Playing small pairs

STEVIEBEAR

Hi,

I would like opinions on playing small pairs and comments as to whether you would have played this particular hand the same as me. I had a pair of 3's in the open tournament last night with only 36 players left and I was in position 14th with 37000 chips and the blinds at 3000/6000. I was in 1st position with a full table of 6 people with this pair of 3's. I figured that with only 6 big blinds and wanting to win the tournament I needed to make a move and so I raised it to 12000 figuring that I would eliminate most players if not all with this play. The top stack at the table had 70000 chips however the person on the button re-raised all in (he had 60000 chips). All other players had folded leaving me with the decision did I want to risk it. I didn't have any info on this player as he had just joined this table and figured he either had a larger pair or say Ace King. I decided to chance it and went all in with my remaining 25000 chips and he turned over pocket 9's.

Based on this info did I do the right thing?

MereNovice

With only 6 (and a bit) big blinds, it's shove or fold here - especially if you are going to call the re-raise anyway.
You're almost certainly getting called by the 99 anyway but you don't want the blinds calling you with hands like suited connectors (which would be overcards).

PiAnOpLaYa

If your going to call a re raise u might aswell push so then u wont have that choice to make. 

If it was me playing i think i'd push and hope for the best you dont really want a caller

Kdanem

IT IS EITHER ALL IN OR FOLD WITH ONLY 5 BBS,, IF U PUSH ALL IN YOU MAKE IT HATDER FOR PLAYERS TO CALL, THY WILL ONLY CALL WITH P/P OR A J AQ AK ..LIMITS THERE CALLING ABILITY .BY DOING 12.000 YOUR LETTING WEKER HNDS IN TBH..

acebarry10

Hi Steve

From what you say above, you only have about 6BB,s left, but you only min raised therefore making it more likely that someone will at least call if not go over the top with something like AK, the question you need to ask yourself is what do I want from this bet, will just doubling the BB do anything? unlikely in my view, on the button 6BB,s in my opinion is Push or fold, al your chips went in anyway, so why not do it first? you no longer have a decision to make.

I cannot promise you would not have had the call, but you end up in a race if she/he does, but could you call an "All In"?

Hope this helps

TENOFSPADE

im folding pocket 3s from that position tbh stevie,u had 6 bb bhind ,i wud av waited 4 a better spot..........if i was gonna play them from utg i wud av shoved the lot in ,but u wud av bn called by the pocket 9s anyway,to cut a long story short pocket 3s utg is not a great hand later stages of a tourny ,hope this helps u m8

bennydip2

In Response to Re: Playing small pairs:

Hi Steve From what you say above, you only have about 6BB,s left, but you only min raised therefore making it more likely that someone will at least call if not go over the top with something like AK, the question you need to ask yourself is what do I want from this bet, will just doubling the BB do anything? unlikely in my view, on the button 6BB,s in my opinion is Push or fold, al your chips went in anyway, so why not do it first? you no longer have a decision to make. I cannot promise you would not have had the call, but you end up in a race if she/he does, but could you call an "All In"? Hope this helps
Posted by acebarry10

yep exactley  nice one Ace !

GREGHOGG

Quite simple, as said by the others, its a FOLD or a SHOVE

FYI, id prob take Tenofspades approach and fold, but a shove is fine too.

elsadog

Chuck 'em away UTG

MereNovice

In Response to Re: Playing small pairs:

Chuck 'em away UTG
Posted by elsadog

... or shove.

MereNovice

As a rule of thumb, if you're trying to win the tournament, shove.
If you're trying to "ladder up" (i.e. get a bit more cash by finishing higher) fold.

BADBOY985

AGREE WITH TEN AT THIS STAGE YOUR GONNA  PROBABLY GET CALLED BY ANYONE WITH A PAIR OR 2 FACE CARDS. IF THIS HAPPENS YOUVE GOT 2 CARDS THAT CAN IMPROVE YOUR HAND THEYVE LOADS

lucky77777

hey dont knock any pair take a look at this tell me what think please peeps much appreciatted

	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
lucky77777	Small blind		10.00	10.00	4750.00
Soreknees	Big blind		20.00	30.00	4740.00
	Your hole cards	A Q
MACH_1	Call		20.00	50.00	5040.00
SHY-BOY	Call		20.00	70.00	10300.00
lucky77777	Raise		90.00	160.00	4660.00
Soreknees	Fold
MACH_1	Call		80.00	240.00	4960.00
SHY-BOY	Call		80.00	320.00	10220.00
Flop
		5 6 10
lucky77777	Check
MACH_1	All-in		4960.00	5280.00	0.00
SHY-BOY	Fold
lucky77777	All-in		4660.00	9940.00	0.00
Turn
		K
River
		4
lucky77777	Show	A Q
MACH_1	Show	2 2
MACH_1	Win	Pair of 2s	9940.00		9940.00

elsadog

This happens a lot. Many players think that to win, or high place, in a tourney you need to be out of the blocks like a greyhound. They will take chances early on because they think that's needed to win. Featuring in the chip lead in a tournament's early stages rarely leads to success. Check out any mtt with a reasonable number of runners and see who from the early or mid section chip leaders makes it to the final table let alone winning it. I try to avoid any all in situation in the early stages unless I hold a monster hand.