My terrible call...

[card4]

Playing in a $20+2 holdem sng last night after a nice run in O8B ring game. I picked up AA and KK and doubled up with them each time so the cards had been kind. The table is down to 4 from the original 10 with a typical top 3 payout. I have about 3500 and so does the guy next to me. The other players at the table have about 2000 and 1000 with blinds at 200/400. I'm on the button with AKs and raise it up to 1200. I considered pushing all in but didn't want the one guy at the table who could bust me to wake up with a hand. He is in the small blind so I figure another 1000 is enough to get him to lay down anything marginal and enough to force the big blind who had only about 1000 in chips to decided whether or not this was the hand he wanted to take a stand with. My thinking was even if I lose I still have about 2300 and am still in contention.

The small blind calls and the big blind folds. Now I figure I may be up against a decent pair 99-JJ. Flop comes down 354. My opponent checks and so do I. With a low flop, I doubt that helped him since I can't see him calling with 67. However, if he has the pair I think he does, then maybe a low flop will make him consider pushing all in if he correctly put me on two high cards.

The turn brings and ace and immediately he goes all in. I just made top pair, top kicked and hate my hand. Now I quickly have to give thought to him having a strait or even a set. Would he have called a raise with a duece or a small pair that gave him a set? At this point, I reevaluate the hand I put him on earlier. Why would he risk all his chips when the ace hit? Is it possible he has AA? If so, why not check or make a small bet and try to trap me? What kind of hand does he put me on that got him to shove all in, so close to being in the money? I also give a little thought to him having a hand like AJs that he thinks may be ahead now or a hand like A5s which is clearly ahead.

In the end, I called just before the timer clicked down but I really didn't like my call. Looking back, I think I should have laid it down since I wasn't confident enough in the decision. The last thing I thought before calling was I had the best hand and knew that if I was right, I would be in great chip position. At this point, I was going for the win. I was all over the place with my read of this guy so I really didn't know what to think. Anyhow, he flips over AQ and I flip over big slick. AK came through and won a monster pot for me. With the overwhelming chip lead and down to three players, I cruised to the win. Still, I'm not sure if I played it right, despite the positive outcome.

I just wanted to share my thoughts on the situation with everyone else to see what you all thought so I can have some more alternatives to consider the next time I am in a similar situation.

[Shylax]

I think that that's an easy call to make. Then again I'm not that great a player so, lol.

But seriously here's my reasoning:

The SB might have thought you were trying to steal blinds. If he had a good hand he would have reraised to see if you were bluffing or not. But he called. That would eliminate AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010 and AK to me. The only hands I'd be worried about is small pockets.

When he checked the flop, that would have eliminated any thought of a set. With a strong straight draw out there, I would have made you pay to see the turn. The fact he didn't bet told me he didn't hit a set nor was holding top pair with pocket 6's through A's. My only fear would be he's playing a 67 suited or 22. I think I would bet the flop to find out if he's check raising me. I know you're play is probably smarter and less expensive but I would have made not a potsized bet but a respectable bet. Maybe 60-75% of the pot. If I win the pot there great. If he calls, then I know he has 22 or is trying for some other straight draw. If he raises, I bail.

But once the Ace hit and he went all in, I think it's an easier call if you bet the flop. If he goes all in after calling my flop bet, I can be sure he has 22 and fold. If he checks, I'd go all in cause I know I have the advantage.

But I think what you did was right. The only hand I would read after preflop and flop was either Ax or 22, I like my chances that he would have stayed in preflop with Ax more than 22. I definitely would have called like you did.

[adampad]

I don't think its a bad call at all. At that stage of the game any pair may be enough to push it all in. I think you should have bet after the turn though. To call your preflop raise in the small he had to have big cards or a pair. Even a small bet would have forced him to make a big decision in that situation.

[Lancer]

Of course my read and the table situation would be a big factor in my play, but I would have a hard time checking the flop after raising pf, unless maybe the guy has a history of trapping and check-raising.

I probably would have thought he had AJ or AQ with the all in on the turn and would have called believing I had him outkicked. I don't think it was a bad call.

[Earthslash]

It wasn't a good flop, but going with top pair / top kicker isn't a play you should kick yourself for. I've seen much, much worse called with online. Maybe it was a tough call because of how the table was playing, but you probably didn't want to lay your hand down after the ace came up.

- Steve

[card4]

Thanks for the responses. In a typical ring game, I'm almost always calling to the river without a second thought but in a tournament so close to the money, it was one of those hands that made me stop and think. In the end, I thought I held the winners so I called. I just hate risking it all close to the money.

I have been going for wins more than just trying to edge up the pay scale in multi table tournaments lately. I'm not finishing in the money as often but when I do stay in, its been to the final table with a good sized stack and able to make it into the top 3-5 and I won a 500 player event recently and came close to winning a second in the same week but took a bad beat late (see my post). Its a big adjustment coping with not finishing in the money as often as I was used to but I kind of like being at the end with a big stack and being able to really play rather than being so short that I'm always looking for a decent hand to move all in with.