The Poker Quiz

In a major tournament you are playing during the bubble. One more player gone and everyone gets a payday. 46th place pays $0, 45th place pays $15,000 and 1st pays $1,000,000.

You have an average chip stack with several short stacks still in the tournament. You are desperate for a payday and your worse fear is going out on the bubble in your first major tournament. In middle position you are dealt pocket aces. An aggressive but world class player raises in early position to 3.5x the big blind. Action is folded to you.

The Solution

Raise, you Fool!

At a recent tournament at Bay 101 a player folded pocket aces twice to a single raise in this same situation. If you are not willing to get involved in a pot with aces you should not be playing in the tournament. Your stiffest competition while holding Aces would come from a hand like 7-8 suited and even at that you are still a 77% favorite.

Against any other pocket pair you are an 80% favorite. Against two undercards you are a 86% favorite and if you are lucky enough to be against an Ace with any kicker you are a 91% favorite. If you are not ready to play a pot with those kinds of odds no matter what your financial situation, please, go back to your day job.