I hit the flop then go for it. thats what i was thinking anyway.

Solid response, thanks.

 

[Stick66]

AJ is iffy and requires a good read to proceed here normally. Mazda saved you. I would say "If you want to isolate the small stack, push pre-flop.", but the fact that Mazda stayed is what saved you. Played wrong, lucked out, learn from it.

 

[zebranky]

https://www.cardschat.com/member.php?u=10634

BTW, I want your Fuc*!#g hat!

 

[razbet]

I think you played right , because lady canuck was kind a shortstacked ... so ...was pretty unlucky for you ...those things happen ...

 

[Bombjack]

The original all-inner wasn't really short-stacked: with 20 BB left, she still had plenty of room for manoever. Good play by her... who would normally call a 20xBB raise with AJ or KJ?

Fold pre-flop.