I encountered this spot in a 10 euro tournament and I wonder what should be the correct play ICM wise.
The prizes were 175 euros for 4th,250 for 3rd,325 for 2nd and 450 for 1st.
CO(20bb) folds
BTN (35bb) folds
SB(hero) : JsJd open 2.5 x off 45bb
BB(75bb): 3-bet to 7.5 bb

I wonder what s the correct play assuming the ICM implications.In game I decided to 4-bet call which seemed a disaster both resultwise and seemed an ICM punt to me afterwards. Every opinion counts ! Thanks guys and sorry for the unexperienced hand history(I did not save this hand in any tracker).

I'm going to just call the 3-bet pre-flop which is appropriate sizing. Typically if i am opening from the SB I would make it 3.5 bb pre-flop to induce folds.

I am basically set mining here but would probably call a flop cbet if there are no cards higher than a J on the flop.

A 4-bet pre-flop raise should be a jam because we are basically pot committed regardless of the flop. I don't want to jam here because we are 2nd in chips right now and our 4-bet will let BB play perfectly (fold worse hands that aren't AK/AQ, call with QQ+).

Hmm,yeah I had a similar thought but in my opinion (definetely not sure) I thought that the Bb has also some weak ax that he might want to apply maximum pressure being the chipleader,or some hands like kq against which JJ is just a 51% favourite
But I also agree with you about the fact that jamming would make his decision very easy
But now comes another question if you don't mind,which range are you 4b in this spot?I truly have no clue whether QQ +/ak is the right 4b range here and I also assume that you would not just pure shove your hands like KK and AA

In this spot I am 4-betting absolutely nothing.

If I have KK and no A comes on the flop I am calling it down (or c/r all in).

If I have AA I am calling it down (or c/r all in).

If I have QQ and no A or K comes on the flop I am calling the flop bet and thinking about the turn bet (still I might fold depending on the player and whether he bluffs much).

If I have AK and an A or K comes on the flop I am calling it down (or c/r all in). I have gotten knocked out by AA this way but so be it.

I don't expect to win the max or even to be more +EV than 4-betting. But I do believe we won't finish last a lot more often this way.

Tricky spot, 4 betting anything less than all in puts you vulnerable to a shove, if he's a LAG player I may exploit that strategy to try and get him to commit with a lower pair or over cards, as it's BVB.

Calling also puts you in all weird spots when over cards hit, and if he has an over pair already you'll be forced to GII on a lot of boards.

Is limping an option? I'm not sure but it's worth discussing, limp/shove can push him off a lot of hands that aren't premium.

To avoid ICM disaster I guess only really way to play this hand is to call and essentially set mine and call a bet or two depending on the run out as Rick said.

I would prefer a bigger open pre, and that can offer some clarity if he 3-bets.

If I think BB is a solid player who understands ICM and 3-bets me here, then I probably 4-bet jam after that, or at least I think it's correct. ICM at final tables is about avoiding situations where you can bust in a questionable position or with stacks shorter than you still out, but often people treat that like playing passively and putting themselves in spots to guess is the best approach, when often the best approach is to just shut down the hand by making the shove.

If BB never 3-bets light then I have to strongly consider alternate options. Even then, JJ is really strong.

I think a lot of the answers here are working from results and trying to figure out how to avoid putting your money in, not what's the best play vs. his range and in this situation.

Just some thoughts..

JJ four handed is a very strong premium hand.

Your idea about him being chip leader and applying pressure is solid reasoning. But no stack is really that small. If the smallest stack was say 8bb instead of 20, then I can see him doing this, as he should! But you aren't really THAT far ahead of the other stacks.

The comment about "our 4-bet will let BB play perfectly (fold worse hands that aren't AK/AQ, call with QQ+)".. I generally agree with this, and this type of play is perfectly fine, but there is something this guy is missing. Which is that we want to deny equity. It would be a disaster if he is 3 betting us with 99 and we just call and he hits a set. So I think 4b all in is also totally fine here.

I think all the plays mentioned are fine. This is a marginal spot and there is no clear answer. It really depends on what your goal is. Are you trying to win? BC JJ is a premium hand here, or is leveling up in pay very important to you? If this was the WSOP main event, I would call and play careful post flop, but for a small tourney like this, 4b all in is fine.

You should limp a lot in that exact ICM spot. You are expecting BB to raise you a lot and you play better like that with all your range including premium hands like JJ.

I would limp, and if I raise (only if BB is a fish who doesn't know what he is doing), I would to it to 3.5x or 4x.

If you limp, he raises, I would call vs normal players jam vs good/aggro.


In this spot the best way to take chips is just to limp and beat the bluff, if you are vs QQ+ is just a cooler.