Live QT BB defend deep in $
We are day two (final day) of a live $600 mystery bounty (day 2 only) tourney, which had a little over 900 runners and we are down to 12. V in this hand has not been too active and is one of the three shortest stacks left with about 22 bbs -- nobody is desperately short. I am probably 5th or 6th in tournament with about 35 bbs -- nobody is running away with it, chip leader has 50-60 bbs. Table is 6 handed.
Payout at 12 is worth about $4k. Next pay jump is at 9th for $6k. Up top is worth $80k. Of the 12 bounties left, a lot of big ones still remain. There was 1 $20k bounty which was claimed, but one of the two $10k bounties are left, and 3 of the 4 $5k bounties are left. The rest are either $1k or $600.
OTTH
V opens UTG for 2 bbs. Folded to me in BB with QdTs; I call.
Flop (5.5 bbs): T36 rainbow, 1 heart. I check call, a 2 bb c-bet.
Turn (9.5 bbs): 4 heart. I check call, a 5 bb bet.
River (19.5 bbs): Jc. I check, V shove remaining 13 bbs or so.
Call or fold. (I tanked for a long time).
Should I have taken the lead at any time in this hand? Played another way?
Thanks.
6 Replies
We are folding the turn here.
1. What value are we beating?
2. What bluffs does V have here?
Unless we hit 2p or better on the flop, we are folding QTo a majority of the time.
Interested in your reasoning for folding turn here. I don't think I ever fold the turn to 5 bbs and the bounty out there, even for the mere reason that I can stack V if a Q or T hits the river and the 5 bbs is not crippling.
Also, I think if V is a capable player, he should have bluffs (over cards, Ax heart, pairs smaller than T).
We can (probably should) check raise flop here at a pretty high frequency. it hits our range way more than villain’s.
As played?
Probably a fold without the bounty because if they are betting for value we’re beat. But AK/AQ will often get played this way as do a lot of other hands in his opening range.
We’re calling 13BB to win 55, does he have enough bluffs? If we add in the potential bounty, with an EV of just over $3k?
I’m leaning toward the call.
I definitely did think about x/r on the flop, but decided against it, as if V peels with over cards it gets really awkward in such a high ICM situation. It got that way anyhow, so maybe x/r is right.
Seems like a routine call. It is probably ok for a regular tournament, but the bounty makes it pretty clear to me.
We could have check raised the flop, but that would let Villain get away from his overcard bluffs that he might choose to triple with. That'd be more valuable in a regular tournament, where winning the pot is paramount.
Disclaimer: I don't like, and don't play bounty tournaments.
I think this is right on.
But:
Spoiler
I was about to call for all the reasons you cite, but (1) evaluated my stack and decided I was still in great position for a very deep run if I folded, but would be crippled if I called and lost, and (2) thought that V had to know the bounty would likely induce calls here so would be much less inclined to bluff this spot.
So I folded and was visibly exasperated, and V's buddy to his direct left said "show the bluff". V looked at his first card, and then the second, and turned over the second one, 7 of hearts. I can surmise he had A7 hearts and continued barreling after picking up the heart draw. Finished in 9th after TT ran into JJ at final table.
I think flop and turn are fine but I'm folding river. Given the ICM considerations and the fact that he's the bounty target in the hand, he ain't bluffing off his stack here. And highly doubt he's going for value with 99 or whatever.
Didn't notice the stacks in OP at first. I think at this depth with strong top pair I just check-raise flop / get it in, especially with the bounty consideration.
