Did i do the right thing?

robyoung

Hey peeps, just finished 2nd in a tsp classic, but was a bit fustrated that i didnt win due to the play, the guy i played in the final basically was rather folding or shoving when hes stack was around 170000 and mine was around 110000 with blinds at 1250/2500. Everytime i picked up a big hand he seemed to fold, i eventually called with a9 to hes kj (which he hit) and i finished second. My question is was i right to call with the a9 knowing hes shoving range, or should i have been alittle more patient and waited for a premium hand? I was a bit fustrated that no poker was getting played with hes all in shoves almost every hand so maybe that tilted me a little to call a bit lighter. I know a 9 is a very good hand heads up but was i right to call under these circumstances or should i have waited to trap him with a better hand? Thanks for replies in advance

Prop60

In Response to Did i do the right thing?:

Hey peeps, just finished 2nd in a tsp classic, but was a bit fustrated that i didnt win due to the play, the guy i played in the final basically was rather folding or shoving when hes stack was around 170000 and mine was around 110000 with blinds at 1250/2500. Everytime i picked up a big hand he seemed to fold, i eventually called with a9 to hes kj (which he hit) and i finished second. My question is was i right to call with the a9 knowing hes shoving range, or should i have been alittle more patient and waited for a premium hand? I was a bit fustrated that no poker was getting played with hes all in shoves almost every hand so maybe that tilted me a little to call a bit lighter. I know a 9 is a very good hand heads up but was i right to call under these circumstances or should i have waited to trap him with a better hand? Thanks for replies in advance
Posted by robyoung

Hi Rob - just busted out on a final table too so I share your pain!

To answer your post I can understand the frustration of this kind of play but as you say, A9 is a top hand heads up. I suppose you could have played it slower and folded to his inevitable shove, but you have to pull the pin at some point. With the blinds this low though you do have options but I reckon I'm shoving every time. You were ahead pre, I think (Odds anyone?) so looks standard play to me.

Congrats on your 2nd place btw - how many starters?

grantorino

how often is he folding compared to shoving?

Did he open shove or have you raised then he shoves?
calling with A9 seems fine

cmcc

Against an aggro player heads up you could be along time waiting for a better hand  than A 9,he is obviously gambling,think you have to call otherwise he will chip away at your stack,figure you to be 2/1 against most of his plays so calling or going all in yourself is good I think,time to make a stand.

Codex

think you have to call, you are ahead with A9 vs KJ so its a good call, but any 2 cards can win a hand

robyoung

not sure how many starters there were prop60, think it went over the guarantee tho, congrats on your final table btw and grantorino the guy was shoving once every other hand, so he would fold shove fold shove etc

grantorino

snappity snap with A9 then