Inflection Point Play

**mxp2004** · 11-02-2005

I think this hand raises issues about inflection point play late in a MTT. I'll lay it out and give you the reasons for my play, but I would be interested in comments on my opponent's play as well:

We're nearing the bubble of an online MTT. 1,000 players started, and 130 are left. 80 spots pay. The blinds are 400/800 with 50 ante. Starting pot is 1,650.

I have about 8,500 chips after posting the BB, and I'm in about 60th place. My opponent is in MP and has slightly more chips. He is relatively new to my table, one where I have been playing tight and showing down good hands. The table has been slowing down as the bubble nears, with most hands winding up either uncontested or as a confrontation between a small stack (less than 4,000 chips) moving in and getting called by one of the larger stacks at the table.

On this hand, everyone folds to my opponent, who limps in. Everyone then folds to me in the big blind. I have

. I immediately move all in, and my opponent calls with

.

The board:

. My opponents wins with trip kings.

I felt that this was an excellent opportunity to take down the pot before the flop without a confrontation. I felt that if my opponent thought that his hand wasn't strong enough to open with a raise, then he would fold to an all-in that put his tournament at risk this close to the bubble, especially since his chip stack, like mine, was about average for the remaining players and not in immediate need to take a stand. Plus, I felt that I was likely in the lead and may very well be dominating a weaker suited ace (believing that my opponent would have raised with a larger ace or big pair). Finally, I felt that, if I were called, it would most likely be by a small or middle pair, giving me a significant chance to outdraw him.

As you can see, it did not work out well for me once all the cards were dealt. But I'd appreciate any comments or insights that people have about my play of the hand and his.

**xxdemexx** · 11-02-2005

I think you played it well...

Problem is that the other guy had pot odds to call (or thereabouts - with a limp, antes and the size of the blinds).. You're both well into low M... It's a good aggressive move on your part - and he probably would have folded three rounds previously BUT .. You both need to get out of survival mode to contest the prizes.

You got to lose 40 players before your ITM... one of you needs to double up and fast ... He was praying for a coin flip (you low PP).. he didnt get it but hit...it happens

**Jason75** · 11-02-2005

Word that, deme.

If you figure he started with 8k in chips, then there's 9650 in the pot and it's 7200 to call or just better than 1.3:1. So unless he's up against AA, KK, QQ, AK, or AQ, he's just about getting his odds to call. Problem is that you could be pushing anything - any 2 facecards, any pair, any ace, even suited connectors. He's got to figure with this large a spread of hands, he's more than getting his odds to call. Frankly in your situation, I might just push all in with anything.

You got your money in with the best of it, and he made a reasonable call. The rest was up to the cards, and he prevailed. C'est la vie.

**Aces-o-8s** · 11-02-2005

Originally Posted by mxp2004

I immediately move all in, and my opponent calls with

.

I concure with what Jason and deme said but I have to wonder why the opp called your all-in. He only limped in so getting away from this hand should have been easy enough - not like he was pot committed or in a do-or-die situation and he had to figure you for at least an Ace overcard. The call may have been reasonable although I don't think it was really all that smart.

Small consilation but as Jason said
"You got your money in with the best of it, and he made a reasonable call. The rest was up to the cards, and he prevailed. C'est la vie."

**TexArcher** · 11-02-2005

Nothing wrong with your play, you've got to figure you're ahead unless he's got a pair, and you've got a coin flip against most pairs, and he's going to have to fold an awful lot of hands.

Edit: Why would he call your raise? Why would he limp for that matter? I don't know, I don't hate his call, but I don't like it.

You've got to win some races and small leads all-in to place high in a tourney, neither of you could sit still and wait for the money. Wasn't your night...

**gder03** · 11-02-2005

you call 50 ppl of the bubble "near the bubble"?
with such large pots due to antes and blinds, a low stack calling all in in this situation is always justified imo. your about 1.6 to 1 against his hand. and jason said he was getting 1.3 to 1 on his money.

**Jason75** · 11-02-2005

Just to clarify: 1.3:1 with KQ vs. AJ is not in and of itself a good call. You'd need 1.5:1 pot odds there. However, given the range of hands that you could have, it likely justifies the call.

Though if I were him, I would have folded (and missed doubling up here). Actually, I would have gone all in to begin with. But once he's in that situation, his call is somewhat reasonable.

**mxp2004** · 11-03-2005

Thanks for all the comments. I thought my play was correct, and as for the outcome, it is a 7-card game after all.

I think if I had been in my opponent's position, I would have opened for a raise. At this table, a standard raise would have been enough to take down the pot preflop if no one had a hand. If someone came over the top before the flop, my decision would have been much easier than the one this guy faced because the pot odds would have been much better and mandated a call. If my raise were called, then on the flop I'd have the chance to either get away from the hand with about 6,500 chips remaining (enough to do some damage to the remaining stacks at this table) or outplay my opponent if the circumstances were right.

It sounds like some of you would have just pushed from the start with my opponent's hand. I think that is a reasonable play, too, and if he had done that, I would have likely mucked my AJs and looked for a better spot to get my money in. I don't know if any of you think that such a play on my part would have been too weak.

Thanks again for all the thoughts.

**Antneye** · 11-03-2005

The play is reasonable, but what i don't like about it is that AJ is not THAT strong of a hand, and you will only be called (mostly) by hands that have you beat.

In these spots I am looking to make my move into an un-opened pot. Even 1 limper will deter me from making this move.

**Trons** · 11-03-2005

I could be wrong, and I'm not that great of a NL player, let alone tournaments, but I like the all-in. There are a bunch of hands that he limps with that AJ has dominated. Unless he's been known to slow play powerhouses, you have to figure you've got him beat, it's jst a matter of how badly. In my opinion, not only is the All-in for value (in this situation), but you may get him to call with a much weaker hand because he thinks you're trying to buy the pot. Unfortunately, he did call and the cards fell his way.

Let's face it, had that last king not fallen, you wouldn't have bothered to post the hand because it would have seemed like a text book play. I believe it was very close to it.

I personally think the AJ is made stronger by the fact that:

A) he did limp, not raise (you didn't say what position he was in, but I'm guessing it was MP, not the kind of hand I would limp with from that position...raise maybe, fold probably, but not limp).

B) He probably thought you had rags and was trying to buy the pot...that's the best reason I can figure for his call.

C) The only hands that have you beat are the hands that would have raised PF if not been all-in to begin with (AA, KK, QQ, AK, AQ).

Bottom line...he got lucky to hit his 2 outer and suck out...better luck next time.

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