Turbo Tournament Strategy

[Blinking Lights]

Lately I've become interested in turbo tournament strategy. I came across a situation yesterday that I wasn't sure what I would do if I was in the position.

Here's what happened:

9 handed game on FTP
4 players left - bubble time -

Blinds 200/400

Effective Stacks:

Me: 6,000
Button: 2,400
SB: 600
BB:4500

I'm dealt K10 so at this stage it's an obvious all-in The Button and Big Blind can't call because the SB is so short that they can basically fold their way to the $. That's why I chose all in rather than a normal raise.

Well, the button didn't realize this apparently and he called all in.

This would be great news for the SB because now they can fold the hand and hope the Button gets knocked out so they can cash. However, they know that I'd been raising all in on a bunch of hands stealing blinds and the Button might have been just fed up and called with two high cards (a losing play at this stage).

The SB has A A . Now, this is obviously the best hand, but even if they win, they will still be really short with only 1600 chips. If they lose they are out. They figure that the button has me beat but not by much (he had been playing quite poorly throughout). Probobly 70% to 30%.at best and a race at worst.

My question is this: Do you fold and hope that I beat the button or do you get your money in as a favorite and hope to beat two players, knowing you'll still be the short stack even if you win?

[Mika Ollila]

I would definitely play to win and call with the AA.

If you have been stealing a lot, then the SB can only assume that the Button has a better hand than you for risking his stack at this point. So Button should be a favorite, and if he wins the SB would be against three evenly large stacks who would blind him out.

Btw you could also have raised four times the big blind here. Suppose you raise 1600 and Button and SB go all-in. Now it would be up to the BB. In case he also moves in, you can fold.

[pinnie]

You have to play AA and KK in situation like that. Nothing else though.

[Blinking Lights]

I think I would probobly calls as well.

In response to mollila's post: What I've come to believe by playing these turbo sit & gos is that you play to cash, then once you cash, you play to win. I went all in because I was the chip leader and the button pretty much has to fold every hand because the SB is so short and he's almost guaranteed to cash. By calling all-in he takes a huge risk of not cashing. Also I'm still in decent chip position if he calls all-in and wins.

I appreciate both of your responses.

Here's what happened:

The SB called for his whole stack

I have K 10
The Button shows A J
The SB has A A

The Flop: 3 Q 8
The Turn: 7
The River: 10

So I take the side pot and knock out the Button with a pair of tens.
The SB takes the main and winds up cashing.

[Pimpin]

I would definately play AA in that situation. The only time I've ever folded AA pre-flop is early in a tournament when there are allready three or four people at a full table all in and i believe that my rockets not only have a good chance of being cracked, they also don't seem to have many prospects of improving. I would definately play to win, knowing full well that if nobody gets busted out on that hand, i will likely be first out. My best chance at survival and victory is to throw my chips in with the best hand.

[Mika Ollila]

I went all in because I was the chip leader and the button pretty much has to fold every hand because the SB is so short and he's almost guaranteed to cash. By calling all-in he takes a huge risk of not cashing.

You are quite right here. I actually misread that the button was chip leader when I wrote about the 4xBB raise.

The only time I've ever folded AA pre-flop is early in a tournament when there are allready three or four people at a full table all in

That was a bad decision. Why would you not call three all-ins early in a tournament when you are the favorite to win?

The only time that you should think of laying down AA pre-flop is very late in a tournament in a similar situation where by folding you have a chance to get a lot more prize money.

[AlWMoe]

I haven't folded AA preflop in a game yet - and this wouldn't be the spot to start. Who cares about the 10% for 3rd? I'm shooting for first - always.

Al W Moe

[Blinking Lights]

I haven't folded AA preflop in a game yet - and this wouldn't be the spot to start. Who cares about the 10% for 3rd? I'm shooting for first - always.

Al W Moe

1) It's 20% for third
2) Playing for 1st in these turbo tourneys before it gets to the final 3 is a losing play in the long run.