Pushing small pocket pair over limpers

[Fiksdal]

$1/45. Final table, top 6 pays. It's been ages since the final table started, and yet nobody has busted.

Whole table is pretty passive. A lot of limping, and then people fold to raises. I've been taking advantage of this to some degree, building my stack.

The only problem is CO, who is very loose preflop and seems like he likes to see flops. Folds a lot to c-bets though. I think he will not be willing to call with such a wide range anymore if it is for his entire stack. I don't know for certain though.

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t250/t500
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t13380
UTG+1: t8440
MP1: t7364
MP2: t6495
MP3: t5605
CO: t8853
Fiksdal: t9550
SB: t3630
BB: t4183

Pre-flop: (9 players) Fiksdal is Button with 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
UTG calls t500 <font color="aaaaaa">(pot was t750)</font>, UTG+1 calls t500 <font color="aaaaaa">(pot was t1250)</font>, 3 folds, CO calls t500 <font color="aaaaaa">(pot was t1750)</font>, <font color="#cc0000">Fiksdal raises all-in t9550</font>

[betgo]

It is OK, but I would probably limp behind. This is a good situation to play for a set or to steal with position postflop. If you get called it is likely to a medium pp ( or maybe a big pp). This play is better with high cards or a medium suited gapper or something.

I find someone tries to be the hero way too often, especially at the lower limits. Plays like this work really well live, but not so much in online games. I don't doubt that it's +EV because you're usually getting looked up by a hand you're flipping with, but I think playing for set value might be more +EV.

[Foucault]

I agree with betgo. The first limper, who should concern you the most, also has you covered, so you're risking quite a lot to pick up these chips in a situation where you're crushed by any calling range. Add to that that limping behind doesn't do much to affect your stack and gives you a much lower risk away to pick up a much larger pot the times that you flop a set, and I think you're way better off taking a flop. If a shorter stack behind you shoves and no one else calls, you'll likely be able to make a pretty profitable call and race him heads up with a lot of dead money in the pot.

[Fiksdal]

The problem with playing for set value, is that my implied odds are pretty limited. This guys are relatively weak tight post-flop. I had taken down a couple of limped BSB pots earlier by betting 1/2 pot.

[registrar]

Yeah, but someone's going to hit this flop and if you do flop a set, you can play it like the nuts, which is to say, slow.

[kingwood kid]

If i'm in blinds, and down to 6/7 BB, I call with a lot of hands that have you beat for the opportunity to add 150% to my stack. If either one has 77+/QJ+/Ax, you may be out a lot of chips.
But I can see where aggression at a weak-tight table to add 20% to your stack is good too. Maybe you raise to 2500 to isolate, then c-bet flop--unless you hit--since that had worked before.

[speedgun]

[ QUOTE ]
If i'm in blinds, and down to 6/7 BB, I call with a lot of hands that have you beat for the opportunity to add 150% to my stack. If either one has 77+/QJ+/Ax, you may be out a lot of chips.


[/ QUOTE ]

Since when QJ+ and Ax have a small pair beat?

[Landlord79]

I don't like the play either, you are risking a lot in a very speculative situation. You have plenty of chips and can play it, but the only player who has you covered has limped UTG. If he would have folded I would like the play more. I think this hand has too much potential if it hits and is too easy to get away from on a bad flop. If we're better players, then we should be fine seeing the flop and making the best decision at that point. The only hands that call us here have us beat or are racing with us, we are either slightly ahead or way behind if called. I like the limp here.

[Fiksdal]

The pot is getting big with plenty of money to pick up. If called, I might just be flipping with overlay, which is +EV.

I'm not at all worried about the UTG limper, who has, like the rest of the table, been limping frequently from all positions and folding to raises.

I was slightly worried about CO though, read description in OP.