PS $10 180 near bubble

[sdlangers]

i have trouble with this hand because of the bubble and also because of my stack size and villains stack size.. please let me know what you think on all streets..

villain is 34 25 4

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

SB (t9033)
BB (t4620)
UTG (t25916)
MP1 (t14280)
MP2 (t9534)
CO (t8445)
Hero (t9925)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to t1250</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Hero calls t1250, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>.

Flop: (t2650) 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t1500</font>, UTG calls t1500.

Turn: (t5650) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, Hero checks.

River: (t5650) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG bets t1400</font>

i'm not convinced he has anything and i know the bet is small, but the blinds are about to go up, its near the bubble and i dont have a hand.. perhaps i should have pushed the flop or the turn?

[swede554]

I don't mind shoving this pre. UTG should be raising pretty wide here given his stacksize and the approaching bubble.

As played, I'd just check behind on the flop and fold if bet into on any street unless I hit an A or Q obv.

[black666]

On the flop I check behind. What are you trying to represent? You are getting called for sure.

I fold the river. You only beat AT or KQ. Any pair or AJ+ (except AQ) has you crushed. Yeah, his PFR range is pretty wide, but wouldn't he bet a bit more on the river if he was on a pure steal? This seems like value town.
Given his PFR range I also think that a shove PF would be the way to go.

[sdlangers]

i dont like shoving pre flop because im in decent enough position stack wise - i think i was about 10th out of 20 (even though the stacks were similar on my table) - and he's the table chip leader - also i have 22BB - still some room to move... but maybe i should be pushing these more.. maybe that made the hand difficult from then on

if i had about 6k-7k it would be an easy shove for me but i thought with the stacks i'd call and see the flop

i thought it was strange he checked the flop - he's pretty aggressive.. i bet the flop to get a free turn card.. but maybe thats dumb because he might be slow playing a big hand

his small bet on the river is what really annoyed me - couldve been a blocking bet or a bluff - i folded because like you said i couldnt really beat anything.. but the whole hand just sucked - if i had more chips i wouldve called the river jsut to see but i didnt want ot leave myself real short..

[HP_Drifter]

I would shove PF here. If villain has any clue what he is doing, he's opening a large range of hands which you are well ahead of. If he wakes up with a monster, tough luck, on to the next tourney. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

As played, check behind on the flop, he has no reason to believe your bet actually represents something. I would most likely just try to check this down and win with ace-high, but I suppose if he checks to you on the turn and you believe he'll fold you could take a stab at it.