Clash of the Big Stack Titans [$11 9man]

[Jack Sawyer]

This guy has coolered the shit out of a few opponents, and has been opening 3x for most every other hand. In hudbot terms, he had to have been at least a 50% VPIP with high aggression, always opening for 3x.
What do we do here? Look at other stacks as well as the situation as a whole; while calling to see a flop may be the "safest" play, I would hate to play my pokat tens as I would play 56s.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, 11 Tournament, 50/100 Blinds (5 handed) - Poker-Stars Replayer from Poker Hands Replayer



UTG (t5173)
MP (t1757)
Jizzy Sawya (Button) (t4995)
SB (t645)
BB (t930)

Jizzy Sawya's M: 33.30

Preflop: Jizzy Sawya is Button with ,
UTG bets t200, 1 fold, Hero (t0) ?

[taipan168]

Stacks are deep enough for you to 3-bet to 650 or so aren't they, with the intention of getting it in on an undercard or set flop? Alternatively, if you believe he's bad enough to call a shove with something you're way ahead of, then shove away!

[drmcboy]

spooky UTG non standard min raise = play for set/super careful if not. It's possible he did it to fold to a 3 bet from you since the blinds are so short he's calling them either way, but I doubt he's thinking on that plane in a $10.

Also, if you call the blinds may re open and you can see what he does. Everyone in a while I guess you'll fold to him re shoving 99 but it's cool.

[rong]

I'd just play this for set value. As mentioned, the min raise could be a little worrying, and your stack is deep enough that you can call and forget if you don't set without worrying about your stack, and should you hit your set, he sounds aggro enough to pay you off. The blinds stacks are too small to want to be getting aggro preflop right now. If you 3bet and he calls, are you calling a big bet if you flop an over pair? I wouldn't want to here, so I think calling is the better option. It avoids a major confrontation if you don't flop big, and he's aggro enough to pay you if you do.

[taipan168]

Hmm, I think you guys make good points for calling, in retrospect maybe calling and playing for set value is the best alternative. drmcboy also makes a good point about being able to see what the short stacks do.