Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

I rarely play tourneys, so I am still trying to get a feel for the basics.

This was a $20 180-man SNG on Stars. Half the field is left at this point, so my stack size here is average. I don't remember exactly how long until blinds go up, but we had been at 50/100 for a while.

UTG+1 is capable of raising a fairly wide range of hands here, but I don't know anything about MP2. Is pushing here pf the right play? Can I just let this go? Call and push a favorable flop?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (8 handed)
CO (t3389)
Button (t1705)
SB (t4250)
Hero (t2990)
UTG (t1286)
UTG+1 (t1110)
MP1 (t2400)
MP2 (t3450)

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 raises to t1110 (all-in)</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP2 calls t1110, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t2990</font>, MP2 calls t1880.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

MP2 flat-calling the UTG+1 push for 1/3 of his stack is scary. I don't hate the push here, but I'd probably fold this. AK I'm definitely moving in though.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

I would fold this. I generally fold AQ when there is a big raise, reraise (or even a call of a big reraise like we have here). You definately should NOT call and see the flop. Never call off 1/2 of your stack, unless you are planning on pushing any flop. If you insist on calling, then push instead. But, I think you should fold and wait for a better spot.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

This is an easy fold for me.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

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MP2 flat-calling the UTG+1 push for 1/3 of his stack is scary. I don't hate the push here, but I'd probably fold this. AK I'm definitely moving in though.

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100% agreed, although you could be beating utg and mp1 could have a middle pair, in which case you're getting good odds to triple your stack.

Too risky though, IMO

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

AQ is a fold in this situation, given that you have no read here.
Regards,
Carl

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

You can safely fold AQo here. Alternative is obviously to push, but I don't recommend it. If you lose the flip, you lose a lot of stack utility.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

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MP2 flat-calling the UTG+1 push for 1/3 of his stack is scary.

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Since it is already 1/3 of his stack to go, wouldn't he usually push if he had something good? Or is calling here with good hands standard? This is the problem I have in these tourneys; I haven't played enough of them to have a good sense of how a typical player plays.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

i'm also folding. being all in 3-handed with AQ doesn't appeal to me, especially when i'm not the aggressor. I don't think there's any way MP2 is folding to a push. i also don't want to play AQ OOP on the flop...the only real options are pushing the flop, or check/folding.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

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MP2 flat-calling the UTG+1 push for 1/3 of his stack is scary.

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Since it is already 1/3 of his stack to go, wouldn't he usually push if he had something good? Or is calling here with good hands standard? This is the problem I have in these tourneys; I haven't played enough of them to have a good sense of how a typical player plays.

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He could be trapping with a monster to encourage more people into the pot, or so someone can attempt to isolate and he can re-push.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

Since you say you are new to MTTs, I will say that you should get used to folding AQ/AJ in these situations. These are the types of spots that your average 180 man player donks themself out in. But, if you have a good read on a particular player, AJ/AQ can also be hands that you would push allin over the top with. No read, 2 players, betting like this, it's a clear fold. Overaggressive LAG who steals the blinds too much raises before you from late position, it's a push.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

He is probably just a donk. If he is a thinking player who is trying to trap and hopes someone behind him reraises, he could possibly be even more of a donk.

Edit: What I mean is that I think he has a good hand but he's playing it like a donk. And, it's not worth finding out either.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

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MP2 flat-calling the UTG+1 push for 1/3 of his stack is scary.

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Since it is already 1/3 of his stack to go, wouldn't he usually push if he had something good? Or is calling here with good hands standard? This is the problem I have in these tourneys; I haven't played enough of them to have a good sense of how a typical player plays.

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He could be trapping with a monster to encourage more people into the pot, or so someone can attempt to isolate and he can re-push.

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I know that he could be doing that; I'm asking how likely it is relative to him just being a donk and calling with a mediocre hand. In these really small buyin tourneys I usually weight "donk" a lot more heavily than "monster", but I'm starting to think that may be wrong (which is why I posted the hand).

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
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MP2 flat-calling the UTG+1 push for 1/3 of his stack is scary.

[/ QUOTE ]
Since it is already 1/3 of his stack to go, wouldn't he usually push if he had something good? Or is calling here with good hands standard? This is the problem I have in these tourneys; I haven't played enough of them to have a good sense of how a typical player plays.

[/ QUOTE ]

He could be trapping with a monster to encourage more people into the pot, or so someone can attempt to isolate and he can re-push.

[/ QUOTE ]
I know that he could be doing that; I'm asking how likely it is relative to him just being a donk and calling with a mediocre hand. In these really small buyin tourneys I usually weight "donk" a lot more heavily than "monster", but I'm starting to think that may be wrong (which is why I posted the hand).

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My definition of "donk" includes someone who calls off 1/3 of their stack with a monster to get more action with their big pairs when someone pushes in front of them. It just seems like an obvious trap. Don't take the chance here, especially if you don't have much of a read on said donks play.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

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But, if you have a good read on a particular player, AJ/AQ can also be hands that you would push allin over the top with.

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I had a good read that I was well ahead of the pusher's range. I had no read on the caller. I certainly agree that with no read on either player, this would be an easy fold. I thought that since I had a good read on one of them, that might be enough to play, but apparently not. I was also influenced by the fact that even if I win the side pot and lose the main, I end up with more chips than I started the hand with, so I thought that mitigated against the fact that AQ isn't such a great as a three-way hand.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

I'm folding this I think. If it was a bit smaller of an allin, I don't mind, but UTG+1 was still not in desperation mode with 11+ BB. I would guess a mid-high pocket pair or AK. MP2 cold call depends on what he's been doing. Could be AA or KK looking for more, or could be 66 looking to flip. I'm just getting out of the way here, not a big enough stack to risk 1/2 of it on AQo after a push and call.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

AQ multiway all in is somewhere I hate to be.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

I love Multi way all ins with AQ in one spot...first hour the 55.

Re: Stars 180 man. AQo go allin?
 

I think you gots to fold this given your stack size.