putting your tournament life on your read ?

[luckystraights]

I've done this a lot, so thought I may as well stir up a bit of discussion about it.

How do people feel about putting there tournament on the line to your read on your opponent. If I have read my opponent and believe I'm ahead I have often gone all-in against them, either to get them to fold and avoid a showdown, or as I expect a call and would like to get maximum value as I am ahead.

Unfortunately though my reads are usually correct, but I end up loosing anyway.

How do you guys feel about it, is it purely situational, how strong do you feel your hands need to be to put your tournament on the line, etc

I think an area of improvement for me in this regard is to understand the math behind such decisions, for example I'm often aware that I'm ahead or my opponent his drawing or has such and such, but generally don't know the odds for or against me. I'm going to try running a few simulations in pokerstove to try and improve on this.

Here's an example, I read my opponent as buying the pot, and call all-in with 2nd pair. It doesn't end my way, but my read was correct.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1808171

 EDIT 2 : I entered a wrong suit on the first simulation, actually I was a 70% favorite which made my decision clear cut, although I didn't know the math at the time.

Actually, any advise for understanding the math in such situations, besides running simulations and remembering previous blunders ?

PS : feel free to ignore the loose call for this discussion :p

[Martini]

Sorry, having a hard time getting past getting involved in a hand with J6os. I'm going to find a better spot to put my chips in. I can understand "defending your blind" or getting 3:1 on your money but still. OK, I know you said to disregard that part.

As the saying goes, don't go broke in an unraised pot. I guess I would add min-raised pot to that. Soooo many players think the are clever by min-raising with AA or KK. If I do call a minraise I want to do it with a hand designed to crack Aces. The min-raise then shove maneuver is text book big pair and there is no way I would call off with second pair. It is one thing to be able to shove with a hand against what you are fairly sure are two overs but having to call off your stack with marginal holdings to someone doing a min-raise shove?

With all that said, if you have high confidence that your read is correct and you can get your money in when he's only 25% to when then do it, don't look back, and don't regret it regardless of the outcome.

[luckystraights]

Sorry, having a hard time getting past getting involved in a hand with J6os. I'm going to find a better spot to put my chips in. I can understand "defending your blind" or getting 3:1 on your money but still. OK, I know you said to disregard that part.

I agree, it was total trash, think I had a brain fart calling with that. Though not wanting to give up my blind so easily probably made me call.

I've witnessed the min raise - push play before, and it scares me a little now thinking about it, but I was very confident in my read here. After the game, blogging about it, I actually thought I had moved all-in and he called, I was that certain my read was correct here.

I'm just wondering if plays like this will get me into trouble in higher games...  just thought I'll bring it up and see some views on the issue.