Preserving Image on the Bubble

[blockafor]

Last night I was playing a 22/180, and I was cruising through the mid stages - winning flips and stealing blinds successfully about twice an orbit. Everthing was going perfectly, no one was confronting me, and I was feeling good.

Then with about 50 people left, a few people started playing back at me and re-raising me pre-flop. This happened 3 times, and each time I was caught with a mediocre hand and laid 'em down all 3 times.

About half an orbit after my 3rd lay down, I was down to T9600 with 300/600 blinds, 25 players left, beginning of the bubble, and I pick up AQo in early mid position. I make it 1500 to go, and I'm thinking "I hope one of you LAGs that's been re-popping me does it now so I can push". Sure enough I got re-raised. However, it was by a new player to the table 3 seats to my left that hadn't seen any of my lay downs. He has a big stack (T26000) and makes it T4000 to go. His smallish re-raise seemed to me to represent a lot of strentgth (but since he's new to the table I have no idea about his re-raise frequency).

I feel that my hand is very likely to be in really bad shape, but I know that a 4th lay down here will make me look really weak and targetable to the rest of the table (and also only leave me with 13BB's). What do I do?

[Potte]

push preflop? Do you really want to be repopped by 44-77, which are hands that beats you but easily can think you will fold your overs if they come over the top. If you push, these hands will likely fold.

[blockafor]

Due to my perceived image at the time, I think 44-77 is a very small slice of the range that is re-popping me. My plan for the hand was to invite a re-raise (although not expecting it from this villain) so I can re-re-raise to show the table that I'm capable of doing so instead of being tagged as someone who lays down to all re-raises. And I was hoping in turn that this would reduce future re-raises against me.

Also, not that it's necessarily wrong in certain spots, but I never open push more than 12BB's.

[eBo]

This one is not so easy. I'll give villain credit for being a legit player and give him the range {AQ+,JJ+}. I can't give him credit for a midpair because those hands are likely to push you all in.

I don't have PokerStove at work, but I think it's a fold with that range.

Edit: If you think he has a wider range, then a stop and go is a reasonable strategy.

[TFGoose]

I wouldn't be so concerned about your image. After all, if you deduce that you are beat, you're surely not calling solely because folding will "look weak." I'd rather look weak then be out of the tournament any day. Images can be repaired, after all.

As for this situation, it is extremely likely that you are behind, possibly crushed by the new player. I would tend to fold in this spot, and get warmed up for a little pushbot action. Hopefully your next raising hand is one you'll want to go all the way with, so you can raise small, get repopped, and go the distance. Or, if it's something you'd rather not get re-raised with, you'll have few enough chips that pushing is +EV anyway.

--TFGoose

[SoBeDude]

Better to be a target than a railbird.

-Scott

[mornelth]

[ QUOTE ]

Also, not that it's necessarily wrong in certain spots, but I never open push more than 12BB's.

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"Never" and "always" should not be a part of your poker vocabulary, unless coupled with "almost"... Pushing 13Xbb is sometimes better than raising 3x, getting re-raised and then wondering what to do getting "a good price", yadda yadda yadda... Takes away the FE component of the bet from your opposition, and you won't get played back at ...

[JCool]

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I was caught with a mediocre hand and laid 'em down all 3 times.

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Just as a side note about image, I would probably avoid raising the third time with garbage after being caught twice.