Big cards preflop, four handed, PokerStars PCA steps tournament

Limping is always suspicious especially when you RAISE every hand.

I probs just raise here.

I’d just raise to like 725, great risk/reward ratio

SNG are always pretty standard. I agree with Mathias and if they shove then it is their pot. Not a big deal here.

True, limping is suspicious, but I think that’s a good thing in this spot - like the Staff mentioned, if the blinds just complete/check, then we get to see a flop with a solid hand and tons of chips behind in case we need to bail. If the flop comes Kxx or Jxx and Villain is holding something like K8o or J9s, then he/we will certainly go all the way with it. If we miss or flop a draw or 2nd pair or something, we could still bet the flop in hopes that his suspicion would cause him to lay the hand down, and drop to a raise or check-fold from there unless we hit.

If he does view us as weak and raises the limp pre-flop, then I would definitely advocate a push over-the-top (assuming he doesn’t shove himself of course), since we’re likely ahead of his range, and only dominated by a handful of hands (KK+, AK, AJ and KQ). Taking his stack would increase ours by 60%, knock out another player, and bring us that much closer to the seats. Losing would leave us with about 3500, a stack big enough to threaten most others with a push at this blind level and the next.

I too liked the limp here. It’s consistent with how I like to play more dangerous situations. One exploit of the aggressive image is small bets. An aggressive player risks so many chips in a lot of different spots, it’s nice to occasionally win a decent pot trying to look strong by acting weak. It doesn’t cost much and it’s quite often the scariest image you can portray.

I don’t like a big raise here, because (at least for me) I am not risking 1/2 my stack on KJ. Blinds are sufficiently low with am M in the 15+ range, it’s no time for a big gamble. So, if I get repopped (which you suggested is quite possible) it’s almost an automatic fold.

The only other thing to consider then is what is my history of raising on the button. If I’ve raised that last few orbits, I might even consider (but probably not!) a fold outright here knowing that the blinds are looking to take a shot at me.

If I’ve been surrendering the button recently, then I would almost always raise here.

The history of hands played from this position will color my raising choice here for sure.

I voted limp. It’s the best of all worlds. If one of the blinds raises, you call and get in the hand with position and disguised strength. If they check, youve risked minimal chips and can play it from there. They have shown a wild tendency, so raising is the worst option….all youre doing is making a push more of a viable option to them as now there are more chips in the pot for them to steal. Youre not calling an all in, so why tempt them to take it away from you with a marginal hand youre sure to fold.

This is just a standard hand. I see no reason to play any differently than normal. Make the normal raise 1-3 times the blind as is standard in short-handed games.

You aren’t going to pick up the blinds by limping - so it’s not the best play because it has very little equity. With the blinds and antes making a decent-sized starting pot, picking up some pots preflop is important for maintaining your stack size.

If you meet resistance give it up - even if you hit the flop. Because of the stack sizes, player A is the only one I get involved with at this table right now.

agree w/ onlinepokerincome.com - make a standard 3x raise here and see what happens. Get your money in the middle with the best cards - my chance of having the best cards is pretty good w/ KJ at a 4 handed table.

If he shoves, fold, if he reraises small, you’ve got a decision to make…

Don\’t limp. Raise 3x; the chances are good everyone will fold. Reraisers have at least an ace, so fold to them. Limping gives you a chance to get into trouble.

I thought like the staff here, I’m surprised so few did. The limp-reraise play is a great way to get value from maniacs and slow them down. And if they just check, there’s nothing wrong with seeing a flop with a good starting hand and position, that’s still a decent +ev situation for you.

Also, high comedy from opi.com today. Folding to a maniac with M ~ 10 when you HIT the flop? Roflmao.

With your image, fold here. You are in prime position to cooperate to get player A out, no sense in butting heads with the BB and SB here. Let other people do the work. If player A was the BB, raise 4 times the BB with KJ. The current sb/bb can only call/shove here with monsters due to the shortness of A.

You’ve used super agressiveness to attain this dominating position, now use it to your advantage. If you get a monster, you’ll get all the action you want. KJo does not qualify. The only other option is to limp here.. it would be suspicious to the blinds due to your image and there’s no way they raise without a real hand. Here is a great example of defining your hand with something other than a raise… in a reverse psychology kind of way.

In this position, with this chipcount and the blind levels, I’d expect to get my seat 90% of the time.

dont b donks.. its a ship any good player will 3bet shove a raise, if u shove they are just waiting for the shortstack to bubble. Also if you have another monsterstack u can eat his chips by playing superaggro on his stack with facex causing the shortstacks to blind away in hopes that the bigstack that ur manhandling will make a bad call. OBVIOUS shove.

also, you wouldnt be smooth calling with aces or kings who traps in a satellite with bigstack?!?! THEREFORE A GOOD PLAYER WILL SHIP ON YOUR LIMP EVERYTIME and that is + EV in the longrun no question about it. If you shove their calling ranges are so tight too and they will feel pressure to take out the shortstack with risky spots because they know that as bigstack… youre not to b fcked with.