Texas Hold'em Situtation?

Question

Here is the situation. Let's say you're in a poker tournament, you're in the top 25/5,000 and you have about $150,000 in your stack. The blinds are around $5K/$10K, and antes are about $1,000. You get dealt A/3 offsuited. You're the big blind, so you check to see the flop. The flop come 10/8/3 all offsuited. One guy at your table goes all-in for around $175,000. Would you call him with your pair of threes with 2 cards still to come? Thoughts?

Answer 1

I would say to just fold, but its hard to know the other players style. If you can get a good read, and you think he is bluffing then it might work to call, yet he might suck out because you have a low pair.

I'd fold because I wouldn't be pot committed with 11k in the pot.

Answer 2

Not in a million years.  He's got you all in (i.e. if you call you're the one who's at risk) and even if he has pocket 4s or paired his 8 you're trailing.

Unless you've got a very, very strong read that he's on a pure bluff AND you feel lucky you should never call this.  He's likely to have two live cards that make it a coin flip if he's not already beating you.  The only way you're getting your money's worth is if he's got pocket twos - which is very unlikely given the way he played them.

Answer 3

I wouldn't.

Answer 4

No way.  Only way to even consider is if you think he's on a huge bluff, but even then, there's not enough chips in the pot to bother taking the chance.  Let him have his blinds.  If he's bluffing, he'll get nailed eventually be someone with good cards.

Answer 5

That is an easy fold for sure. Why do it when you have no chips really invested in the pot, and you have such a huge chip stack. A better question is if the flop was A-2-4, then what do you do. But only bottom pair for a huge bet is an easy fold to make.

Answer 6

It would be better to fold and play another hand or  two since

you are the big blind. Don't get careless and lose all your chips

Answer 7

Absolutely not.  You can't call with bottom pair.  You will get a much better spot.  If you were checked to, and felt he was weak, I'd bet big, but I wouldn't call a big bet with that.  Even if you really feel he is bullying, just not a smart play for your tournament life.

Answer 8

Don't go broke in an unraised pot.  Fold your hand.

Answer 9

Absolutely not!  You got to see the flop for the minimum, and you don't want to put your tournament life at risk with bottom pair.

Answer 10

No way!

I'd wait for a better spot to get all of my chips in with. When people go all-in in this spot, they either have top or mid pair. Even if they are on a flush-draw, you are not a huge favorite because they will have 2 over cards.

You only have about 7% of your stack in the pot, so I'd wait for another spot and fold to the bettor.

Answer 11

If he has been bullying all night and you have a good read that he is trying to just push you out I would call, but that is the only way I would call.  Fold now catch him later.

Answer 12

There is of course a chance that he is bluffing, and just looking to steal the limps, blinds and antes.  You are invested $11,000 (big blind and ante) and if you call and lose, you are out of the tournament.

If he has an over pair, an eight or a ten, he has you beat.  You'd need to catch another ace or three to catch up.  That's five outs, and you hit that by the river maybe 20% of the time.

So if he has you beat now, you are about an 80/20 underdog.  Not a great position to gamble all your money.  It's even worse on the odd chance he flopped trips.  Then you're going to need runner runner.

But let's say he is on a bluff, he has two high cards, like a king and a jack.  He still has six outs to beat you.  He will beat you about 22% of the time.

So roughly speaking it's going to be 80/20 or 20/80, depending on if he is bluffing or not.

Of course he could be semi-bluffing.  You didn't mention suits, so we don't know about that.  Or he could have 9/7 giving him an open ended straight.  Now he has eight outs, plus six outs (another 9 or 7) to beat you.  He'd win this race a little over 50% of the time.

Any time you have to call off your entire stack on the flop, hoping that your opponent has no hand and no real draw, it can't be that good a situation.  Fact is, if this guy has even a whiff of a hand, you are getting your money in bad.

So I would always fold.  You are in the top 25, you have a decision for all your chips with bottom pair and no real draw.  Throw it away and wait for a better spot.

Answer 13

I would fold.  He could have a pair of 10's and your threes would be worthless.

Answer 14

If I'm in the top 25 out of 5000, there's no way I'm risking my tournament life with bottom pair.  Instantaneous fold for me.

BTW... this situation is highly unlikely - top 25 out of 5000 and I only have 15 big blinds?

Answer 15

You have the lowest potential hand on the table. Good bet is that someone will have 10s or even JQ.

The odds that you get your A on the turn and river are slim. You run the risk of knocking yourself out and losing 150k.

You have a minor chance to win and pocket 150k also. I don't like those odds, not with a pair of 3's.

If you have a good read on the guy and are pretty sure he is full of it, then call, but he probable has AK or AQ.

Answer 16

about 60% of the time, yes. the rest of the time, no. my read on this player would tell me which way to go. i can't count how many times i've been in this exact situation and have busted somebody who had AK or AJ.

however, if he initially limped in from early position, that is pretty heavily saying he had a small pair that just tripped. i would feel far safer if he opened the pot with a bet of 3-5X the bb.

however, if everybody checked, there's too many small pairs out there that beat our 3's.

in this case, I would have to fold.

Answer 17

NO WAY. In an unraised pot, you can not go broke on a bottom pair. Personally, I would put in a big raise when checked to me on the BB with A3 since your stack is less than x10 of the BB. More aggresive play is needed at this point, I think.