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So i am in the money on a 0.10$+0.01$ MTT with M=5 and playing tightly waiting for a decent hand to shove. I'm UTG in this hand. I had a recent, won shove and decided to just call A⋄T⋄ since the game was passive enough and planning to shove if anyone shows aggression preflop. SB (M=35) completed and BB (M=16) checked. Quickly realized i had to shove PF rather allowing the big stacks to come along.

Flop

2⋄9⋄Q♥

SB checked, BB raised the pot. I put him on any flop piece like A2,K9, most of the time a pair on board and sometimes on complete air or perhaps a low pair like 66. I decided i have ~13 outs (9 flush cards + 3 aces + ~1 ten at most). Since my stack is only good for a shove here and my odds are close to coin-flip (poker stove shows i'm around 70% ahead here vs random hand) i take the chance and shove. SB folds and BB calls me with:

6♣9♥

for middle pair. Pokerstove shows i'm around 55% ahead here. I'm behind 45% if he had paired the Q♥ Nevertheless i decided i'm around coin-flip.

Turn and River

4♣7♠

and BB wins with the 9.

I know that i mostly lost the hand because i didn't shoved pre-flop given my lowly M but i'm mostly interested in this typical flop situation: A good coin-flip nut draw + high cards vs pair or air big stack's bet. I have the impression i made the correct shove (although i should go earlier) here and even if he calls me, i sense i have plenty of outs. This play is decided mostly on my short stack and big stack aggression vs short stacks. Do you think it's OK play?

  • I'm tagging this as "fold-equity" as well, because I suspect it will be a critical component of the answers you'll receive :) . – Radu Murzea Dec 31 '14 at 08:48
  • @Radu Murzea, thanx, didn't thought of such a tag :) –  Dec 31 '14 at 10:20
  • How many players were left at the table when this hand happened? – jmsimpson68 Dec 31 '14 at 18:53
  • @jms, there were 8 players still left in the table. –  Jan 01 '15 at 01:15
  • @vlzvl if there was 8 players then I don't see the hand playing any differently. You didn't have enough fold equity (IMHO) to force out all 8 players and your hand wasn't really strong enough to play all in UTG. Your best chance to win max money was the move you made after the flop with the 4 flush. Sure you were behind, but you had a decent chance to come out with a descent stack if you won. – jmsimpson68 Jan 04 '15 at 19:09
  • @jms, Thanx for the comment. Problem is that my situation **(M=5)** asks for looser decisions now that my stack can cause some pain out there. I think _ATs_ is a very fine hand for this, either calling or shoving. Don't forget also i was one step before the blinds and my stack would get only smaller and would have even less _fold equity_. I click the _Call_ button with an inner fight ;) If i were _LP_ i would insta-shove _(if folded/limped by loose)_ but on _UTG_ i had a headache. I thought the same on flop, thank you :) –  Jan 05 '15 at 06:16

1 Answers1

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Nothing jumps out at me as being obviously wrong with your play. I agree that the pre-flop shove is a good alternative but I wouldn't necessarily think that your move was wrong.

Regardless, you had a great draw and (unfortunately!) those draws aren't always going to work out. You got your money in good and your thinking is along the right lines. This is just one of those things where "the rabbit had the gun this time" :-)

Unknown Coder
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  • thanx jim :) glad to hear it was an OK move, it shows quite frequently. –  Jan 01 '15 at 02:48
  • @vlzvl you're right, you will often find yourself in this scenario. But, as far as draws go, you could do a lot worse than having 13 outs. So I think you're doing just fine buddy :) – Unknown Coder Jan 01 '15 at 12:57