What Do you do with 77 early in a tourney

[XiMaker]

I have problems with Middle Pairs and don't ususally play them but wanted to see what you guys thought of this...

It's very early in a tournament - we all started with 1500 chips and almost 3000 players start. We have only played 6-8 hands and I'm in late possition (2 off the button).... UTG raises to 150 (all-in) and then another player in middle possition raises to 350.... I've got 1440 chips with pocket 7's and decide to fold... UTG had K10 and the middle pos player had AA

The flop comes out 3-7-6 turn=5 river=3 ... I would have had a Full House.

My thinking... The UTG was going to go all in and try with any 2 cards (desperate) but when the middle player bet 350 when the binds are 30/60 - I'm thinking AA or KK or QQ and wanted to get rid of the rest of the field (It worked)

Bad choice for me to fold but I think it was the right decision...

XiMaker

 

[Cheetah]

The fold is correct.

Early in a tournament, try to limp or call a small raise with medium and small pairs. If you don't hit a set on the flop, check-fold.

The odds to hit a set on the flop and win are about 10:1. So the raise of 350 prices you completely out. You would have had to have 3,500 to break even on such call. So you need to have more than 3,500 to make it a profitable call.

Also, if you are not closing the betting, others may still re-raise behind you, so you need MUCH more than 10:1 to pay for those cases when you are re-raised and have to fold.

Generally, very early on, you can limp or call a raise of 3-4BB. In the latter case, 4BB requires a stack of more than 40BB before you can consider a call. When blinds are say 30 and you have 1,500, you have 50BB which is barely profitable.

And you should not raise yourself except to balance your play(which is rarely needed in tourneys).

 

[ryaned]

wish I had your restraint

...I think...mid pairs are a problem for everyone?...your hand is an example of why 77 has pos ev...hopefully we will get some insight in playing mid-pairs in a variety of situations...that plop/turn in your example is scary
early in this tournament I think you did right

 

[jeffred1111]

Yes, fold and don't call an AI this early for a flip: 150 chips is nothing to win, but a lot to lose since it makes doubling up less efficient.