I'm a cash game player that mixes in a few MTT's here and there. I found myself unsure in two key spots tonight playing the $8k guaranteed $10 buy-in on Ignition. No stats on players being anonymous and only one clear read in one of the hands. Both hands take place inside the money, hand two is down to 50 from a starting field of 900ish.

Hand 1

I'm the table chip leader, blinds are 1250/2500 with antes. UTG+1 opens for a min raise with about 10 BBs total, UTG+2 has 20 BBs and shoves. I have 99 with 38 BBs. UTG+2 was down to 2 BB's an orbit ago and doubled up back to back then nearly tripled up three hands in a row. He seems to be steaming still and has been jamming every third hand or so. Basically his range is going to be pretty wide.

Do we iso shove 99 in this spot? Half the table is still left to act but with reads I think we're doing okay against UTG+2.


Hand 2

This hand I'm holding AQo in the big blind with 18 BB's. UTG open shoves for about 8 BB's, folds to the BTN who shoves for 16 BB's. SB folds so I can call essentially putting myself all-in.

I don't really know hand ranges for shoving these stack sizes. Obviously it's a call versus UTG's range but I don't know what range the BTN should be shoving in his spot.

I'm guessing both of these spots are pretty common and automatic for most but like I said I'm primarily a cash game player. Any feedback would be great. Thanks.

utg+1 min raising off 10bb is my first alarm bell although sounds like UTG+2 is potentially steaming but they're shoving on 20bb after a min raise from a very short player.

I also think we may be ranging utg+2 too wide here.

If i go with it i am isoing but i'm not sure if i'm folding or going with it. Just think that we're not giving utg+2 enough credit here.

I think i'm folding 77, potentially 88 and i think 99 is a call.

AQo is a fold second hand. still got decent amount of bb and don't need to risk when better situations will occur. Would call if it is a PGKO

Folding both

UTG min-opening off 10bb means he is either massive or terrible (if he was that terrible you would have most likely have picked up on it)

I'd just be looking for better spots than this - every chip you lose is more valuable than the ones you win - and jeopardising status as table chip leader in such a marginal spot isn't worth it, when you can hold on to that stack and use it to your advantage. I feel like JJ is a call, TT is marginal and 99 is a narrowish fold

AQ hand is close but readless BTN range (whilst possibly capped, although off 16bb I doubt it, but you do see people flatting AA there) is still pretty strong (77-QQ, AQ+ maybe and AA+KK if uncapped). Calling with AK here though obv

Both interesting spots though

I'd fold both.

Hand 1 I agree the early minraise off 10bb screams strength. The interesting thing is you're likely ahead of the tilting player, but all you'd be gaining is 10bb if you lose to utg+1 but win the side pot against utg+2. And cutting tour stack in half if you lose both. So just an unnecessary risk for minimal gain.

Hand 2 is an easier fold for me because AQ is not going to stack up well in that spot. BTN isn't going to be isolating very wide there when he's risking half his stack, and you need decent equity against his range to make it worth your tourney life. To get close to 50% equity he would need hands as low as A8s/ATo/KQs in his shoving range.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

This was the exact thought I had when thinking through hand 1. UTG+1 was making what appeared to be a strong move to min-raise on a stack he should be jamming, but even if I shoved and was behind him yet won against UTG+2 it would basically be a push. But I was worried I could be crushed by him and flipping vs the bigger stack.

I did end up folding both hands and opted for better spots. Like I said I wasn't sure if I was being too cautious or if I need to be making marginal calls to try and build a stack that will get me to the final table. Sounds like protecting my stack is of greater importance in these scenarios.

Thanks for the input fellas.