Joined: Dec '09
Location: United States
Age: 57 (M)
Posts: 8
I posted a thread almost the same before, but I came across another situation. I was playing in a $5 tournament the other day at PS. The cut line was 264 and I was 350. I was the short shack on the table with 6 blinds to go. Everybody else had about 15 plus. I went all-in with JT suited lost of course. So my question is when do u go all-in and with what kind of a hand. Do u wait for a hand? The only thing is if u wait for a good hand u might not have that much chips left and it would be just like somebody calling.
either wait for a big hand and push hope you win to make the money (cut), or try and steel the blinds like you tryed too but was unlucky........ only time i do this is when im on the button and every1 b4 me has folded to steel the blinds
you had enough chips to see 60 hands if you were playing a ten seater tourney, you could use tactics and slow the game down hoping more players get knocked out, and wait to get that big hand to push with for you to make it
If you are short-stacked and prizes are far enough, you might be thinking in push in accurated hand. Which is this hand? Obviously if you receive a monster in every position against any opponent. Is a good hand to push if you are in a late position with only limpers or folds. Be carefull if you have big stacks in your left because they may call with any two cards. If your stack < 3 (BB+SB), push before you reach blinds, even a marginal hand.
Joined: Feb '08
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 1886
It all depends on what cards you're getting. With 6 blinds left you need to be thinking of going all in fairly soon but if you haven't been getting any cards and haven't played a hand in a while your range will be quite different. I wouldn't be limiting myself to the button where everyone has folded. Besides the fact that this doesn't happen often enough, you'll find that the big blind is more likely to call since it's obvious you're stealing. You're better off pushing in mid-late position when you would prefer just to pick up the blinds. When playing short-stacked I would go all in with J10 only against tight players if I was quite desperate for cards. Loose players will call with K10 and QJ. The fact that they are suited makes hardly any difference (about 2%) when you go all in preflop. Suited connectors only have an advantage if you play flops. I would avoid going all in with one high card and a poor kicker for eg K9, Q10, A5 until you have less than four big blinds. When you you have six blinds left and aren't up against a very big stack you will most likely get called by KQ and A10 which will dominate you so it is better to go in with 7 8 and have live cards or with monsters like AQ or better. You have to go all in regardless of whether you want a call or only want the blinds but try to work position and image to determine your opponent's range. You will at some point need to get called and try to double up since stealing the blinds very rarely suffices. Therefore you will need some luck but playing good short stack strategy will increase your chances.
Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 6786
Make a move earlier in the torney if possible. With just 6 BB you will be no longer a danger for other players stacks, and they will call you much lighter.
Joined: Mar '10
Location: Germany
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 69
First of all, you played correctly going all in with JTs but only, when you weren't UTG. Cause otherwise, there are too many better hands possible after you. Going all in would be best in the CO or BU. Preflop I avoid normally to go all in in the early phase of the game. Just with AA or KK.
Joined: Nov '08
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 2194
Posted by johnnygan: I posted a thread almost the same before, but I came across another situation. I was playing in a $5 tournament the other day at PS. The cut line was 264 and I was 350. I was the short shack on the table with 6 blinds to go. Everybody else had about 15 plus. I went all-in with JT suited lost of course. So my question is when do u go all-in and with what kind of a hand. Do u wait for a hand? The only thing is if u wait for a good hand u might not have that much chips left and it would be just like somebody calling.
Going all in is some times a dead give away as to what you are holding... think about it if you have a good / monster hand ie AA pre flop you want to maximise the pay out so going all in from the SB with no callers or raise infront would be stupid a strong raise speaks volumes in my opinion. As for going all in with JT suited or not isnt a good way to cash ... maybe JT if you have a guy trying to steal the blinds from late possition and you are the BB or even SB, thats the limit of JT im affraid. All in should only come up if you need to put the pressure on any other callers or drawers. Strong raise's are the key to aggression imo. JT no all in is what you need to see here. Id rather go all in with Ax or even 55 - 88 at least you have a 50/50 shot at AK then. Any way get the controll in your game and if you have to wait for a good / better opertunity then patiens will be your saviour.....
Joined: Jan '10
Location: Germany
Age: 32 (M)
Posts: 1379
Posted by xxxbchxxx: All in should only come up if you need to put the pressure on any other callers or drawers. Strong raise's are the key to aggression imo.
All in should always when you think its the best to do Thats always different... And i guess thats the clue behind poker
Joined: Feb '10
Location: Suriname
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 1189
I go all-in with AA or KK, other starting hands like AK suited or unsuited I raise, also I raise with QQ, JJ and TT. But when you are unlucky then you will lose these starting hands. Luck is also a factor.
Joined: Feb '08
Location: Ireland
Age: 53 (M)
Posts: 638
i push 10 to 12 big blinds ..... practically any two cards if no one calls before me and any ace or king even with calls before me ........ always best to push when you reach a limit of what people are not really willing to call with ...... or if you leave it any longer 5 or 6 big blinds people like me will call you with any two as i have won plenty of hands calling short stacks even when i had rubbish .........
Joined: May '09
Location: Spain
Age: 49 (M)
Posts: 1331
Hi johnnygan.
The standard strategy say push with 10 or less BB. Your hand in the example was strong enough to push if you were the first to enter in the hand. With less than 5 bb, push any two in SB and BB.
Joined: Jan '08
Location: Germany
Age: 41 (M)
Posts: 153
10bb is the minimum to play push/fold, but it of course depends on the other players. sometimes you have to push with 15 bb especially from the blinds. but if you want to have any chance to get itm you will have to play with high risk
Joined: Apr '10
Location: Romania
Age: 40 (F)
Posts: 183
it is easy to come up with pre-established poker laws! with 6bbs and no longer represetning danger to others,besides having the worst odds on that peticular table with a "luckly"JT picked up*even offsuited* you shall go all-inn without rationalising at all....blabla bla
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Australia
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 6483
I'd be trying to push my stack before i was down to 6BB, if I ended up with so few big blinds though, say because I lost to a smaller stack and just had a few hands left, I wouldnt be waiting very long to make a move.
I long since stopped playing MTT just to make the money, since then I've been reaching a lot of FT's. But I used to almost never bust before the bubble, but never go real deep either. Now days, I can bust anywhere along the way, but have taken down 4 MTTs (1st place) in last week and my track record is much better since I started playing a lot less scared of busting.
