£110 buy in Live tournament. We are near the bubble, with a healthy 20BB on the SB. 2 position to go before the money. Everyone folds till the CO. Player on the CO is somewhat tight, and is the chip leader on the table. He raised 2.5BB. I looked down AdQd. I felt the chip leader might be attacking the bubble. I feel a call here and then play out of position is not optimal. But a three bet will pretty much make me pot committed.

I decided to go all in with AdQd. Everyone else folds, and the Co player tanked called with AcKh.

I lost the race and was knocked out of the tournament.

Did I made mistake here? How would you play this hand? Please help with your advice.

The only thing you can do here is shove. Unless V is a supernit OMC, a tight player should be folding the majority of their CO opening range here - picking up 4.5 BB is a major victory. We'll mostly be flipping with their calling range, occasionally we'll be dominated and occasionally we'll dominate. Folding is out of the question. Calling seems really bad as well when we're so likely to pick up 4.5 BB when we shove/we're likely flipping in the unlikely event we're called/we're going to underrealize our equity post/get stacked by AK anyways if we flop an A. I don't like 3 betting small because of villain's open size and I think tighter V + low stakes liveament = very little fold equity if we 3bet small. This is a mandatory 100% fist pump shove. This is just a cooler - sometimes we bubble.

You made a correct and standard play that is going to happen 1000 more times in your poker career.

Great play! Next time you'll spike a Queen or you'll be the one with AK. Thank you variance!

The fact that he tanked holding AK make your move better. He getting AK is just you unlucky.

The variable to consider is his opening range and calling range. Which only him knows.

Been working on ICM a bit lately. Wouldn't the bubble be one of those spots you're better off just waiting to hit the money before pushing AQs with a 20 -30BB stack? It seems like the possible double-up isn't worth the risk of busting before min cashing.

Tough spot. I guess it would depend heavily on the payout structure etc.

GTO: shove

exploitative: he's a nit, this is such an easy limp and for only 2.5 bigs, see the flop and play the player if you feel you are able.

(I would personally shove though lol)

How small are the 2 smallest stacks, and how many more hands before it is their turn to post the bb?

Am I a nit for wanting to fold to min cash if the smallest stacks are under 5bb?