Shorty *calls* 1/2 his stack pre vs. my QQ

[AKQJ10]

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I put him all in on the flop even if it might be slightly -EV, partly as an image play (i.e. don't eff with me i eat ur stack for breakfast) and partly out of contempt for shortstacks in general.

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There couldn't be a more succinct picture of the reaction that competent short stacks are trying to elicit. Why on earth would you defend a -EV play based on spite? So you can taunt your opponent as she's stacking your chips? When I buy in short I love stacking chips that my opponent bestowed on me out of spite. Guess he really bullied me!

That said, calling preflop is probably not the play of a competent short-stack player. As played I don't actually think that auto-pushing the QQ on the flop is any worse than marginally -EV, and that's only if an ace flops.

[AKQJ10]

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A guy who buys in for 10 and when drops to 8 re-buys to 10 is upto something.

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Good observation. That's how I've been doing it lately in the Party 25 and 50 because I'm trying to build a bankroll out of $50 I happened to have lying in my Party account.

[mjkidd]

I think his range is any ace, a lot of kings, 22+. 94s+

I'd check and call his push. I think he'll push with just about anything, and even this clown will probably fold 33 in this spot if you push.

[poincaraux]

mjkidd, do you think those hands usually call or push pre-flop? i was thinking that they usually push, especially the aces, but maybe i was thinking about a raised pot, rather than a re-raised pot.

yeah, check-call seems better.

[mjkidd]

After many seconds of thought, I think he'll push with any ace and any pocket pair preflop. His smooth call, I think, suggests weakness rather than strenth...he left himself half his stack so he can fold if an unfavorable flop hits. So, I guess that read skews his range to the broadway cards, suited connectors, same color connectors, and suited 5 gappers. So I think given that aces and PP are less likely, check-calling the flop clearly becomes the best option. The pot odds are so favorable, he only has to have a few hands in his range that are dogs to you for calling his all in to be profitable.

[poincaraux]

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So, I guess that read skews his range to the broadway cards, suited connectors, same color connectors, and suited 5 gappers.

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awesome!

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So I think given that aces and PP are less likely, check-calling the flop clearly becomes the best option. The pot odds are so favorable, he only has to have a few hands in his range that are dogs to you for calling his all in to be profitable.

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yeah. i'm with you. especially since short stacks tend to misestimate their fold equity so often it's funny.

if i had to play the hand over, i'd probably still push, but that's because i just finished off my supply of Booker's. yum!

[antidan444]

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So, I guess that read skews his range to the broadway cards, suited connectors, same color connectors, and suited 5 gappers.

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Phenomenal.

[kolotoure]

Check/call is clearly optimal and it isn't even close

[AKQJ10]

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Check/call is clearly optimal and it isn't even close

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Yep, I'm more convinced of this now. C/c induces bets that you want induced.

[NSchandler]

Wow, I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I'm confused by almost every single post in this thread.

I think the BB calling rather than re-raising all in indicates a lot of strength. It looks like he's trying to keep UTG+1 in, figuring that you'll put 5 more dollars in regardless of whether he pushes now or on the flop.

Small to mid pocket pairs would push all-in, trying to get it heads up.

So to me, the BB not pushing and trying to force UTG+1 out indicates a lot of strength, so I really hate that flop.

Obviously I'm way off base here. What am I missing?