(Online Turbo) Three Handed, One Person Sits Out - What's The Optimal Play
I didn't adjust properly (played as if HU), and I'm curious how other people would approach this spot.
Situation:
You're down to three-handed on the final table of a $0.25 Turbo (5min levels). You have ~10bb, while the other two have ~20bb. The player with a slight lead (21bb to 19bb) sits out - they are on your big blind.
Do you use a push/fold strategy as if they're not there, incorporate limping to see if the active player can be coaxed into playing more passively (so the absent player's chips can be divied), or some other strategy to get at them unguarded chips?
On one hand, with the blinds raising every 5 minutes and stacks being short, it may be worth the risk trying to claw out some extra EV, or trying to Prisoner's Dilemma your way to heads-up;
On the other hand, stacks are short enough that it may not make a difference, and (considering risk premium) you might be better off trying to maximize fold equity.
I'm not sure it would change play on BB/BTN, given the clear benefits of shoving from BTN and the HU/reactive nature of defending your BB; and I think SB play would depend on player tendencies - i.e. if they'd check down.
All I'm really sure about is I'm not happy with how I played it, although I wouldn't be saying that if I'd won, so maybe not even that. Interesting, though.
1 Reply
I agree with your assessment that optimal play should not change when we are in the BB or BTN. As SB I would defend fairly wide down to like 7 BBs and see how hands played out, since given pot odds we're practically the BB. Below that I think you do have to push/fold.
A limping strategy over a few hands would also be interesting to see if the active big stack was willing to collude, but if not, I think you again have to play normally.
