Battle of Blinds nearing FT.

kutuz_off · #1 01-31-2006, 07:11 PM

We are ITM, 12 left out of about 110 runners. I'm SB, BB is a good well respected player, who played quite a few hands, but when he had to show, showed solid hands.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t600 (6 handed) internettexasholdem.com

Button (t23705)
Hero (t14247)
BB (t16904)
UTG (t9437)
MP (t10300)
CO (t8685)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
4 folds, Hero raises to t1800, BB raises to t16854, Hero ????

If you say call, how bad is the fold, and vice versa? In any case, what's your calling range?

Skjonne · #2 01-31-2006, 07:15 PM

Unless there's a history of blind battles between you that dictates otherwise, I just fold this. My stack is still healthy and how much can I really be in front?

Foucault · #3 01-31-2006, 08:09 PM

The history definitely matters a lot, but I think you have to default to a call here. I think this is any A, most pairs (but not too many that dominate you), some good K's, and maybe even some random suited connectors or something that BB is re-stealing with.

kutuz_off · #4 01-31-2006, 10:10 PM

Previous BoB history was reversed, I was in BB. Not much help there. I let him bluff off a few chips when his Ace-high didnt improve, and I caught a piece of the flop.

In this situation I decided that AA-QQ and AQ-AK weren't likely in his range, because pushing those is wasting equity. Thus, if he has an ace, I'm as likely to be dominating as dominated, and he may well have non-ace non-pairs. HoH's 10% chance of him bluffing certainly applies here.

After I won the hand, this well-respected player ripped into me for a donkey call. I was wondering if it was really that bad.

grossmeyer · #5 02-01-2006, 01:02 AM

Obviously well-respected does not always equate to knowing proper play. Unless he was just trying to needle you and he was well aware that your call was good. Meh, just thinking out loud.

-Gross