22: UTG w/ Mid-Pocket Pairs

RobertJohn · #1 03-14-2007, 05:12 PM

I'm having trouble deciding the best play with these type of hands. What is the standard way to handle these situations? Mid-pocket pair, early position at a ~ six-handed table with ~ 12-14BBs. In both situations I'm one of the shorter stacks.

What factors should I be considering before I make my play and what are you guys usually doing here?

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t40/t80
5 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
Hero: t930
CO: t4092
Button: t4400
SB: t2258
BB: t1820

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is UTG with 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Hand #2

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t40/t80
6 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
Hero: t1120
UTG+1: t2295
CO: t2760
Button: t5580
SB: t1060
BB: t685

Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is UTG with 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

FoolyCooly · #2 03-14-2007, 05:14 PM

I may be wrong but...

hand 1: shove

hand 2: open to t240

Beerocrat · #3 03-14-2007, 05:21 PM

I fold these. I don't think you can afford it, especially from UTG. You have to fold to any decent raise, and you have the whole table to act. You don't know if your set would pay off at the short table, even if nobody raises and you hit it.

ibakepie · #4 03-14-2007, 05:28 PM

hand 1 is a push for sure, hand 2 I would push and hope to take it down or have one of the shorties call .
.
.

austrian · #5 03-14-2007, 05:33 PM

I push hand 1 and fold in Hand2

K䲰䮥n · #6 03-14-2007, 06:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I fold these.

[/ QUOTE ]

#1 is unexploitable push

Beerocrat · #7 03-14-2007, 06:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I fold these.

[/ QUOTE ]

#1 is unexploitable push

[/ QUOTE ]

Oops, my leak.

Edit: I'm not arguing with the play, but am I right that unexploitable and optimal are not the same thing?

taipan168 · #8 03-14-2007, 07:31 PM

I shove both no worries. These are pushes that actually get better the looser opps call.

FeNeF · #9 03-14-2007, 07:40 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I fold these.

[/ QUOTE ]

#1 is unexploitable push

[/ QUOTE ]

Oops, my leak.

Edit: I'm not arguing with the play, but am I right that unexploitable and optimal are not the same thing?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Openpushing AA first hand is unexploitable, but it's not optimal. But if a push is unexploitable, you certainly shouldn't be folding.

kleath · #10 03-14-2007, 07:41 PM

#1 is a pretty clear shove, #2 is a difficult situation since every single option sucks, opening 14 bbs utg sucks, standard raising sucks if you get called or raised, limping sucks for a lot of reasons that limping always sucks, and folding sucks cause we have 88. Shoving probably sucks the least considering your chip position.