$22: Checkraising w/ big pair on an A hi flop

[SammyKid11]

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i dont like using a play like this without a read, but i suppse out of the blinds its alright. remember though, you can still be put off your hand against smart players so c/r is a dangerous move without a big hand and should be used sparingly, even here. the thing is, the opponent "float" in low buy ins is more to see a showdown and not to bluff you off your hand like it is in the standard sense of the word, so if you bet out and get called, you still may not need to put more money into the pot and may have the best hand. you might lose yourself in a c/r.

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When you say that I can "lose myself" in a check-raise what do you mean? If I get called or raised I think I can safely assume I'm behind. Do you think that a check-raise wastes too many chips?

Also let's say I lead out the flop and get called. If the turn bricks do you bet again? Do you check-call or check-fold? Getting called just really sucks on the flop because it doesn't mean that he has an ace, but I don't want to invest that many more chips in this hand.

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Essentially, you're using your c/r as a c-bet...finding out where you are and trying to maybe take the pot down right there. Even as the action was played, it's an expensive c-bet (100% of pot). Perhaps your instinct is right and it's a little more accurate than betting out would be...but I would think the difference is marginal. The difference between what you have to spend to bet out (around 180) versus what you have to spend check-raising (twice that, under the BEST of circumstances...you're right, sometimes he's gonna make it larger necessitating a larger c/r) is too big a price to pay, IMO.

Plus, you're at the 22's. I don't know that a ton of people are sophisticated enough to be running elaborate, multi-street bluffs. If he's calling you, he either has an ace (or better)...or he's hoping to get to a cheap showdown with a lower pocket pair or some other piece of the flop (remember, being in the blinds here, he might easily be calling you down with no more than middle pair).

Bet out t180 > c/r. If he raises substantially, you're gone. If he calls, check the turn and try to get to a cheap/free showdown. If he makes it too expensive, get outta there unimproved. The very bottom line is that this is not cash game poker. You simply cannot afford to be wrong here very often for it to be profitable to play too aggressively with an underpair...because you have stack considerations which, at this point in the SnG, must take the driver's seat.

As a note...this might be a great thing to do at 109+ facing an opponent you know is quite skilled. I just don't think it's worth it here.