[SnG Strategy] - Stealing and Blind Steals

[Aequitas58]

Here's the scenario:
A random $6+.50 SnG on Stars, 4-5 players left. Although "turbo," the usual rules apply, as 3 places are paid. We should assume, for the sake of argument, the SnG was initially filled w/ 3-5 fish, 2-3 competant players, and 1-2 good SnG players. (Hopefully, I'm one of the better players ... LOL.)

Obviously, we need to make blind steals. When we're down to 4-5 players, the blinds can easily be up to 75/150 (or more) so we have to find some way to build chips w/out showing down.

Chip Counts:
Of the remaining 5 players, the chip leader is sitting comfortably w/ 4-5k. The guy in second place is doing well, w/ ~3500. The remaining players (including yourself) are just about even. I find that this is a common situation... two people are ahead and three seem to be battling....

Specific Situation:
Sandwiched between the chip leader (BB) and the guy in second place (Button), I hold KJs in the SB.

Action:
Folded to the button, who bets 3.5x. Smells like a steal, right? Although KJs is not premium, I feel like it's strong in this spot. (DO YOU?) I reraise all-in. First of all, I want to raise (DON'T YOU?). Second, I can't raise anything substantial b/c of my stack. Doubling the raise is more than half my stack, so I pushed. I don't know if this was bad or not.

BB folds, Button insta-calls, flipping QQ.

I'm out.

What general criteria do you use to pop someone back? Keep in mind the situation ... everyone is stealing! (At least it seems...) So, was this a terrible move w/ KJ?

[Quint]

I've been playing (almost) nothing but SnG's for the last 3 months (UB 5.50s). What I've seen in when it gets down to the position you were in is that most people that put in a standard (3x or bigger) raise PF are semi-bluffing or they have a legit hand. That is they hope to take the pot right there, but they will call any all in. I've seen it from the two chip leaders down to the the two lowest stacks. Therefore I usually don't try to steal into a raised pot. However, with less than 10 BB I'd push K J, but I fully expect to be facing A X, or a pair.

[Aequitas58]

So, you like the reraise w/ KJs, then?

[Quint]

Assuming everyone started w/ 1000 chips (I think that's how Stars work) & the BB has 4000 and the button has 3500, that means the rest of you have less than 1000 each.

I agree with you that your only options here are push or fold. The button raise tells me he has any A, or a pocket pair. The only person he's afraid of right now is the BB. Any other player he can go all in against and come out as the chip leader or still solidly in second with a healthy stack. The other two short stacks are getting ready to face the blinds.

If you're playing to finish ITM (most likely 3rd) then fold and hope the other two short stacks make a mistake facing the blinds.

If you're playing for a better than 3rd finish, or bust, you gotta push and pray.

I've played it both ways and I can't fault either. In your situation with the egg roll where any positive gain is a good one I probably fold.

[BlibbityBlabbity]

You didn't give the specific blinds for the hands (but you said they would be at 75/150 at that pointin another spot, so well go with that)...

You are "about even", so 1000-1200 somewhere in there?

You 75 blind
BB 150 Blind
Button 450 total?

675 in the pot

you raise to say 1100 total

thats 1775 in the pot with the chip leader (BB) to call 950 and the SB to call 650 to stay in the hand.

IMO, there is a good chance the BB will not have a good enough hand to stay in with a raise and reraise (especially since he has to worry about the 2nd place guy, who could really put a dent in his lead).

BUT, the Button (unless you felt he would steal with ANYTHING) probably had something...low suited connector, Ax, etc. so, he is getting 2.5:1 to call (while only risking 1/3 - 1/4 of his stack.

I don't dislike the play, but I think it was likely to assume it would NOT steal the blinds, and you would be called by the button unless they had a crap hand. I agree, you were in a fold, all-in (,maybe call?) situation...there was no raise other than all-in that made sense.

If the Button didn't have you covered 3+ x, this would be a MUCH stronger play, IMO, since they would be less likely to call all THEIR chips with some of those drawing hands that might have been worth it for the bigger stack.

[Talking Poker]

As has been said, you're almost always going to get called here. I think KJ is a fine hand to push in with when you are the FIRST one in a pot at this stage of a tourney, but I do NOT think it is an ok hand to push with after a raise, evem if it "looks" like a steal. The only way you get him to fold here is if he was raising with complete junk, which he probably wasn't. Even with 67s, he's probably going to call you because of the pot odds he's getting.

If you want to make your stand and hope to double up, go for it, but I would much rather wait for an unopened pot so I can be the FIRST one to push in, and for ALL my chips (giving the potential caller significantly worse pot odds than this situation yielded).