What are the options?

[georgej]

Decided to splash out and played a STT $50+5 at partypoker last night. The game was fine until there were 6 of us left. The 2 with the lowest stacks alternated going all-in almost every hand. This was when the Blinds were 100/50 and even when you raised when they were BB, they went all-in.:\ I'm sure some of you will have encountered this play before, but i've never seen it consistantly for as long as they lasted. One i got down to about 600 and he went out in 5th, but as i was having rubbish cards couldn't get the other one out. When i got pocket AA & KK he folded instead of going all-in.:( I got to 2nd and then the cards came for me. won 2 going all-in, reraised the git who copped out when i had a mediocre pair, then i raised, he reraised and i reraised a hand leaving him about 1600. Then i won :loon I was reserved about going all-in with so-so cards, but how do you combat this? The players in 3rd and 4th (i think virgin99 and garycummings) sometimes went all-in when the 2 nutters were on the blinds, but as i've gone out in too many tournaments in 4th place because i jumped in i tend not to do that anymore. At one point i was chip leader on 3000 when they were on 1300 going all-in and the guy that got 2nd ended up passing me while still going all-in and stealing the blinds. All comments welcome

[DAC]

Re: What are the options? Same thing happened to me on a 5 seat STT (Bravegal) last night, she just kept going all in but if you attempt to steal every blind you won't win. Fortunately I had enough chips to let the others worry about her, she came 3rd. Which was nice.

[Valiant23]

Re: What are the options? The all-in merchants are only 1 step above the 72s :@ in the evolutionary chain. I think unfortunately the only thing you can do is sit tight and keep your anger and contempt in check. If you alter the way you play to combat this behaviour then they have won.

[georgej]

Re: What are the options? Guess you're right. It was just a bit galling to see the other players being ground down by this (including myself) especially when they folded when i would have called with the high pairs. See - even when they're scum they're erratic :spank

[Valiant23]

Re: What are the options? Thats the problem I've encountered. You hold n fold and wind yourself up, and when you get a half decent hand you think 'got you, you git' and go all-in against them. You have KK they have 94o :clap flop comes; K 8 5 :( turn 7 river 6 Bye bye chips. Or of course you have KK and they get their 1st hand of AA with nowt on the flop.:puke

[georgej]

Re: What are the options? Yup, that's why i didn't even think about flushes (both cards above 8 ) I tell you - the day you can give people shocks (electric) via the computer... :lol

[mrmuzeman]

Re: What are the options? If youre short stacked and its short handed then going all in a lot is a perfectly legitimate strategy to accumulate chips again. It forces people to have good hands against you. Nothing wrong with it, its not like you cant do the same when your short stacked. I did it the other day when I was heads up and the other guy had lots more than me. He folded a few but then obviously got a bit annoyed and called me with a 109s! I had K2 and there you go doubled up and back to even. There is a time to stop of course, when youve won a series of blinds are youre stacks not too bad again. Of course if someone were to go all in almost every hand when you all had decent stacks it would alleviate the fun somewhat! But if youre short stacked then its ok

[georgej]

Re: What are the options? MrMuzeMan - totally agree But these two fliflops were doing it even when they were in 2nd & 3rd place of 6 There were probably a few times where there were 8/10 hands in a row that they did this with no "poker" being played. Going all-in when you have almost double the combined stacks of the 2 players on the blinds is just taking the plith. The worst part of the game was right at the end. Sure, i won, but almost put my shoulder out when i raised my arms in victory too fast. It hurt! (Didn't stop me laughing at the 2nd place loser though. ha!)

[Valiant23]

Re: What are the options? Sorry mrm, I was initially confusing the OP with those who go all-in as soon as they see a card (or a button to press). I think the point was that geoergej was making was the relentless pursuit of this strategy. Now I am by no means a good player (probably just about to graduate from kindergarten), but I do understand some of the tactics and strategy-even if I fail to implement them myself :wall. Surely at face value going all-in says "I have as good a hand as I've had all night, and I'm gonna make a stand". As a bluff this says "Unless you have 2 cards that are good enough to beat me, fold. I want those blinds." Repeated use of all-in in either face or bluff says (to me) "I may have 92o, I may have AA. Either way if you wanna play poker its going to cost you a lot of money to see me. And even if you do see me, I've got 5 more cards that could give me all kinds of outs." and "Yeah, well I'm screwed, why not screw-up the game for the rest of you.". I'm not saying short-stacks should just lay down their cards and step away to let the 'big boys' play, but I've seen good(?) players get short-stacked and use the all-in strategically, and I've seen bad(?) players use all-in as a way of possibly getting a lot of chips in a short amount of time, and with little or no skill, and it's the latter which can frustrate. NB. As I write this, I've just started a freeroll on BetFred. The screen came up and I saw I was at BB and nearly last to act. 3 players had gone all-in. 1-AKo 2-10 7s(spades) 3- J 2s(hearts) me-Q9s(hearts) I would've called a small raise, but all-in? flop-7h 2s 4s turn-4h river-9s. Player 2 won, but all-in? Come on.

[mrmuzeman]

Re: What are the options? Hmm yeah I understand your frustration as it buggers up the game and fun. I have to say though I havent really experienced this myself. Are you playing only free tournaments? (ive seen your sig ;) ) cos if so that will be the reason why. People just piss about for a 'laugh' more in free tournies and games as it doesnt matter 1 iota if they get busted. If this is the case then just start playing some $3 or $5 tournies, im sure youre good enough to cope with these mate :ok and you dont get these annoyances (For the record I only play in $10 tournies)

[georgej]

Re: What are the options? Must admit, after the first 2/3 times i thought "they're 'avin' a laf":eyes As i said, decided to splash out - this was a $50 STT you don't really expect pissing about on this scale, at least i wouldn't. I usually stick to the $10/5 tables as this is all i can really afford. It was after i lost 2 tournaments in 4th place i got a bit rash and splashed out.:o Where have you seen my sig?? Don't play many freerolls at pacificpoker as my points are usually not high enough. I'll have to watch out for your name - so i don't go all-in against you;)

[mrmuzeman]

Re: What are the options? You can go all in against me anytime you want :ok Sorry mate got TOTALLY the wrong end of the stick. I thought you were Valiant and got mixed up. Youre right does take the mick in a $50

[georgej]

Re: What are the options? Hmmm, was going to post the hand history - can anyone tell me how to get it from partypoker?