Villain was 11/9 over 50 hands

I know standard thing to do is shoving as effective stack size is around 12 BB (in fact i shoved and won the obvious flip) but in the review i was wondering if there is other way to play this nitty guy with that small stack

What i mean , if we shove he only calls with the hands vs we have some problems (99+ AQo) which being so nitty a guy (i know sample is small) is a BIG part of his EP PFR range

More info : we were like 20 places away from the bubble

So is it an option just to call and see flop?


[converted_hand][hand_history]Poker Stars, $1.80 Buy-in (3,000/6,000 blinds, 600 ante) No Limit Hold'em Tournament, 9 Players
Poker Tools Powered By Holdem Manager - The Ultimate Poker Software Suite. View Hand #37934318

UTG+1: 152,788 (25.5 bb)
UTG+2: 89,142 (14.9 bb)
MP1: 73,016 (12.2 bb)
MP2: 436,217 (72.7 bb)
MP3: 81,498 (13.6 bb)
CO: 137,009 (22.8 bb)
BTN: 232,078 (38.7 bb)
Hero (SB): 110,913 (18.5 bb)
BB: 270,283 (45 bb)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A K
UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 raises to 13,200 Hero shoves or calls ???

No it's terrible and I think you know this - you are going to end up missing the flop most of the time and playing oop without much idea of where you are - standard plays are standard for a reason.

I know , i know , but it sucks when you KNOW you are facing like TT-QQ when he calls your shove and are praying to hit your ace OTF...so wondering if there is a less risky way to behave with this situation

As you say , it´s a standard play with good reason

Mods need to move this thread to beginners questions. Far too many threads like this of late.

Not in this spot and never with AKs. Become a bigger nit than him and fold, but it's jam/fold in this spot with an effective stack of 12 BBs. You know this.

Shoving pre here 99.9% of the time. The other 0.1% is if 3+ people in front of you open shove.

We can give him a shove range still tho. Like this thread works so much better as a hero has XX hand type.

I don't think villain is only calling that little also it's possible people be care dead for 50 hands and not are nits.

not really since these threads are all so results oriented. a range is a range but this isnt a thread unless he loses

Yeah that's a fair point.

You're telling me this is a fold with 18bbs?

If you don't want to shove and face the flip, you indeed can call and then push or check-push on the flop if you hit top pair, flush draw or backdoor. However, in that scenario you don't realise the pre-flop fold equity you have at all which is not optimal play. Just push it and watch the show, it's one of the most exciting moments in poker!

Hero is OOP and should never flat sb/BB here.

Never fold ak >20 bbs in a $1.80 mtt lol. Remember you play and make
Money in tournaments by winning them + finishing in the top 3. Min cashing in a 1.80 mtt might yield what $3? Let’s play to win. Ak is an easy call here. Villian should be shoving a lot here and we shouldn’t be avoiding flips at this stack size.