[heartbreaker]

What is the reccomended play preflop for this situation.
Single table tourney
3 players remaining

I am in sb with 3000 chips
bb has 4000 chips
utg 1000 chips

sb 100
bb 200
utg folds

Is this a good situation to go all in. I raised but not big enough to get the bb to fold. He ends up drawing out and winning the hand.

Any ideas on how this situation should be played

[chris]

depends alot on how youve been playing throughout the tournament, i pesonally would raise around $1400 to get the fold, if he calls and no high cards come your a winner (usually) if high cards do come hes nervous anyway and should check to the river, an all in move is viable of course but against 2 high cards as we know its any1s game.

How much was the prize money, sometimes people just want to get it over with on smaller money tables once there in the money which is, a lot of the time great if your the one with the patience and chips to back you up.

Depending on the other player a flat call might not be out of order as he may feel a rush off sillyness and go for the bluff, if he moves i would always follow heads up with 88 we'll like i said depends on the player.

[norshvind]

I would try to avoid putting a lot of chips in heads up against the big stack. If you bide youre time there is a good chance the small stack will go out, moving you up in the money. I might go all in against the small stack if the big stack had already folded. Otherwise I would hope the other two would go all in heads up. What I want is to see one of them get knocked out and be heads up against the last one. I always feel I have a pretty good chance of winning at that point, even if the other guy has 2-3 times as many chips as I do. A lot of players just aren't that good at adjusting their play to heads up.

[johnf]

I understand your logic shooter, but claming up isn't the way to do it,you see the big stack may have best position but dosent want to lose the advantage so isnt that keen on calling either, dont just look at the play from your position as there all proberably thinking exactly the same as you i.e hope 1 of them takes the other out, if played well this can be the best time to collect the chips you need for the heads up later.

[lork]

I feel that without knowing how the BB has played through out the tourney I really can't say exactly how I would play the hand but I'll give you my thoughts based on the numbers.

I would raise here and make it approx. 3.5 to 4.5 times the BB total. ($650 to $850 to go) Pocket 8's are huge 3 handed especially against another blind hand, but at the same time you are in 2nd chip position and going against the chip leader who has the power to catch and knock you out. The down side of this raies is that your out of position here and might run into a trap of some sort. Also keep in mind that the short stack can only make it through 3.5 rounds of blinds (assuming they don't go up) He either has to catch a hand or is out, guranting more money for you.

You never want to go all-in preflop by your own choice. Make an appropriate raise and then out play your opponent post flop. I see players go all in way to early in SNG's, they either don't have a strong hand and then consider it a bad beat when they get taken out or no one calls and they don't earn anything with their strong hands. Save your chips for many reasons but most importantly IMHO is to stay to fight another hand/day.

[pritz]

Not knowing the opponent's likely play your choice might be determined by your own choice of plays... I agree with a pre-flop raise of 500-800 only if you plan to bet out on the flop. (regardless of flop cards) Being out of position, the likelyhood of checking it down and winning seems slim. If that doesn't suit your style, then a flat call or all-in. The flat call allows you to check and fold if you like, and the all-in well... This is all being said by someone who in these positions many times ends in 3rd...lol

[quickie]

I would raise it but not too much...just enough to think that you have a top pair..if an opponent who has been playing tight during that game either calls or raises you more than likely your beat..but lets say he raises you and the flop comes K,8,3...if i were in his shoes i would check..then i would check if i were you..then say he bets/raises..most likely your beaten so fold..just be cautious if the player your against plays tight...it all depends on the players that vall you and left

[chris]

hold on so quickie,you think that an 8 came on the flop giving him 888 it would be beat there,and you would fold it? how do you think that, and why do you think that, there playing tight and theres taking the p**s.

[quickie]

I am just saying that if there is an ace or a king on the flop as well as an 8 that would give you trips. Then say your in a NL game. Then a player who has been playing tight goes all in. I probably wouldnt call it. It would be tough for me to call it. He either has pocket aces, pocket Kings, Pocket Queens or big slick. I would find it hard to call when he goes all in. I would just fold and save my money or a better hand.
In a limit game, I may play this hand. But I wouldnt want to risk too many chips on a hand like this.
Everything depends on the player. If a player is aggressive and may have a K-4. If the player is more aggressive, i would definitely call an all in. If a limit game, It i would keep raising. However, if the player is really tight. I would fold in limit or no limit.

[chris]

i can see your point but surely thats extremely cautious, id preffer trips with a couple of higher cards out, that improves the chance of a call or even better a raise, suppose well have to agree to disagree on this, whats every1 else think, am i losing my marbles???

[quickie]

I can see your point as well. You figure you have trips a top hand at this point in the hand or in any part of the hand for that matter. With the king out there and a very tight player playing the hand, if he bets a large amount towards me or goes all in, i am going to have to assume he has pocket kings and fold the hand.